The woods today.....explain this......

bswiv · June 10, 2012, 06:05 PM

So Louann and I went to the woods this morning with the plan being to trim the limbs along one of the new fire breaks that has been cut and then make a couple of passes down it with the tractor/harrow. The trimming was to keep me from getting a face full of limb as I ran the tractor.

Now it's hot here in Florida.......and HUMID....100% at the lowest.......and the bugs.....lord the bugs, but we're idiots so we went at it. By noon or so we were soaked, bit, hungry.......basically out of steam, so we decided to just spend a little while riding the roads while drinking a coke.

And what in the heck do we see over the next couple of hours.......? Lots of deer!!

Not just one or two but a dozen in groups of 2 to 3. A couple had spots, one was a GIANT ( Marked the spot! ) and the rest were healthy looking.

Now all these deer were feeding in 90+ degree full sun with 100% humidity and with the yellow flies/mosquito's/deer flies all off the charts.

What in the world were they thinking??????

And this is FLORIDA, thick woods as you can see from the picture, so we're not talking a pasture where you can see a hundred acres at a time.

Second picture is of a spotted turtle Louann found while we were wandering about.......one of the more attractive Florida turtles......and not to common either.

The second picture of the turtle was a accident......but it is interesting to look at. She's in the water..............

And yes......the bath after all that fun felt good..............

Art Eatman · June 10, 2012, 08:10 PM

Sounds like a fun day, sweat, bugs and all!

I took BossMama down to Panacea; we ODed on fried crab claws at Posey's On The Bay.

warbirdlover · June 10, 2012, 09:43 PM

Deer love those tasty tree tops! Nothing odd about it at all.

dieselbeef · June 11, 2012, 07:04 AM

lucky that turtle didnt ake a fingertip off...

Art Eatman · June 11, 2012, 08:35 AM

Nahh, dieselbeef, usually, all those little box critters do when you pick them up is pee.

bamaranger · June 11, 2012, 08:36 PM

Hey bswiv,

I've seen that here in AL in mid summer also, when the fawns start to drop and mamma deer start to nurse. My logic is that mamma is now eating for two, herself and the fawn. Not that she wasn't before, but the fawn is now really growning and mamma needs calories. I have also seen big does that appear just about to drop (fawns) feeding mid day, terrible heat and humidity on soy bean fields, same concept, high protien chow down for her and soon to be newborn.

This is my theory, and I cannot substantiate with data, but I have seen many times and is the conclusion I have come to.

Gunplummer · June 11, 2012, 09:23 PM

I have seen it a lot lately. Usually a big doe feeding during the day. I bet she has a fawn stashed in the brush. That way she run if she has to. See a lot around power line towers. You can bet there is a fawn hidden in the brush under the tower.

Discern · June 11, 2012, 11:31 PM

When they are nursing, they need to drink a lot of water to produce the required amount of milk. Add to that the heat, and they will need to drink even more. I am sure they are also eating when they go to find water for a drink.

Another factor may be the coyotes and other predators don't seem to like the heat either. The heat of the day may be a good time for the deer to leave their young in search of water and food.

bswiv · June 12, 2012, 04:50 AM

The water/extra food/coyote avoidence theory makes good sense.

And it certianly fits with the fact that we did not see the first fuzzy bit of new horn on any of them........not even the really big one.

Just a lot of does stuffing themselves.

BlueTrain · June 12, 2012, 05:54 AM

Some claim deer are smarter than they're given credit for. My wife swears that during hunting season they somehow manage to find there way to places where there is no hunting but maybe it's only the survivors. Of course, these are suburban deer, who I suppose have their own habits. Those that live in the city naturally are a little different and they don't worry about hunting. There is some hunting in the suburbs around here.

This is not a new thing either. There is a photo in L.L.Bean's book published in 1940 of a deer standing in front of a tent somewhere in Maine. He said don't expect to see one that close during hunting season.

They should all be a little more careful on the roads. Deer carcasses are not an unusual sight around here. But it's been a while since I've seen one here where I work, so I wonder if the range of an individual animal or family is larger than you would expect.

Art Eatman · June 12, 2012, 08:52 AM

"My wife swears that during hunting season they somehow manage to find there way to places where there is no hunting but maybe it's only the survivors."

When hunting season begins, people head toward the boonies, right? Noise. Scent. Motion. All that is different. To wild critters, different = danger. What do critters do about danger? Go elsewhere.

"Elsewhere" need not be a great distance away, but they move away from disturbance. Doesn't matter if you're setting up camp or walking to a stand.

Bucks which survive--and does, as well--do whatever seems necessary to avoid detection. This often means changing from a daylight feeding/watering pattern to a night time pattern.

Gunplummer · June 12, 2012, 07:16 PM

I believe some deer are very smart. I remember a first day of doe here in Pa. with snow on the ground. My wife had shot a doe early and we were leaving around 11:00. We drove down into the valley and there was a herd of deer circling way out in an open field in front of a farm. They did not know where to go and they just milled around in a circle while slowly moving to the side. There was one good sized buck in the middle and he tried everything to keep a couple deer between our truck and himself. No doubt in my mind he understood the concept of what a rifle could do.

Win73 · June 12, 2012, 10:25 PM

I leave my game cameras out all year. Here in North Alabama the temperature during the summer is usually in the 90's. I get more pictures of deer during the day than I do at night. And not just one or two deer, but six or eight at a time is common. I once got 13 deer in one picture at one of my salt licks.

hogdogs · June 12, 2012, 11:19 PM

Quote:

Some claim deer are smarter than they're given credit for. My wife swears that during hunting season they somehow manage to find there way to places where there is no hunting but maybe it's only the survivors. Of course, these are suburban deer, who I suppose have their own habits. Those that live in the city naturally are a little different and they don't worry about hunting. There is some hunting in the suburbs around here.

The only time of year deer are routine on my 5 acre nearly rural place is about when pre-season scouting begins... Otherwise it is not so attractive with the dogs etc... feeder be danged...

Brent

JohnAL · July 6, 2012, 09:26 PM

Yep. I leave my camera out all year down by my pond. The only time I see deer regularly is when the hunters are in the woods. I am fairly rural but 1 mile down the creek is 11,000 acres of managed paper company timber.

AC 45-70 · July 26, 2012, 10:00 PM

The only time i can ever see deer are when i don't have a gun.

June 10, 2012, 06:05 PM	#1
bswiv Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: NE FL....... Posts: 1,081	The woods today.....explain this...... So Louann and I went to the woods this morning with the plan being to trim the limbs along one of the new fire breaks that has been cut and then make a couple of passes down it with the tractor/harrow. The trimming was to keep me from getting a face full of limb as I ran the tractor. Now it's hot here in Florida.......and HUMID....100% at the lowest.......and the bugs.....lord the bugs, but we're idiots so we went at it. By noon or so we were soaked, bit, hungry.......basically out of steam, so we decided to just spend a little while riding the roads while drinking a coke. And what in the heck do we see over the next couple of hours.......? Lots of deer!! Not just one or two but a dozen in groups of 2 to 3. A couple had spots, one was a GIANT ( Marked the spot! ) and the rest were healthy looking. Now all these deer were feeding in 90+ degree full sun with 100% humidity and with the yellow flies/mosquito's/deer flies all off the charts. What in the world were they thinking?????? And this is FLORIDA, thick woods as you can see from the picture, so we're not talking a pasture where you can see a hundred acres at a time. Second picture is of a spotted turtle Louann found while we were wandering about.......one of the more attractive Florida turtles......and not to common either. The second picture of the turtle was a accident......but it is interesting to look at. She's in the water.............. And yes......the bath after all that fun felt good..............

June 11, 2012, 08:36 PM	#6
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,308	hungry Hey bswiv, I've seen that here in AL in mid summer also, when the fawns start to drop and mamma deer start to nurse. My logic is that mamma is now eating for two, herself and the fawn. Not that she wasn't before, but the fawn is now really growning and mamma needs calories. I have also seen big does that appear just about to drop (fawns) feeding mid day, terrible heat and humidity on soy bean fields, same concept, high protien chow down for her and soon to be newborn. This is my theory, and I cannot substantiate with data, but I have seen many times and is the conclusion I have come to.

June 12, 2012, 05:54 AM	#10
BlueTrain Senior Member Join Date: September 26, 2005 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 6,141	Some claim deer are smarter than they're given credit for. My wife swears that during hunting season they somehow manage to find there way to places where there is no hunting but maybe it's only the survivors. Of course, these are suburban deer, who I suppose have their own habits. Those that live in the city naturally are a little different and they don't worry about hunting. There is some hunting in the suburbs around here. This is not a new thing either. There is a photo in L.L.Bean's book published in 1940 of a deer standing in front of a tent somewhere in Maine. He said don't expect to see one that close during hunting season. They should all be a little more careful on the roads. Deer carcasses are not an unusual sight around here. But it's been a while since I've seen one here where I work, so I wonder if the range of an individual animal or family is larger than you would expect. __________________ Shoot low, sheriff. They're riding Shetlands! Underneath the starry flag, civilize 'em with a Krag, and return us to our own beloved homes! Buy War Bonds.

June 12, 2012, 10:25 PM	#13
Win73 Senior Member Join Date: March 1, 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 401	I leave my game cameras out all year. Here in North Alabama the temperature during the summer is usually in the 90's. I get more pictures of deer during the day than I do at night. And not just one or two deer, but six or eight at a time is common. I once got 13 deer in one picture at one of my salt licks. __________________ (Luke 11:21 KJV) When a strong man armed keepeth his palace, his goods are in peace: (Luke 22:36 KJV) Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.

July 6, 2012, 09:26 PM	#15
JohnAL Member Join Date: August 19, 2011 Location: Lower Alabama Posts: 28	Yep. I leave my camera out all year down by my pond. The only time I see deer regularly is when the hunters are in the woods. I am fairly rural but 1 mile down the creek is 11,000 acres of managed paper company timber. __________________ NRA Endowment Member

June 10, 2012, 08:10 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Sounds like a fun day, sweat, bugs and all! I took BossMama down to Panacea; we ODed on fried crab claws at Posey's On The Bay.

June 10, 2012, 09:43 PM	#3
warbirdlover Senior Member Join Date: December 13, 2009 Location: central Wisconsin Posts: 2,324	Deer love those tasty tree tops! Nothing odd about it at all.

June 11, 2012, 07:04 AM	#4
dieselbeef Senior Member Join Date: November 3, 2011 Location: myakka city fl Posts: 312	lucky that turtle didnt ake a fingertip off...

June 11, 2012, 08:35 AM	#5
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Nahh, dieselbeef, usually, all those little box critters do when you pick them up is pee.

June 11, 2012, 09:23 PM	#7
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	I have seen it a lot lately. Usually a big doe feeding during the day. I bet she has a fawn stashed in the brush. That way she run if she has to. See a lot around power line towers. You can bet there is a fawn hidden in the brush under the tower.

June 11, 2012, 11:31 PM	#8
Discern Senior Member Join Date: July 30, 2011 Posts: 471	When they are nursing, they need to drink a lot of water to produce the required amount of milk. Add to that the heat, and they will need to drink even more. I am sure they are also eating when they go to find water for a drink. Another factor may be the coyotes and other predators don't seem to like the heat either. The heat of the day may be a good time for the deer to leave their young in search of water and food.

June 12, 2012, 04:50 AM	#9
bswiv Senior Member Join Date: June 4, 2006 Location: NE FL....... Posts: 1,081	The water/extra food/coyote avoidence theory makes good sense. And it certianly fits with the fact that we did not see the first fuzzy bit of new horn on any of them........not even the really big one. Just a lot of does stuffing themselves.

June 12, 2012, 08:52 AM	#11
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	"My wife swears that during hunting season they somehow manage to find there way to places where there is no hunting but maybe it's only the survivors." When hunting season begins, people head toward the boonies, right? Noise. Scent. Motion. All that is different. To wild critters, different = danger. What do critters do about danger? Go elsewhere. "Elsewhere" need not be a great distance away, but they move away from disturbance. Doesn't matter if you're setting up camp or walking to a stand. Bucks which survive--and does, as well--do whatever seems necessary to avoid detection. This often means changing from a daylight feeding/watering pattern to a night time pattern.

June 12, 2012, 07:16 PM	#12
Gunplummer Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2010 Location: South East Pa. Posts: 3,364	I believe some deer are very smart. I remember a first day of doe here in Pa. with snow on the ground. My wife had shot a doe early and we were leaving around 11:00. We drove down into the valley and there was a herd of deer circling way out in an open field in front of a farm. They did not know where to go and they just milled around in a circle while slowly moving to the side. There was one good sized buck in the middle and he tried everything to keep a couple deer between our truck and himself. No doubt in my mind he understood the concept of what a rifle could do.

July 26, 2012, 10:00 PM	#16
AC 45-70 Member Join Date: July 18, 2012 Posts: 29	The only time i can ever see deer are when i don't have a gun.