EHD is a common but sporadic disease in white-tailed deer populations of the United States, and is contracted by the bite of insects called biting midges. In more northern states, EHD occurs less often and affected deer are less likely to mount an effective immune response. The deer virus usually kills the deer quickly, within five to 10 days. The disease is not spread from deer to deer by contact. While EHD is not infectious to humans, deer displaying severe symptoms of EHD are usually not suitable for consumption because of the rapid deterioration of the meat and secondary bacterial infection.

Even though some EHD symptoms are similar to those of chronic wasting disease (CWD), such as excessive drooling, weakness and a loss of fear of humans, there is no relationship between EHD and CWD. However, because these diseases coexist, deer submitted for EHD testing also are being tested for CWD. The deer disease known as Blue Tongue also has very similar symptoms to EHD and CWD. Tissue samples must be extracted within 24 hours of death to be suitable for conducting tests. There is no evidence that humans are at risk from EHD, but other diseases could be transmitted by careless hygiene when processing deer.

EHD is one of the whitetail deer diseases in which the animal mortality rate can be amplified by anything that serves to bring deer together, such as supplemental feeding, and placement of salt or mineral blocks. While the disease is not spread through deer-to-deer contact, congregating animals through feeding does make transmission easier by allowing midges that carry the virus greater access to a larger number of animals in a more confined area. Therefore, such feeding activities should be discontinued immediately. There will still be deer this whitetail hunting season in Pennsylvania, but not as many as there were prior to EHD taking its toll.

Fellow hunters, take from it what you will. I arrived at my deer lease at before sunrise with hog hunting on my mind. There was a small tank that had been covered in hog sign, so I knew where I wanted to set up. There are no game cameras in this area so I did not know when these pigs were frequenting the water source. I got settled in, unloaded a few supplies and I was ready for the hunt. I wanted to test this product prior to the deer hunting season and we all know that pigs have darn good sniffers too.

It important to note that at this point the inner conflict began. There seems to be something inherently wrong with intentionally sending a scent into the air for every animal to wind, but then I reminded myself that I was here for a fair and accurate review of Deer Smoke Screen. I lit it up. I was sweating heavily and the gnats were driving me crazy. After about 5 minutes there were no more gnats. Was this a benefit of the thin smoke stream? Not sure.

The wind has a tendency to swirl around this tank due to the fact that it sets in a bowl. With this is mind, I decided to light at least 1 more Deer Smoke Screen stick and set it to the West just in case any porkers came down the trail on that side. I hunted for six hours in 100 degree weather and never saw a hog.

However, I did a bobcat, two raccoons, and a coyote that came to the tank. The bobcat got within 14 yards of me and he was downwind for a brief period, but never looked in my direction. The coyote got within 25 yards and was also downwind. I would have put the drop on him, but my sling caught on a cedar branch and blew my cover.

The archery whitetail hunting season will soon be upon us and I will give Deer Smoke Screen another shot. I did not have any game animals come downwind of me, or feral hogs for that matter, but it did fool some predators. I can’t say I’m a complete believer until it fools some deer, but the product did earn a little respect from me.

Deer habitat conditions are bad, but could get much worse if summer rains do not fall and offer some relief for hungry, thirsty deer. Living, working and managing whitetail deer through a dry spell is always a concern. Planning ahead to lessen the impacts of drought conditions is important to any ranching or whitetail hunting operation. This is especially important when forecasts indicate a hot, dry summer may be in store for South Texas and the wildlife found there. Here are a few guidelines that may lessen the impact of a below-average rainfall year on your ranch.

First, focus on your deer management goals and techniques, be mindful of costs and allow for flexibility. Maintain a minimum amount of ground cover, and if possible, 1 to 2 feet of herbaceous cover through all seasons is desirable. This residual grass provides fawning habitat and enhances quail production. Leaving herbaceous cover for the next rainfall event provides healthy plants that offer the necessary food and cover for many wildlife species.

The ability to leave standing cover means having a plan to reduce cattle numbers in the pasture and/or move livestock to irrigated crop land or improved pastures. During extended droughts, you may be faced with removing cattle all together. Along with cattle, keeping whitetail deer and feral hog populations within the habitat’s carrying capacity will help reduce the potential for habitat damage.

Additionally, maintain as many working wildlife and livestock water locations as possible, especially during the hottest months of the year. A desirable watering density would be one water location for every 500 acres of deer habitat. This may not be possible on every ranch, but the even distribution of water will spread deer and other wildlife evenly across the landscape. Hot, windy days accelerate the evaporation rates of large stock tanks, but it may more economical to install livestock troughs and wildlife waters.

Another option many ranches use during times of stressed habitat is the implementation of supplemental feed for whitetail deer. This is the last resort to maintain wildlife body conditions and survival in South Texas. The ability to feed wildlife may minimize the impacts on a ranch’s habitat, but long-lasting feed supplementation will impact a landowner’s pocket book and the native habitat as well. The year has been a tough one for white-tailed deer, but they have been here before. Fawn production and antler growth may not be stellar this year, but we are talking about South Texas, so I expect deer hunting will still be really good this season.

Hunting in the U.S. is a $20 billion industry, with about 80 percent of all expenditures related to whitetail hunting. Deer breeders, by trying to provide bucks with superior antlers, are trying to cash in on that huge pot of gold, offering whitetail deer for sale and hunting. Deer hunting was once about putting food on the table, but a once cultural tradition has undergone major changes in the past 20 years. It seems it’s all about big antlered bucks, and the “Benjamins.” A study by Texas A&M University a few years ago reported that white-tailed deer breeding is the fastest-growing industry in rural America.

State and federal game wardens now use the same undercover methods developed by drug agents to fight deer smugglers. In both cases, it’s all about monster bucks, only more so in the deer hunting industry. State biologist are available to teach landowners about deer management through native habitat improvement and harvest management of free-ranging populations, but many property owners see that the real money is in deer breeding.

Like athletes, deer can only do so much naturally. But specialized breeding and high protein diets can create the biggest buck a hunter has ever seen. He can shoot it too, for a price. This “bucks for bucks” trade has left a bad taste in the mouth of many sportsmen across the state, and across the country for that matter. The deer breeding phenomenon is not limited to Texas, but as you would expect, they do it the biggest.

Texas has 1,200 licensed breeders with approximately 90,000 deer and a total economic impact approaching $700 million. Breeders typically offer whitetail deer for sale at livestock auctions, or you can go to their breeding facilities and pick out the one you like. Hunters can pay to shoot “liberated” bucks in the field or purchase the deer to take home. The deer can then be put into another breeding facility or released onto a ranch, where it’s very likely that it will be sold again.

A high percentage of deer hunters despise the deer breeding industry and how it portrays whitetail deer hunting, where the hunters with the deepest pockets, not those with the most adept hunting skills, bring home the biggest, semi-domesticated bucks. Those in the industry argue that they are just providing supply for an obvious demand. After all, the price for a good buck hunt can reach five figures, and best breeding bucks can approach a half a million dollars. Now, what is the price of whitetail hunting worth to you?

Most ranches involved in active deer management programs, are busy with habitat management techniques, filling protein feeders and waiting to burn brush piles, assuming it ever rains. It’s been an awfully dry year thus far and deer habitat is paying the price right now, with habitat conditions as tough as ever. Bucks of average body condition that did not succumb to hunters or post-rut death after the season may now be finding very little to each.

Post-rut, or the period following the white-tailed deer breeding season, is single highest time for natural mortality in adult bucks. Biologist have pointed to the post-rut period as a time when bucks need substantial nutrition. They must replenish depleted calorie reserves and prepare for energy-expensive antler growth. That’s what they should be doing, but the deer rut can take its toll on any buck.

Poor body condition because of running too many does for too long or the lack of food can ultimately cause death in whitetail bucks, but sometimes it is not always that clear. Even properties with good habitat and good whitetail deer management programs in place can lose a few bucks each year. In most cases where adult bucks die after the rut there are many factors at play that cause them to decline and eventually die.

Many believe testosterone may be the cause. Testosterone occurs naturally in bucks and is responsible for antler growth, body changes, breeding behavior and aggression in bucks. Many believe that bucks that die after the rut suffer from testosterone poisoning. In short, a buck’s decreased body condition and elevated testosterone level, loosely referred to as testosterone poisoning, can reduce the ability of it’s own immune system to fight off infection. Testosterone also impacts the decisions that a buck makes, which can ultimately end in death if the bucks fails to heed caution when it is warranted, such as when a predator approaches.

Yes, you read that correctly. Landowners and biologists on several properties in South Texas first noticed otherwise healthy bucks shedding antlers during late summer and early autumn, often when the antlers were still in velvet. Because some of these bucks were photographed regularly at feed sites, they could be readily tracked as autumn progressed. Several of these bucks began growing antlers again, resulting in small antlers whose velvet was then shed.

This story actually begins in 2007 when David Kitner, manager of the Duval County Ranch, first noticed an unusual number of culls and contacted Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). Another guide from the same area also reported this problem. The deer in question had only the burr present or antlers only a few inches long. They were primarily middle aged or mature. It was obvious the antlers were not broken, just severely stunted. Three years ago researchers concluded these antlers probably resulted from a genetic abnormality in a small percentage of deer.

Fast-forward to 2010. Ranch owners were observing this phenomenon on helicopter surveys and in trail camera photos from Premont to Cotulla, and other reports came in from as far as Medina County. These bucks were sometimes harvested as culls on the logical assumption that the abnormal antlers were due to a genetic defect. Later, as word got out that the lack of antlers may have occurred because of early antler shedding, many ranches let these bucks walk. If antlers shed early because of environmental conditions, these bucks may very well grow normal antlers next year.

The number of bucks affected by this malady is small, perhaps a dozen on large properties with hundreds of whitetail bucks. However, understanding the cause and consequences of early antler shedding is imperative because bucks with antlers are important for recreational and commercial hunting. Another question deer managers still have is why were only a few bucks so drastically affected while other bucks on the same properties produced record B&C scores over 200 inches, both in 2007 and 2010?

The annual antler cycle normally begins with antler growth during summer, which is brought to an end when testosterone concentrations in the blood increase during September. Increased testosterone causes antler velvet to dry and hard antler to develop. Testosterone continues to increase through the rut, and then begins to decrease through late winter, causing antlers to be cast during late February through March. Although testosterone influences the antler growth cycle, there are other hormones, vitamins, and metabolites that may influence antler development, hardening, and casting. The antler cycle is physiologically complex and there is still much to learn.

Back to the early antler shedding situation. Why were antlers being shed during late summer in South Texas? One clue could be that both 2007 and 2010 had wet summers following a dry year. The working hypothesis right now is that a specific plant, mold, or fungus eaten during wet summers is causing antlers to drop. The ingested material could disrupt hormonal balance in the deer or cause a condition similar to ergot poisoning in livestock. The Duval County Ranch sent several deer to local vet Glen Wilkinson, who has seen this phenomenon before over the years. Initial testing indicates below average bone density, but no other abnormalities. Testosterone assays of blood samples from one buck indicate normal concentrations, although the buck was harvested several months after shedding.

Before antlers are cast this spring, affected landowners and biologists from the CKWRI and TPWD will capture some of the affected bucks on different ranches, tag them, and determine if they grow normal antlers next year. The outcome will provide guidance for biologists making harvest decisions if early shedding bucks are seen in future years.

In the meantime, it would be valuable to know the extent to which this abnormal pattern of antler shedding occurs. If you noted otherwise healthy bucks shedding antlers during late summer or autumn, please contact either Daniel Kunz at djkunz@sbcglobal.net or David Hewitt at david.hewitt@tamuk.edu. Let them know the county in which you observed such abnormal deer, and an approximate number of bucks affected. In the meantime, enjoy the rest of the whitetail hunting season.

Question: I have enjoyed whitetail hunting for years, but have never learned how to make a mock scrape. Can you give me some instructions on areas to look for and some mock scrape tips so that I can use them to attract bucks to my hunting area? Any info on mock scrapes will be greatly appreciated!

Answer: Mock scrapes can be an excellent way to bring in the big boys to your deer hunting area. The act of making a mock scrape is relatively simple, so don’t get too bogged down in the details, but the whole idea behind creating a fake scrape is to make any buck in the area think there is another buck there, too.

You can do this by actively working a found scrape or by making a mock scrape. When creating your scrape, first make sure you are scent free and then be sure that there is a licking branch located about 40 inches above the ground — this is a must!. Start out by working the ground with the heel of your boot to reveal some fresh dirt. Create a circular shape of fresh dirt that is about 20 to 24 inches in diameter.

In the wild, a buck will urinate in his scrape, so an important component of your mock scrape will be to give it some scent. Get some whitetail buck urine and then liberally apply it to the fresh dirt. Let the urine soak naturally into the dirt. This will also give off maximum scent — which is exactly what you want to do.

The last component of your mock scrape is to “work” the licking branch just like a wild buck would. Twist the limb in all directions until you actually twist off the end. At this point, you can use a manufactured preorbital gland scent on the end of the branch to create a true-to-life mock scrape. You can also use a drip bag filled with buck urine to keep the scrape fresh with scent, but it is not necessary.

Now that you’ve learned the basic steps on how to make a mock scrape, the rest is to monitor the site. Check the scrape every few days for activity and, of course, keep the are scent free. You can also set a game camera nearby to monitor the deer checking into your scrape. If you see that a whitetail buck has come by and worked the mock scrape, freshen it up a little, hang your stand, and get to whitetail hunting!

Knight was an outdoorsmen and sportswriter who perfected his fish and game activity theory over a period of many years, making observations while whitetail hunting and out fishing. This solunar table pioneer found that all fish and game — including deer, turkey, bass, and trout — are more active during different times of the day and night.

Knight examined many different variables to determine their effect on hunting times and fishing times. Of all the factors he examined, the position of the sun, moon, and tides were determined to be of the utmost importance. He noted that there are 2 “major” time periods and 2 “minor” time periods each day that fishing and hunting are most likely to be productive. Because of the effect of the sun and the moon, he named these times “Solunar Periods” which have been compiled into solunar tables for almost 8 decades now.

The best whitetail hunting times and best fishing times occur at the peak of the major and minor periods. These roughly correlate with high tide and low tide times. Tides occur roughly every 12.5 hours, but because they are caused by a complex set of interactions — the sun and moon’s gravitational forces, rotation of the Earth, and the shape of the near-shore bottom — the tide times will vary somewhat from the solunar table periods. Solunar periods have been equated to equilibrium tide times, but the important thing to know about solunar tables is that they are effective and identifying the best whitetail deer hunting times.

The best hunting times and best fishing times vary day to day with the moon phase, but the best wildlife activity occurs around a Full Moon and New Moon. If you are looking to maximize your whitetail hunting time, then I would suggest studying the solunar table. Just keep in mind that the buck of a lifetime could walk into your life anytime that you’re out in the woods.

White-tailed deer are very adaptable animals, but good deer habitat usually includes a mixture of trees, shrubs, vines, forbs, grasses. High quality deer habitat will also contain important foods such as fungi and even sedges. Of course, specific plants within each of these categories benefit deer more than others. If you really looked at a deer’s mouth, you will notice that it’s quite small and relatively pointed. This is because deer are highly selective with regards to their diet.

Palatable plants should be well interspersed throughout an area, so that the whole area functions as deer habitat. Over much of the whitetail’s habitat, adequate woody plants should be present to provide food, shelter and concealment. The enroachment of woody plants into areas that were once dominated by grasses is an important reason for the expansion of the whitetail deer. In addition to browse plants, some sort of water source should be available about every mile for deer watering. Put all these habitat requirements together—food, cover, water, and space—and you’ve got whitetail habitat.

When it comes to deer habitat, plant diversity is an important because deer require a variety of plants to provide their various needs. Many plants are utilized during only one season (when they are growing/available) or a portion of a season. Keep in mind that each plant that is eaten provides only a portion of a deer’s nutritional requirements. However, many plant species are not consumed by deer. These plants are also important, serving as cover and concealment for traveling and loafing animals.

In short, deer need a variety of plants to have high-quality, year-round food and cover. Plant diversity is generally adequate where native plant communities are emphasized and managed for a variety of successional stages. This means having plant communities that range from “young” in age to “old,” or climax communities. Often times, good deer habitat is about 50% tree or woody cover and about 50% open. This interspersion of plants provides browse and forbs, which comprise the bulk of a whitetail’s diet.

I mentioned plant succession in the above paragraph, but what is it? Well, plant succession is the natural progressive change of plant species and communities on a site across time. Habitat management practices that encourage disturbances such as tilling, clearing, flooding, mowing, grazing and burning set back succession by various degrees. And trust me, deer love freshly disturbed areas because of the diversity of high quality forbs they provide.

With time, however, plant diversity in the disturbed area will decrease. Rest or lack of disturbance allows succession to progress forward toward more mature, stable plant communities. Deer need these areas as well as early successional plants, so good habitat will offer high diversity within and between plant communities.

In the end, for those landowners and hunters that are serious about managing deer populations, we should want to create the best whitetail habitat. For this is where quality hunting opportunities are literally born. The real secret that I’ve determined when looking at properties where individuals want to improve the deer herd is finding and enhancing the most limited habitat element. It’s easy to concentrate on one single facet of habitat and provide a whole lot of one thing, but they need it all!

Although food plots have their place in the whitetail hunting world, we can’t destroy needed habitat just to plant food. For the most part, I believe the whitetail herd found in America is now better fed than ever. In some cases, though, some have planted food plots with foods that deer won’t consume. A landowner may have good intentions, but sometimes enthusiasm must be anchored with a little research.

There are many reasons why food plots are planted, but the main reason is sometimes overlooked—nutrition. Food plots are often confused as places to just shoot deer. That should never be the case. If so, you have a hunting plot, or simply bait. Yes, whitetail hunting is good around food plots if they grow, but food production is the primary goal of those interested in improving their deer herd.

Food plots can help, but they are not a fix-all for better deer or deer habitat. More healthy deer populations can result from food plots, but it’s more important to pay attention to the habitat that you provide as a whole. It’s impossible to ingnore the requirements of whitetail and also expect to improve a deer herd. If you build it, they will come… and get big!