Are big bucks nocturnal?

 Dwight from Kentucky ask  Dr Deer:Dr Deer, I have some nice buck’s on my place I have set out field cameras to capture pictures but the only ones that I am getting is late at night. What can I do to get them to come out in the daytime?

Dr Kroll;Unfortunately, you have discovered what we did over 30 years ago. By the fourth year, bucks are completely nocturnal. However, once the rut gets underway, you should encounter more daylight photographs. Another problem may be where you have the cameras. If they are on a feeder or food plot, the chances are the deer will indeed visit at night.

Once a spike always always a spike !

Leah from California ask; 

A fellow hunter pal of mine says once a spike always a spike. and I say all bucks start out as a spike. Then they fork and on and on.

Help Me, who’s right?

Dr Kroll:  Neither of you! We just completed the most comprehensive study ever done on this topic. There was no relationship between a buck’s first set of antlers and those he has as a mature buck. Also, yearling bucks can be spikes up to multiple points, depending on genetics and nutrition. We do not recommend shooting any yearlings, no matter what they have on their heads. Hope this helps. Doc

Leah

Do trail camera flash have an impact on deer movement?

Boone  from Fargo, ND ask;Dear Dr. Deer,Have you done any research as to weather a trail camera flash has any  impact on deer behavior? I hunt mainly farmland whitetails that-are somewhat accustomed to human activity due to farm operations. I can not afford more expensive IR cameras, so use cheaper cameras with a flash. I am concerned about the flash having an ill effect on buck activity due to the fact that I will get one photo of a individual deer and than never see them again.

Thanks,  Boone

Dr Kroll:   In general, we have not. We placed infrared video cameras over-looking flash cameras and saw no real impacts. We have, however, received some comments from folks claiming to have seen aversion. I still use the flash and have no real problems. It is the “click-whurr” of the old film cameras that frighten deer. The digitals make no noise.           Doc

Texas Tops Nation in Ranking of State Hunting and Fishing Economic Impact

A new report ranking states in a number of categories related to hunters and anglers has been released, with Texas leading the pack. The report spotlights the immense impact hunters and anglers have on the economy at the national and state level.

Buck Forage challenge.

Side by side, Buck Forage Oats are preferred during hunting season compared to any other tested crop.

But don’t take our word for it! We challenge you to plant Buck Forage Oats next to clover, rape, any mixture, or other planting you desire! Then compare deer utilization during November / December (hunting season).

buckforage.com

Dr Kroll and John Butler hunt Mustange Creek Ranch.

I had a chance to talk with Dr Kroll today and he shot an amazing 174 4/8 Monday. He and John Butler, CEO of Buck Forage Oats, were hunting at the Mustang Creek Ranch. We will have the video footage up soon so make sure that you keep checking in to the video page for this hunt.  Also, we will have the new Dr. Deer narrated Deer Cam footage in a few weeks.

Clay Walker, Hit single “Fall” – triubute and show of support to the MWSF.

What a moving piece. When we posted this video on the Warriors Heart Channel.com we had no idea of the impact it would make. Thank you so much for your support.

Will a doe run her fawns off and when ?

Hello! My wife & I visited with you at the Hunters Extravaganza in FortWorth on Friday night. We live about 35 miles NW of Fort Worth. We have feeders and an oat food plot which is located in between a creek and a ravine that is spring feed. My question is…With our resident does..we are not seeing last years or befores offspring…Do the does run off all the offspring off of the place? What happens to the doe and buck fawns that we aren’t seeing? Also…we see does year round but no bucks until the rut Are they there and we don’t see them or are they far away?Thank you so much for your help!

Dr. Kroll:

Does tend to run their fawns away briefly at two times of the year: breeding and fawning. However, more often than not, it is the buck fawns that do not come back. So, the fact you are not seeing fawns either is due to poor survival or you may not be recognizing the fawns when they are between six and eighteen months of age. As to the does on your land, there is such a thing as doe habitats. Buck generally prefer much poorer habitats than does so the latter have the best places to raise the buck’s offspring. Most hunters tend to haunt doe, rather than buck habitat.

Early season scrapes.

Rip from Texas ask: Do doe make alot of these early season scrapes?

Dr Kroll:No, early scrapes are made by all age classes of bucks. Does normally do not make scrapes, rather they will visit and work them on occasion.

Tribute with Clay Walker’s hit single “Fall”

WOW ! When we posted this video we had no idea of the impact.

Click here to watch.