| The deer management techniques that we use | | | | weights of the three does that we shot in 1997 |
| on our property have changed a lot over the past | | | | ranged from 65 to 85 pounds while the weights |
| thirty years in relation with the changing deer | | | | of the four does in 2003 varied from 55 to 82 |
| herd. Whitetail deer numbers in the entire state of | | | | pounds. Although we are not deer aging experts |
| West Virginia have grown considerably and our | | | | we do look at tooth wear to determine the |
| land has been no exception. | | | | approximate age of the deer. We usually look at |
| We started shooting does in 1997 after the | | | | the lower front teeth. A couple of the does that |
| pictures from our scouting camera revealed that | | | | we've shot have had these lower front teeth |
| we were overloaded with does. Since then we | | | | worn all the way to the gumline. |
| have shot 22 does and only 7 bucks. Three of | | | | Record Keeping |
| these bucks, two 8-points and one 10-point are | | | | I believe that the records that we keep have |
| the three largest antlered bucks that we have | | | | given us a lot of valuable information. We record |
| taken in the last thirty years. We had noticed that | | | | every buck that we see during hunting season. |
| there were larger antlered bucks when the deer | | | | We include the date, time, number of points, |
| population had just started to climb in the eighties | | | | location, person who saw buck, time, and rack |
| and then antler sizes began to decrease as the | | | | width and characteristics. During the season of |
| deer numbers grew too high and we were | | | | 2003 we recorded 87 buck sightings, of course |
| shooting the young bucks each year. | | | | many of these bucks showed up several times. It |
| All of this made us realize that we needed to | | | | is neat to look back and see the bucks grow up |
| lower the deer population by shooting does and | | | | that we have recorded. The rack characteristics |
| letting the young bucks grow up. | | | | are similar from year to year and allow us to |
| We are currently doing several different things in | | | | identify many of the deer that we see. Most |
| an attempt to have a well-balanced, healthier deer | | | | years I am able to look at this list and figure out |
| herd on our farm. These include: | | | | an approximate number of different bucks that |
| Harvesting does. | | | | we have seen. |
| Letting young bucks grow up. | | | | We have also kept deer harvest data since 1997 |
| Planting food plots to help boost the nutrition. | | | | and I wish that I had started doing this earlier. |
| Mineral licks. | | | | This data includes the time, date, number of |
| Keep records on the deer harvested and a log of | | | | points, location, hunter, dressed weight, inside |
| the bucks seen during hunting season. | | | | antler spread and approximate age. I think that |
| Leave an area of sanctuary during the hunting | | | | we can tell a lot from the weight data and wish |
| season so that the deer are not pressured. | | | | that we had kept track of the weights from the |
| Provide a limited amount of shelled corn with | | | | bucks that we had shot several years ago when |
| automated wildlife feeders. | | | | we first got our scales. The weights of the bucks |
| On some occasions we also cut down trees to | | | | that we have shot since 1997 have ranged from |
| provide browse in the winter and fertilize plants | | | | 72 to 130 pounds. The 72 pound deer was a |
| growing along the edges, especially the | | | | spike that my 9 year old son shot in 2002. The |
| honeysuckle. | | | | 130 pound buck was an 8-point that I killed in |
| The Results | | | | 2000. I knew that this buck was at least three |
| Since changing our hunting strategies we have | | | | and one-half years old and most likely a year or |
| noticed some changes for the better. We have | | | | two older. I had watched this buck for the two |
| seen bucks fighting, which we had seldom seen in | | | | previous years when he was a nice wide 6-point |
| past years and bucks have started reacting to | | | | and had found one of his shed antlers in 1998. We |
| calling, particularly grunting. We are finding shed | | | | also had a few pictures of him from our scouting |
| antlers now; sheds are hard to find when they're | | | | cameras. |
| just spikes. Also the numbers of bucks as | | | | One suggestion that I would have for every deer |
| compared to does caught on our scouting camera | | | | camp would be to buy a set of scales. They |
| pictures has increased dramatically. This tells us | | | | provide a lot of information for the relatively |
| that our buck to doe ratio is improving. | | | | cheap cost. |
| On the other hand, we still feel that our total deer | | | | Whitetail deer management is not difficult, is good |
| numbers are too high. The body weights of the | | | | for the overall health of your deer herd and a lot |
| deer we are shooting are still low. The body | | | | of fun. |