Backyard deer
Contributors to this thread:Massachusetts
From: spike78
13-Jan-18
Had zero tracks in the snow when I put out the cam and feed and it only took 24 hours to bring them in!
From: spike78
13-Jan-18
From: spike78
13-Jan-18
From: spike78
13-Jan-18
Monster doe! How much she weigh?
From: spike78
13-Jan-18
Only buck so far. Can’t wait till next year now that I can hunt back there.
From: spike78
13-Jan-18
Love this pic. Think she’s the herd boss or what?
From: xi
13-Jan-18
Spike, you ever take care of that issue with the neighbor. With pics like that this time of year, I would make sure I was all set for next year. Those are some real nice donkey does, great pics !
From: Skippah
13-Jan-18
Looks good spike! Now just gotta wait a winter, spring, and summer for a shot.... good luck!
From: spike78
13-Jan-18
Xi, I took a walk back there and found two cut up carcass’s a buck and a doe. This a hole shot the deer without permission and on top of that dumped the parts in the neighbors land! Why would someone who owns 3 acres in the woods dump them on someone else’s land?
From: Jimbo
13-Jan-18
Healthy looking herd, spike.
From: Moons22
13-Jan-18
They're in trouble next year! Can you usually land a doe tag in your zone?
From: spike78
13-Jan-18
Moons I have for the past five years but since I have permission now I have a bad feeling I’m screwed this year.
From: xi
13-Jan-18
Spike, fix the problems now, trust me.
From: Moons22
13-Jan-18
Haha no way you're getting one this year. Just your luck
From: Proline
13-Jan-18
Nice looking deer. They look healthy. Just be sure to keep that food going now until green up to keep the bacteria right in their digestive system. Try to spread it out a bit rather than a pile.
From: gdc23
13-Jan-18
With all the knowledge available about feeding deer people still insist on doing it...you are putting the deer at risk. With a thaw like this in the middle of the winter season the deer will be fine if left alone.
Please read this link
https://www.outdoorlife.com/blogs/big-buck-zone/whitetail-deer-winter-feeding-kills-12-deer-new-hampshire
From: mboudreau
14-Jan-18
x2 gdc, its surprising how many hunters are unaware of this , however cant really tell from the pic what the feed is... after all, in "suburbia" deer can and do feed on green grass, ornamental shrubs, etc. that are not found in big woods. Is continuing to now feed them till Mid March the right thing to do or stop and hope they dont get sick?
From: gdc23
14-Jan-18
I looked into feeding to help deer make it through tough times. I have always read that corn is really bad but thought alfalfa would be ok due to deer feeding on grasses etc... but even with a slight change such as this the deer may not have the correct bacteria to break it down. I know everyone wants to get camera photos etc.. but please no food. Its common to kill deer with kindness and good intention
From: spike78
14-Jan-18
I’m using grain and would never use corn in the winter time. I don’t dump out a large amount and notice the deer take a few bites leave and come back later and don’t eat it all in one sitting. I hope it’s not dangerous for them but I’ve been here for three winters now and saw no ill effects on deer that I’ve gotten to recognize as daily visitors.
From: TT-Pi
14-Jan-18
From what is written I think your not doing any harm . No (large piles of )Carbohydrates or starches as from corn. A Small amount of Protein ,grains and fat are good but keep it reasonable and infrequent. ( not too much as to make them dependent or to allow them to get too much ,unless you will be feeding all winter but that's not advised) If you have the time and natural resources you could gather a lot of soft budding plants and make a pile. Look up the local plants that deer eat and try to harvest them for your pile. Honeysuckle , Fruit tree pruning etc. There is lots of good info on this subject . It looks like your doing it right and being careful.
As for that kooky intruder , put out a couple of Big Macks and Cheep Beer and get him on camera.
From: Proline
14-Jan-18
No harm at all with a mixture of corn and sweet feed. The thing with feeding in winter is you ease them into it with small quantity to start then gradually increase over the first few weeks. Once you start you don't stop until spring. Never do a pile. Broadcast feeders with a few feed times a day. Is it necessary, no. They will survive without it. Is it harmful. No not if done correctly. Does it increase the chance of road kills, it could.
From: Sosso
14-Jan-18
I know that if you want to keep them fed during the winter, doing be afraid to plant briar, have fun controlling that growth, but turnips are huge!! They do well in the ground in the winter and are easy starches.
From: Will
15-Jan-18
Cool Spike - enjoy em!
From: mrw
16-Jan-18
Turnips and beets. I just can't get rid of them.
From: spike78
17-Jan-18
Nice population there mrw!
From: Jimbo
19-Jan-18
We have a herd that goes by the back yard regularly. There were five this morning... browsing along at a slow pace... couple of does with three yearlings. I've been thinking about getting a feeder to help them through the winter. Some good advice here on how to use one in a way that's appropriate for the deer.
From: Ungie01201
19-Jan-18
looked out the back window last pm and there were 4... one nice 8 still has his rack
From: Dan6310
20-Jan-18
I just love this picture.
From: DanaC
21-Jan-18
A friend suggested horse feed. My sister got pix of a piebald down in CT. Will try to post it later.
From: DanaC
21-Jan-18
Somewhere in CT
From: Jebediah
21-Jan-18
I have played around in last few years with putting out some "deer food" (can't remember the brand, but it has a picture of a huge rack on the bag, so it's got to be good). I think I'm done with this, simply because of the cost--just another thing to spend money on. I'm going to spend that money instead on another can call. So I can have one for both hands.
From: mboudreau
21-Jan-18
Jeb, that's funny, I think there was a guy doublefisting two can calls in Texas and you could actually make out the 10' fence behind the tame farm deer he was pretending to hunt... great technique!
