Thayer

Re: Realtree Turkey Team #22 Sorry, I keep having to login...What gives??

Re: PA Deer Populations Missouri does fly overs all the time...guess you guys need to support a tax for conservation efforts and elect people to man those efforts. With all the different parties fighting each other, you won't be able to solve your deer problems till you can trust what you are being told....don't believe everything you hear afterwards either, but don't spend your conservation dollars on fighting each other...don't make sense and peta loves it!

Re: Realtree Turkey Team #22 Hey team...What's up Gus! Third year for hunting the big birds...I will take one this year in MO...Easterns from NE Mo. Let me know the short details so I don't mess up an entry! I read that we need three photos...We don't start to late April...I can even figure that out by then. Good luck to all! Beard chasers, Hooks and Whiskers, Prehistoric Chickens.

Re:Stealth Buck Bombers Sorry, cookies got deleted recently. Thanks again!

Re: Collecting & disseminating deer mgmt data email them and they can get you a demo

Re: Collecting & disseminating deer mgmt data Try www.buckspy.com it is a good data compiling system and their are many upgrades on the way.

Re: Possible deer mount stolen. Huh...not quite the point...just to keep the pic in your mind if you ever see this rack...come on dude, help a brother out!

Re: MUST SEE! VIDEO OF CANNED HUNT! Jimmy Houston! Didn't this happen back in August of '05....why are we just catching on now...who is protecting him? This is a bunch of junk that we have to pay for again...Don't by products that endorse JH..blackball this dude! Like PETA needed more ammo...what an idiot!

Re: What to plant in Spring/Summer for deer? Your peas and beans will provide a great amount of nutrition, the peas need something to climb on, so the milo and sorghum are good for that. You might try some sunflowers, but once the deer find the sunflowers, in the young stages, the sunflowers will be hammered. Dogdoc has a great grip on what grows good in OK...

Here is picture of the deer stolen and you can read the details at MissouriWhitetails.com. [image][/image]

Re: Hunter 109 should be proud of his achievement...

Re: When do you deer drop their antlers...seems like would take an awful lot of bucks.

Re: Need a program. I would say wait for the Buckspy upgrade mapping program...you can download a map, then plot all of your stand positions, camera locations, food plots, deer observations, deer harvests, and a whole bunch of other info using GPS coordinates. You could get started with the Buckspy advanced to get your data downloaded then use the upgrade to fine tune all of our information.

Re: If the Guide Says NO, He Means NO! I guess $500.00 and inch under the minimum would not have worked for the ranch. If the guide said shoot that one and it ended up under the minimum..then no payment...if he tells you no and you shoot him...the ranch gets their potential money by your stupidity of not listening. Most ranches have a 130" min. Would you want to pay $5000.00 plus your other expenses for a 120" class deer??...sounds like a poorly operated ranch. Should have had their ducks in a row before letting stupid rich people hunt on the property.

Re: Which State Amazing no Michingans or Missouri's...I will pick...SE Iowa!

Re: Missouri is closed! Jan 15th every year. From what I saw this year the third rut really kicked in on the last weekend...lots of dead dear on the highway and I saw a pic of a guy with two archery bucks from the last Saturday. Both over P&Y.

Re: 2006 Realtree.com Turkey Quest Sign Up Thread Thayer Eastern adult...well, most of the time!

TOP TEN CREAM OF THE CROP FOOD PLOT PLANTS...NORTH AND SOUTH By: Kent Kammermeyer Wait a minute, you say, how can a biologist from Georgia write about food plots both in the deep south and the frozen north? Just like some outdoor writers, a couple of phone calls and we have an expert, right? Wrong! Let me explain. Where I worked in northeast Georgia for 28 years, we planted food plots at mountainous elevations as high as 4,000 ft. above sea level and as low as 1,000 ft. and everywhere in between. This is equivalent in climate and vegetation to areas as far as 1,000 miles north! We planted orchardgrass, perennial ryegrass and timothy, for example, which are not adapted to the south. Also, I have hunted on and assisted with food plot mixes for over 35 years on a very successful high quality hunt club in New Hampshire. I grew up in Connecticut and assist friends with their plots in that state. Finally, I read Ed Spinazzola’s book “Wildlife Food Plots, Easy as 1-2-3” based on his extensive experiences in Michigan and speak with him quite frequently. I recommend the book to anyone planting food plots in the North. Now that we have cleared the air, let’s try to clear up some of the food plot confusion. Choosing a seed or seed mix for your food plot can be like buying a car, hundreds of models (or seed varieties) to choose from, all with different options (plant characteristics) that either fit your driving needs (soil type and climate) or don’t. The whole experience can be mind-boggling, frustrating, confusing, and worrisome. It can sometimes be made more difficult by some dealers (seed and car) who have a hidden agenda or lack knowledge of the seed they sell. On top of everything are the pretty bags, extravagant claims, and mysterious mixes promoted by the seed dealer who is armed with all kinds of propaganda from the company seed salesman. Ironically, many of the pretty bags do have high quality, valuable seed in them at least as one component of a mix, but they can sometimes break your budget. Premixed seed mixes are convenient and certainly appropriate for small plots, just read the labels and look for the plants mentioned individually in my tables. The best way I know to present a clear and true assessment of the best deer food plot plants is to divide the country into north and south and present appropriate seed species (not mixes, you do that on your own by reading labels) suitable for either one or both (see Tables 1 and 2). The seed species are roughly ranked from top to bottom considering such characteristics as palatability to deer, production, quality (protein levels), and cool season value. There is not much difference (north or south) between the top three or four or the bottom three or four on either list. These plants are the cream of the crop for deer! There are some very good deer food plot plants conspicuously missing from both tables including annual ryegrass, kale, rose clover, berseem clover, subterranean clover, Kentucky bluegrass, Matua brome grass, timothy and others. For one reason or another, they just did not make the cut. Reasons may include lower preference by deer or not widely adapted (requiring special conditions for growth). Some are expensive or difficult to find, some are low producers, some grasses are too competitive for mixes with clover. There are some seeds that are prominent on both lists, including alfalfa, ladino clover, red clover, wheat and rape. On these, it will be of utmost importance to select the right variety for your climate, soil and other conditions. I can help with this to some extent, but you need to check with your local agricultural extension agent, wildlife biologist or reputable seed dealer (finding the right seed dealer can be as valuable as picking the right family doctor). One more preface before we begin to analyze the contents of the tables. You will notice this as we discuss the seed. Just because the seed are listed separately does not mean you need to plant them that way! As a matter of fact, with the possible exception of alfalfa, rape or turnips, all of the plants in the table need to be mixed with something. A word about legumes is also in order. You will notice that six of 10 plants on the northern table and seven of 10 in the southern table are members of the legume (pea/bean/clover) family. This is no accident. Besides being highly palatable to deer (high protein and high total digestible nutrients), legumes fix their own nitrogen from the air, a huge advantage to the plant and the farmer. Nitrogen (N) is an important part of amino acids, the building blocks of protein, an essential part of growth and body function. N is also the most expensive of the major fertilizer elements. Legumes fix 100 to 300 lbs of N/acre/year for their own use and that of companion or follow-up grasses. This is equivalent to 300 to 900 lbs of ammonium nitrate/acre/year ($60 to $180/acre/year)! Tops on the legume, N-fixing list at up to 300 lbs/N/ac/year is alfalfa. Because of its very high quality and very high production, alfalfa is at the top of the northern list. Because of the extra difficulty of growing alfalfa, it is midway down on the southern list, especially in the Deep South. Before everyone jumps on the alfalfa bandwagon, alfalfa is definitely not for the majority of deer hunters and their food plots. Because alfalfa is sensitive to overgrazing in the early seedling stage, requires a high pH (over 6.5), lots of potash (K) and annual maintenance in the form of weed control or weevil control, alfalfa is labor intensive and expensive to grow and maintain. Meticulous may be the right word to describe the type of deer hunter suited to growing alfalfa. If you can pull it off, however, the benefits/rewards are great in quality, production, and longevity which become directly beneficial to your deer herd. There are many varieties of alfalfa that work well in the north (Geneva, Winter Gold, Radiant, Laser and Vernal). Some are genetically improved to better resist weevils or to resist heavy early grazing pressure. (Alfagraze is one, there are others). These also work in the upper South or mid-South. The Deep South is another matter because of deep sands, droughts, poorer fertility, and high deer populations. Early trials show that Alfagraze and Amerigraze varieties have a better chance than others to get at least two or three years longevity from the planting. White clovers (including ladino [giant-leaved] white and medium-leaved) is high on both tables. On top of this list both north and south are Durana and Patriot. These are new high quality, high production perennials that can produce significant forage for seven to 10 months of the year. In the North, these clovers may persist for over 10 years if managed properly, in the South, five to eight years would be a good expectation. Past severe droughts in the South and East have taken their toll on white clover plantings, however, this was during the test period of Durana in Georgia and it passed with flying colors persisting with fescue for seven years (and still counting) through these tough conditions. Some other varieties (such as Osceola) have been specifically bred for drought resistance and are holding their own, but everything has its limits. Other varieties common across the U.S. include California, Will, Tillman II, Advantage, Regal, Tripoli, Alice, Pilgrim and Merit. In my opinion, white clover should always be planted in a mixture. My favorite is Durana (five lbs/acre) plus red clover (seven lbs/acre) plus wheat (50 lbs/acre). The wheat and red clover are very productive and palatable and fast starting while they “nurse” the Durana into early spring when it explodes and takes over for the second year and beyond. Pre-mixed blends include Rackmaster Supreme, Perennial Mix, Clover Blend, Refuge, and Ultimate Perennial. Red clover (also known as June clover) ranks high on both tables. It is a highly palatable, productive clover that grows well in all of the eastern U.S. but acts as an annual in the Deep South, a biennial in the mid-South and a perennial in the North. It does better in the warm season than white clover. Like white, it is sensitive to pH (needs 6.0 or above) and is vulnerable to severe droughts. In the North and Upper South, Redland III, Kenland, Arlington, Marathon, Cinnamon Plus and Freedom are good winter hardy and disease-resistant varieties. In the Deep South, Cherokee has the best chance to produce and persist. Again, mix red clover with wheat (50 lbs/acre) or oats (50 lbs/acre) or rye (50 lbs/acre) and white clover (five lbs/acre). Pre-mixed blends include Rackmaster Perennial Mixture. Two annual clovers sit at the top of the list for southern states. These are Dixie Reseeding Crimson, a productive, fast starting, acid-tolerant clover that will often automatically reseed itself in the Deep South and Yuchi Arrowleaf, a slower starting, drought-tolerant, tall growing, long season, high quality clover that will reseed if disked lightly in late summer. Both have a lower temperature limit of about 0o in winter whereupon they will be winterkilled. Because they complement each other so well in growth habit and reseeding ability, they make a good mixture with each planted at about 10 lbs/acre and mixed with oats (50 lbs/acre) in the Deep South and wheat (50 lbs/acre) further north (mid-South). Birdsfoot trefoil is an excellent food plot choice for the North down to Mid-South (TN, VA, NC, north GA, north AL). Its big advantage is its tolerance of soil acidity down to 5.5 pH, its drought tolerance, and its longevity (5-10 years or more). It is a little sensitive in the seedling stage to overgrazing, drought or lack of fertility. For this reason, mix birdsfoot trefoil (two lbs/acre) with a perennial grass – timothy (6-8 lbs/acre), orchardgrass (10 lbs/acre), Kentucky bluegrass (5-10 lbs/acre), or perennial ryegrass (15 lbs/acre). You can also mix with the small grains (no more than 50 lbs/acre) and/or clovers to end up with an ultimately pure stand of trefoil two or three years down the road. Erect varieties (Georgia one, AU Dewey (South), Fergus, Norcen and Tretona (North)) persist under heavy grazing pressure and persist better with weed competition. Chicory is easy to grow, persistent, productive, and drought-tolerant. Deer sometimes eat it lightly in fall but jump on it heavily the following spring and summer. For this reason it really needs to be planted in a mixture (at about two lb/acre) with clover and a small grain. Rackmaster Choice Chicory, Puna or Oasis are all good varieties. Rackmaster Refuge is a good pre-mixed blend. Alsike is a fast starting, winter hardy, acid-tolerant and flood-tolerant clover adapted to the North. It does best in a mixture (at five lbs/acre) with red and white clover, a small grain and maybe even trefoil. Austrian winter pea is a highly palatable legume appropriate for the southern U.S. It makes a great early season bow hunting plot when mixed at 20 lbs/acre with any clover and small grain. In small fields, it will likely be killed by deer over-grazing before winter. If not, it may take over the field with rank growth by mid-spring. If it blooms and goes to seed in spring, disking in August will get it back for a second year. Sweetclover is appropriate in the North if pH is above 6.0 and will tolerate very low fertility. Sweetclover is not quite as palatable as most other legumes but is very drought-tolerant. It is a true biennial. There are white and yellow-blossomed varieties of sweetclover. The yellow flowered species are higher quality but yield less than the white-blossomed sweetclover. It can be mixed at about eight lbs/acre with any of the clovers, trefoil, wheat, rye, or the perennial grasses. Hairy vetch is a high quality legume appropriate in the South. It is used extensively as a winter cover crop that fixes N and can be followed in the spring (especially with a no-till drill) by corn, grain sorghum, millet, or any summer grass crop. It produces a beautiful purple bloom in mid-spring and produces hard seed by late spring. It would do well at 5-10 lbs/acre mixed with Crimson clover, Arrowleaf clover, oats, wheat, or rye. Disking in late summer will ensure the reseeding of both clovers and the vetch. Oats, wheat, and rye have been repeatedly referred to in this article. Fall planted oats can winterkill in the North; rye will grow in acid soil and low fertility, but is not as palatable as wheat. All three can be mixed together in a food plot, but don’t skimp on N. A better tactic would be to pick one of the three and mix with any of the legumes mentioned above. Rackmaster Deluxe and Supreme (Fall) are a good pre-mixed blends of annual grasses mixed with annual legumes (Deluxe) or perennial legumes (Supreme). Timothy is one of a handful of high quality (not so aggressive) cool season grasses appropriate for the northern and central U.S. down to mid-south. The others are Kentucky bluegrass, perennial ryegrass, and fungus-free fescue. I would always recommend mixing any of these with clovers or other legumes. Rape and turnips (and kale and canola) are all members of the Brassica (mustard) family. They are high quality and easy to grow in acid soil, low fertility and drought but are high N users (75 lbs/acre). Deer use has been extremely variable. Some experienced users of Brassicas indicate that it may take up to three years for deer to get used to eating these plants, then they really relish them. Often, heavy use will not begin until December or January (when frosts increase sugar content of the leaves). Some users report high preference for rape (or a related canola variety) that begins at planting and continues through winter. Turnip foliage is mostly used in winter and some deer learn to eat the turnip bulb throughout winter (though I have never observed this in my turnip plots). Due to a serious disease problem, brassicas do not need to be grown on the same ground for more than two successive years even if they reseed and volunteer back. My recommendation is to mix rape with turnips and kale at a low rate (two lbs/acre of each) and plant early in August. Rackmaster Deer Greens is a good pre-mix of all three Brassicas. Thanks to Quality Deer Management Association Chapter president Ed Spinazzola for his insights and long experience at planting food plots in Michigan. I also want to thank three knowledgeable and trustworthy seed companies here in Georgia: John Carpenter of Pennington Seed Company in Madison (www.Penningtonseed.com), William Cooper of Cooper Seed in Lawrenceville (www.cooperseeds.com), and Jimmy Willis of Athens Seed in Watkinsville (www.athensseed.com). Also responsible for a wealth of information for this article were agronomists Dr. Bill Sell and Dr. Dewey Lee.

QDMA Articles : Deer Data Collection—Part II: Observation Data Back to List By: Brian P. Murphy Introduction When properly collected and analyzed, deer observation data can reveal important details about a herd’s population size, sex ratio, fawn recruitment, age structure, and overall management success. Since relatively few bucks are harvested in many Quality Deer Management (QDM) programs, observation data, particularly on bucks, can be even more useful than harvest data. The most important aspect of collecting good observation data is consistency. Regardless of whether the information is collected throughout the entire year or during specific periods of the year (e.g., the hunting season), it should be collected the same way each year and compared only to observation data collected during same period in future years. When collecting observation data, count every deer you see during each outing, even if you have seen the same animal during a previous observation period. This means the same animal may be counted several times during a season. This is fine. The purpose is not to count every individual deer on a property, but rather to determine the relative abundance of deer and the proportion of bucks, does, and fawns. In general, large deer herds produce more observations than small herds. Likewise, deer herds with large numbers of bucks generally produce more buck observations than herds with few bucks present. Also, unless you can positively identify the deer as a buck, doe, or fawn, record it as “unknown.” Do not guess. A small amount of reliable data is better than a large amount of data containing numerous misidentified animals. Some hunters may be reluctant to collect observation data or may provide dishonest data because they do not wish to reveal locations of buck sightings during the season. Two ways to address this problem are either to have a locked box in which deer observation cards are placed that is not opened until after the season or to allow hunters to retain their deer observation forms until after the season ends. The locked box approach is generally better because hunters are more likely to record the information on a daily basis and not wait until after the season and try to remember what they observed. Types of Observation Data Collected Date. The date of the observation. AM/PM. The time of day (morning or evening) the observation period (or hunt) took place. If the observation period took place throughout an entire day, divide the day into two observation periods (AM and PM) and assign all observations occurring before 12:00 noon to the morning period and all observations after noon to the PM period. Total Hours. The total number of hours spent observing deer during a given observation period. If you record observations while traveling to or from your hunting area, or while scouting, include this time in your estimation of total hours. When estimating the total number of hours, round to the nearest 15–minute interval. For example, 3 hours and 10 minutes would be rounded to 3 hours and 15 minutes or 3.25 hours. Area/Stand. The property, area, or individual stand where the observations occurred. This is considered optional information since many hunters do not wish to divulge information about specific hunting areas. Some hunting groups allow members to keep their observation information until after the season ends before submitting it for analysis. Other groups divide the property into broad regions or units for analysis. Quality Bucks. The number of bucks observed that meet the minimum harvest criteria established for the property. For example, if the property harvest minimum was 8 points and an antler spread of at least 15 inches, then all bucks meeting this minimum would be classed as quality bucks. Other Bucks. The number of bucks observed that do not meet the minimum harvest criteria established for the property. These are generally immature bucks, although occasionally mature bucks do not meet the minimum criteria. In these situations, it is useful to note this in the “Comments” section for future reference. Does. The number of does observed that are at least 1.5 years old. Fawns. The number of fawns, both male and female, observed. Unknown. The number of deer observed that could not be positively identified as a buck, doe, or fawn. Do not guess. A reasonable number of observations should be classed as unknown. Comments. This column is used to record any other information not listed elsewhere on the observation form. Such information may include unusual observations, comments about what deer were feeding on, individual sizes of bucks observed, individual times of observations, observations of bucks chasing does, etc. Estimated Deer Herd Attributes With Observation Data Observation data can be used to estimate the following attributes of a deer herd: Relative Abundance Sex Ratio Fawn:Doe Ratio (fawn recruitment) Age Structure The examples listed below are based on the following data. 500 total observation hours 300 total deer observations including: 70 adult buck observations (1.5+ years old) 140 adult doe observations (l.5+ years old) 90 fawn (male and female) observations Relative Abundance. Observation data can be used to estimate the relative abundance of a deer herd and/or the relative abundance of specific segments of the herd (e.g., number of quality bucks). To calculate an index of relative abundance for the entire herd, simply add all deer observations for a given year or period of the year, and divide this figure by the total number of hours spent observing deer during that same period. For example, if the hunters on your property collectively spent 500 hours observing deer during the hunting season and recorded 300 deer observations, simply divide 300 by 500 and you get a sighting rate of 0.60 deer per hour. This is your starting point for future comparisons. Assuming that habitat conditions and observer ability are relatively constant over time, this sighting rate can be a useful index of the herd size. While it does not give you an actual herd estimate, it can be used to estimate trends in deer abundance. Sharp increases in this index usually indicate an increasing herd while sharp decreases suggest a declining herd. However, always consider factors such as unusual weather patterns (e.g., droughts), habitat modifications (e.g., timber harvest), food availability (e.g., food plots or abundant acorn crop), and observer experience when considering changes to management practices based on observation data. It is recommended that you consult with an experienced wildlife biologist if you have any questions regarding observation data. Observation data also can be used to estimate the relative abundance of specific segments of a herd, such as the number of quality bucks (as defined by that property’s management objective). Using the same figures from above, assume that 30 of the 70 adult buck observations were quality bucks. Simply divide 30 by 500 (total observation hours) and you get a sighting rate of 0.06 quality bucks per hour. This index is among the most important because it is the primary indicator of the abundance of quality bucks in the herd. Examining individual segments of the herd is very useful because it may be a property management goal to reduce the total number of deer on the property (i.e., decrease the overall sighting rate per hour), but increase the number of quality bucks (i.e., increase the quality buck sighting rate). Sex Ratio. The sex ratio of a deer herd is defined simply as the ratio of females to males. Within this broad definition, both the adult sex ratio and the total sex ratio can be estimated. The adult sex ratio is the ratio of adult does (1.5+ years old) to adult bucks (1.5+ years old) in the herd. This ratio is determined by dividing the total number of adul t doe observations by the total number of adult buck observations. For example, 140 adult doe observations divided by 70 adult buck observations would produce a 2:1 adult sex ratio. In a QDM program, the adult sex ratio is generally more useful than total sex ratio because it is the best indicator of the number of adult bucks present in the herd. However, the adult sex ratio obtained from observation data gathered by hunters will often underestimate the abundance of bucks, particularly mature bucks, in the herd. This is because adult bucks are more nocturnal than younger bucks and more skilled at avoiding hunters. When possible, it is a good idea to compare observation data collected with infrared game cameras to that collected by hunters. If they differ significantly, the camera–collected data should be considered more accurate due to the unbiased method of collection and reduced opportunity for observer error. The total sex ratio is the ratio of all males to all females in the herd including fawns. This ratio is determined by dividing the total number of fawn observations in half (because the sexes are born in approximately equal numbers) and adding half to the total number of adult doe observations and the other half to the total number of adult buck observations. For example, 90 fawn observations divided in half would give 45 female fawns and 45 male fawns. Using the data from above, add 45 to the total number of adult doe observations (140) and the total number of female observations would be 185. Repeat the procedure for males and the total number of male observations would be 115. Next, simply divide 185 by 115 and the total sex ratio would be 1.6:1 or 1 male for every 1.6 females. Fawn:Doe Ratio/Fawn Recruitment. The fawn:doe ratio is simply the average number of fawns per adult doe (1.5+ years old) in the herd. When this information is collected during the late summer or early fall, it also provides a useful estimate of fawn recruitment, or the number of fawns that have survived long enough to be recruited into the fall hunting population. The fawn:doe ratio is calculated by dividing the total number of fawn observations by the total number of adult doe observations. For example, 90 fawn observations divided by 140 adult doe observations would result in a fawn:doe ratio of 0.64 or about 64 fawns per 100 adult does. Keep in mind that adult does in high quality habitats generally produce twins or even triplets. Therefore, it is common to have more than one fawn recruited per adult doe. Age Structure. Although the age structure of a deer herd is best determined through the aging of lower jawbones after harvest, observation data can provide useful insight regarding the general age structure of a deer herd. This is particularly true in situations where observers are experienced enough to estimate the general age of deer (particularly bucks) in the field. For example, with minimal experience, observers can generally assign does to three age classes including, fawn, yearling, and 2.5+ years old. Experienced observers may be able to assign bucks to at least four age classes including fawn, yearling, 2.5years old, and 3.5+ years old. In most situations, observation data and harvest data will provide similar trends for does because, except for fawns, little selection is involved in doe harvest. However, due to hunter selectivity on bucks, harvest data and observation data may differ considerably. Therefore, observation data on bucks can provide useful information regarding buck age structure not provided by harvest data. It is hoped that this two–part series on data collection has provided you with a sound understanding of the importance of collecting both harvest and observation data on your deer herd. Serious practitioners of QDM are constantly seeking ways to “fine–tune” their deer herds and the information obtained from these sources is one of the best places to start. Brian Murphy is a Wildlife Biologist and the Executive Director of the QDMA. For the past 15 years he has worked exclusively in deer management and research.

QDMA Articles : Deer Data Collection—Part I: Harvest Data Back to List By: Robert N. Smith The two types of deer data most commonly collected are harvest data and observation data. Harvest data are collected from deer killed during the season or found dead at other times. Observation data may be collected at any time, but is generally collected while hunting. Together, these data help hunters and managers make educated decisions about their deer herds. Good deer harvest records generally result in good management decisions, whereas poor or incomplete records often result in faulty decisions. It generally takes a substantial amount of data to develop a good “picture” of a herd. On many properties, however, the number of deer killed is so small and the measurements so variable that few relevant conclusions can be drawn. This means that data collected over several years and general trends become much more important than single year figures or absolute differences. One way to address the problem of limited data is to combine your harvest data with that collected on adjacent properties through the formation of a deer management cooperative. Deer management cooperatives are simply several adjacent properties working together to achieve similar objectives. Cooperatives also allow small property owners to meet the minimum acreage guidelines required to participate in deer management assistance programs (DMAP) offered by many state wildlife agencies. These programs provide participants with opportunities to harvest additional antlerless deer in an effort to better achieve their overall deer management objectives. Harvest data often is the most complete set of information from which to make deer management decisions. The most important characteristics of good harvest data are completeness and consistency. It is extremely important to collect ALL information on EVERY deer and do it in the SAME way each time. The best way to ensure that harvest data are collected on every deer is to make it mandatory. If this is not possible, a good way to encourage data collection is to have a convenient, well–equipped check station or shed to process your deer. It should be a place hunters want to bring their deer. The facility should be well–lighted and well–drained with some way to raise deer off the ground. The addition of hot water and a place to hang deer almost guarantee that most deer will come through the check station. Within the facility, there should be a dedicated place for the data book, collection tools, and jawbones. When possible, one person should record all of the harvest details in the data book while others process the deer. The data collector’s job is to make sure all of the data are collected from each deer and that the jawbones are properly labeled. So, what data are collected? Some types of information are collected on both bucks and does and some are sex specific. Data collected on both bucks and does include: deer identification number, date of harvest, sex of deer, weight, age (jawbone), location of kill, hunter’s name, and any comments or unique observations. Additional data collected on bucks include number of points, antler spread, antler length, circumference, and other antler characteristics of interest. Other data collected on does include evidence of lactation (“in milk”) and fetal information. There are two basic ways to keep up with this information. The first is a data sheet where information from multiple deer can be recorded. The second is a data tag for each deer that attaches to the jawbone. Both are available through QDMA or you can make your own. One method is not necessarily better than another, it is simply a matter of preference and which works best for your property. Types of Harvest Data Collected Deer Identification Number The deer identification number is a unique number assigned to each deer. It may be simply a sequen tial number (such as 1, 2, 3…), or it may consist of the year with a number (such as 99–01, 99–02,…), or the month, day, year, and a number (such as 11/14/99–01). By including the year in the identification number, it is easier to separate the deer into different harvest years. The deer identification number should be written on both the data sheet or data tag and on the jawbone tag. This allows managers to match the age determined from the jawbone with the corresponding harvest data. Harvest Date The harvest date is important because it allows managers and hunters to determine if there are seasonal trends in deer activity or hunter success. Some hunters also record time of harvest to help determine when deer are most active. Harvest date also is necessary when estimating the conception (breeding) date of pregnant does harvested during the season (see section on fetal data collection for more information). Deer Sex Sex of deer is self–explanatory and is usually recorded as buck and doe. This is important because many characteristics are sex specific. Weight Weight is very important because it provides an index of population size relative to habitat carrying capacity. This is particularly true for fawn and yearling deer which reflect changes in habitat quality more quickly than adult deer due to their rapid growth. If several age– and sex–specific weights start to change over time, this suggests the habitat and/or the deer population also are changing. When comparing average weights by age between years, doe body weights are often a better indicator because bucks can lose up to one–third of their body weight during the breeding season. Deer weight is generally recorded in pounds and scales that weigh in 2– or 5– pound increments are usually adequate. It is important to check your scale each year with something of known weight because scales commonly get out of balance over time. It is generally better to record live (un–gutted) weight rather than dressed (gutted) weight. Gutted weights are more inconsistent because some hunters are better at removing the viscera and body fat than others. Gutting a deer at the skinning shed also increases the chances that fetuses, internal parasites, or anything out of the normal will not be overlooked or left in the field. Age Without question, age is the most important piece of information that can be collected from a harvested deer. Without age, comparisons between body weight, antler quality, and most other measurable attributes are not valid. Age is estimated by examining tooth replacement and wear patterns on the lower jawbones. It is important to remove the jawbones from every deer—especially the nice bucks that are going to be mounted. In most cases, only one lower jawbone is removed. However, removing both lower jawbones is recommended because one may become damaged during removal or show slightly different wear patterns than the other side. Although jawbones can be aged at the skinning shed, greater accuracy and consistency will be achieved if the ages are assigned after the season once all jawbones have been collected. This allows the person or persons aging the jawbones to arrange them from youngest to oldest comparing between age classes and deliberating on those that don’t fit neatly into a particular age group. Antler Characteristics Antler characteristics, such as number of points, spread, beam length, and circumference are very important, particularly when establishing or assessing a buck harvest criteria based on antler criteria. For consistency purposes, all antler measurements should be recorded in inches, rounded to the nearest 1/8––inch. Number of points, while fairly self–explanatory, can get complicated. To be consistent, a good rule to follow is that an antler point must be o ne inch or longer to be counted. No matter how many rings you can hang on it, a point must be one inch or longer to be counted in the data. Inside spread is the widest space from the inside of one main beam to the inside of the other main beam measured perpendicular to the dividing line on the skull. Inside spread is recorded more often than outside spread because it is more consistent. Beam length is the length of the main beam (generally taken on the outside curve of the antler) from the base of the antler to the tip of the main beam. Lengths of individual tines also may be recorded. Circumference is the smallest distance around the main beam between two points. Basal circumference is usually measured one of two ways—at the smallest point between the burr and the brow tine or always 1–inch above the burr. Whichever you select, be consistent. Lactation Lactation is a fancy term for whether a doe is “in milk” or not. Again, this is fairly self–explanatory, but again it can be difficult. This information is important because it provides evidence that a doe gave birth and successfully raised one or more fawns. The percentage of adult does (2.5 years old or older) lactating in a given year provides an estimate of the reproductive health of the herd and the number of fawns that were recruited into hunting population. In most areas of the U.S., a lactation rate of 70–80 percent or higher for adult does is considered good. The actual lactation rate is generally higher, but does that gave birth early and/or weaned their fawns early often are recorded as “dry” when harvested during the season. In the northern and midwestern portions of the whitetail’s range, a moderate to high percentage of yearling does may be lactating during the hunting season indicating that they bred as fawns. This is a very healthy situation, albeit somewhat rare in the South due to high deer populations and lower quality nutrition. To check for lactation, simply squeeze the doe’s mammary glands. However, this will not always provide evidence of lactation. You may need to slice into the milk bag with your knife and see if any yellowish to brownish material is present. If the doe is drying–up, but was obviously producing milk earlier, then the answer is, “Yes, the doe is lactating.” Fetal Data Fetal information is collected to estimate conception (breeding) dates and parturition (fawning) dates. If fetuses are present, they can be removed and aged by measuring their crown–to–rump length on a fetal scale (available from QDMA). This length provides an estimate of age in days. Generally, fetuses must be 30–40 days old to be measurable. If the sex of the fetus can be determined, this should be recorded. The fetus age (in days) can then subtracted from the harvest date of its mother to provide the conception date. With enough fetuses, this information provides a clear picture of the timing and conciseness of your breeding period or rut. In general, the earlier and more concise your breeding period, the better condition your deer herd relative to sex ratio and buck age structure. Harvest Location Harvest location can be recorded to help determine the relative hunting productivity on different areas of the property and identify areas that need more or less hunting pressure. This is particularly important on properties where large numbers of does are harvested. If the property is large enough, harvest location also can be useful in detecting local differences in deer herd or habitat quality. Hunter’s Name The hunter’s name is self–explanatory. This information can be expanded to include the host if the hunter was a guest or the guide if the area sells commercial hunts. Comments The comments section is used to record any interesting or unusual observations on the harvested deer itself or any that occurred prior to or during the successful hunt. This could include comments rega rding deer condition (fat or skinny), evidence of injury or disease, such as sloughing hooves or “warts,” or weather information such as temperature, wind direction, wind speed, or barometric pressure. Summary There seems to be no limit to the kind or amount of harvest data that can be collected. However, the simpler and more streamlined the data collection process, the more complete and accurate the data that will result. When properly collected and analyzed, harvest data provides useful insight into the current condition of a deer herd. When compared to previous years, it also provides the opportunity to see where a deer management program has been and where it is going. It is particularly useful in Quality Deer Management programs that implement antler restrictions in an effort to improve buck age structure and antler quality. Without supporting data, the antler restriction selected may be doing more harm than good. Deer management is site specific and harvest data is one of the best sources of information from which to make these types of management decisions. To obtain copies of QDMA’s deer harvest or deer observation log books or any of the necessary data collection tools, contact the QDMA at 800–209–3337. Robert Smith is a certified wildlife biologist and a registered forester in Mississippi and Georgia. Robert received his B.S. in wildlife management from Mississippi State University and his M.S. in forest ecology from The University of Georgia. This is his first article for Quality Whitetails.

Re: Log Road Planting. (Need your input and opinions) Can you get in there with a lime truck? I would start by liming the road and discing it in...if possible. I would also get some soil samples and try to get your roads up to proper ph and fertlilizer levels... How much shade are you going to have on the roads...some mixes require 6 or more hours of sunlight. Sounds like a good idea, just go the extra mile to do it right.

Re: Stealth Buck Bombers 110 points team, way to go....Now where is TSBH?

Re: No plow nutrition plot If you are starting on a new plot...could I suggest going with an annual that you would be able to apply a selective herbicide to during the season to eliminate weeds and unwanted grasses....getting a mix, (note: I don't know what is in the mix), you can end up with plants from all over the spectrum, leaving you little room for selective herbicide treatments. I would suggest a good legume, clover, trefoil, alfalfa...get you soil test and lime away! Good luck!

Re: My 1998 Rifle Buck/What will he score? 120's

Re: GOT ONE....I think You make it sound soooo easy...good luck!