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Post by Sasquatch on Mar 28, 2015 11:17:43 GMT -5
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Post by trophyparadise on Mar 28, 2015 11:55:01 GMT -5
There are a few good points in the article. I think the problem boils down to education. Most hunters don't realize how complex the ruminant digestive system is. They aren't like people where you can go to a restaurant and eat something different every day and be fine. The best sentence in that article is"if you are going to feed deer, start in November all the way through spring." I feed deer year round and have never had a problem. If you live in an area like the article describes with little to no grain agriculture, dumping out corn after a big snowstorm in the dead of winter to "help" deer is a bad idea. The best thing you can do to help a deer herd in the winter is make sure they have adequate nutrition BEFORE winter. Having fat reserves and stored energy will benefit them far greater than a bag of feed after it's already too late. I feed a 50/50 pellet/corn mix year round. Every deer I kill has huge fat reserves, even in late season. This would not be the case if I waited until late January to start feeding. Your best bet is to feed year round, or don't feed at all. Trophy Paradise Habitat Consulting "Trophies are built from the ground up" www.facebook.com/trophyparadise
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Post by drs on Mar 29, 2015 4:58:38 GMT -5
I find that having a suitable natural habitat, with plenty of food, they can use to maintain their health, is ideal. Much better than dumping a pile of shelled corn for them to eat in Winter time. I like to refer to ruminate animals as having Stomachs and digestive systems much like a "diesel engine" requiring certain bacteria to breakdown required food sources. Where those animals with a single stomach like "regular gasoline engines", which depend on gastric juices to breakdown foods, where nutrients can be used by the animal. Both types are unique in their own way.
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Post by chubwub on Apr 2, 2015 13:39:50 GMT -5
Glad to see at least the article verified that someone had examine the deer and verify with pathology that these deer did indeed die as a result of enterotoxemia. A bit of a sensationalized headline though. Still going to go out on a limb and say down here in the ag states...probably not the end of the world if they eat a pile of corn, most of our deer are in no danger of starving around these parts. But most of this is common sense anyway. You feed unlimited rich food at anything that is starving and allow them to gorge themselves, there are going to be digestive consequences.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Apr 2, 2015 14:11:09 GMT -5
Speaking of fat reserves, the buck I shot this year was a young 6 pointer and didn't see any fat on him. However, the big buck I got last year had a thick layer of fat. Is this typical?
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Post by drs on Apr 3, 2015 4:16:11 GMT -5
Speaking of fat reserves, the buck I shot this year was a young 6 pointer and didn't see any fat on him. However, the big buck I got last year had a thick layer of fat. Is this typical? I bagged a nice 8-point Buck on the last day of the 1986 Indiana season. There was no fat on the Buck to speak of, and the ribs were fat free and the best Deer ribs I ever eaten BBQ'ed.
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Post by Jamie Brooks 1John5:13 on Apr 3, 2015 8:47:47 GMT -5
Speaking of fat reserves, the buck I shot this year was a young 6 pointer and didn't see any fat on him. However, the big buck I got last year had a thick layer of fat. Is this typical? I bagged a nice 8-point Buck on the last day of the 1986 Indiana season. There was no fat on the Buck to speak of, and the ribs were fat free and the best Deer ribs I ever eaten BBQ'ed. I bet that was exciting to get a nice buck on the last day of the season. Congratualtions! I admire this resolve to keep at it. I've yet to hunt past the first day of gun season. Maybe now with my handicap hunting permit, I'll stick it out a little longer.
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Post by jimstc on Apr 10, 2015 15:05:26 GMT -5
I live two miles south of Beck's headquarters. I buy just over a ton of Beck's "burn corn" (didn't sell) and put it out from October through early spring on my place. The deer who frequent my place generally look good. I taper them off in the spring with no observed negative results. Of course, I am surrounded by bean and corn fields so it is unlikely that these deer are new to this food source
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