Deer Management Archives - Page 2 of 3

Using Fawns to Predict the Harvest for Rifle Season

Fawns. They taste good, but I generally try to avoid shooting them. The emotional toll it puts on a hunter is almost too much to bear this day and age. Not only will your buddies give you a hard time, but you’ll be just about crucified on the internet.

On the other hand, the harvest of fawns can provide some useful data on the health of the deer herd. Just ask someone who knows what they are talking about if you disagree. Today, I plan to use some of that data to reveal an interesting pattern that might help predict the harvest for future hunting seasons. Once I’m done explaining everything I didn’t know, you’ll likely file this information in your own “Everything I didn’t need to know” category.

Antler Restrictions or Not?

Ah yes, the never ending antler restriction debate is heating up now that deer season is over and will only get hotter as the winter months move along. Hunters in Vermont are divided on the level of restrictions necessary though the majority of hunters have a favorable view of the current restriction on spike horns that has been in effect since 2005.

Vermont Rifle Season Stats

I’m a guy that likes stats. I admit it. I can’t wait for the data to come back from all of the teeth that were collected during rifle season in Vermont this year to gain a better understanding of the age structure of Vermont’s deer herd. Additionally, I am really looking forward to seeing how points bucks are carrying on their noggins by age. It’s going to be sweet.

2015 Hunting Journal: 12.10.15

As predicted, I have not had any time to get to the woods this week. Ridiculous if you ask me. But just because I didn’t make it to the stand doesn’t mean I haven’t been thinking about deer related things…Here are a few things I've been pondering:

Thought Number 1.

The Vermont Department of Fish and Wildlife has stepped up the data collection efforts on the buck harvest this year in an attempt to get a better handle on the age structure and antler growth of the buck population. From what I gather, this is because they are trying to gauge what (if anything) is going on with the bucks. Some data that has been collected since the Spike Ban was implemented in 2005 indicates that there may be a decline in antler growth since its inception. However, the amount of data that has been collected is small (at least on the older bucks) and thus the reason for the increased effort.

Field Aging Deer – How Accurate Is It?

“That biologist is a retard!!!!”

That’s just one of the many negative comments directed at biologists that I read over the weekend. These days everyone seems to be an expert at aging deer. After watching a couple of YouTube videos and reading a few articles, the Keyboard Commandos are quick to show off their own perceived intelligence when it comes to the subject.

Listen, I am well aware that there are many hunters who know deer very well and are reasonably proficient at judging the age of a deer, but I’d be willing to bet that the majority of hunters and “experts” are not.