Deer University

Where do bucks go during hunting season?  Does hunting pressure change where bucks spend time? In this episode Bronson, Steve, and former MSU Deer Lab graduate student Colby Henderson, review research findings from a 2-year study where about 50 bucks were marked with GPS-enabled collars and we monitored their movements throughout a hunted landscape over the hunting season. First, what is habitat “selection”? Selection is a measure of how much time an animal spends in a particular vegetation type relative to how much of that vegetation type exists on the landscape.  For example, if hardwood forest is only 5% of a property and deer spend 50% of their time there, then selection for hardwood forest would be very high – deer are differentially selecting for hardwood forest relative to the amount available to them on the landscape.  We compared not only what vegetation types bucks selected, but also what hunters selected, and how that changed over the hunting season.

Bronson and Steve have a conversation with Donnie Draeger to discuss the topic of culling. Two concepts are discussed in our conversation 1) culling to improve genetics, and 2) culling to manage the buck population to maintain a proper density and conserve food.  In free-ranging deer herds, culling to improve genetics simply does not work for several reasons explained in the podcast. However, if you are in an area where deer density must be controlled, and high-quality foods are limited, you should harvest does and consider strategically harvesting some middle-aged bucks with below average antlers. For more information on culling, consider checking out the book "Strategic Harvest System: How to Break Through the Buck Management Glass Ceiling" that can be found at the link below. https://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Harvest-System-Through-Management/dp/1973235609/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1DJ2JTUML7P9Q&dchild=1&keywords=strategic+harvest+system&qid=1590544060&sprefix=strategic+harv%2Caps%2C170&sr=8-1  

What are the most common habitat management mistakes? In this episode we visit with Deer Habitat guru, Dr. Craig Harper, of the University of Tennessee. Over his 20+ year career, Craig has worked all over the US helping hunters and managers create habitat for deer in forests and old fields. He is also the author of several books on food plots for deer and other wildlife.  Craig will share his insight into the most common mistakes he encounters, as well as strategies for success.  Enjoy!

Bryan Richards and Paul Shelton have been studying and managing Chronic Wasting Disease for almost 20 years. Bryan provides information on CWD in his home state of Wisconsin, and Paul describes how the Illinois DNR has managed the disease. These two biologists are a wealth of information and they describe the disparity in how their states are managing CWD.

Steve, Marcus, and Bronson discuss the importance of summer nutrition for deer. We review some research on seasonal fluctuations in plant quality, nutritional requirements of bucks and does, and some of the most common warm-season food plot forages. Also, Marcus has an announcement to make.

The deer herd located in southern portion of the Mississippi Delta region is undergoing an unprecedented flood event.  Some experts estimate that about ¾ of a million acres are currently flooded, and many of these areas have been flooded for months. Deer are undergoing extreme nutritional stress as they are confined to the high ground and their food supply has been exhausted. In this episode, Steve and Bronson review the effects of floods on deer herds adjacent to the Mississippi River, and discuss the potential impacts of the current flood.

Forest management matters! Steve, Marcus, and Bronson discuss how forest management affects where deer spend time. Want to draw more deer to your property? Want deer to spend more time on your property? Manage the forest on your property to produce food and cover. 

So you want to start a supplemental feeding program? You better listen to this episode. We again visit with deer biologist, Donnie Draeger, and discuss the pros and cons of supplemental feeding. Donnie and colleagues designed a study to determine exactly what impact a supplemental feeding program would have on antler size and body weight of free-ranging bucks. If you are expecting immediate results, and/or you only have a few feeders…don’t waste your time and money.

Jeremy Flinn is graduate of the MSU Deer Lab and is now the Chief Marketing Officer for Stone Road Media, a company that represents many of the well-known brands in the hunting industry. We talk about the influence "brand-name" hunters have on the education of the hunting public and how Jeremy is working to insure accurate, biologically sound information is being distributed. We also talk about habitat management differences in the Northeast, Southeast and Midwest, and how Jeremy uses biological knowledge about buck movements, complimented with camera technology, to most effectively scout and harvest deer.  If you would like to reach out to Jeremy, you can find him at jeremy@stoneroadmedia.com.

Culling to improve genetics is likely one of the most hotly debated topics among deer hunters.  How often have you heard “that spike buck is genetically inferior.” Or, “I culled that buck to get him out of the gene pool”? Heck, you may have even said this yourself! In this episode we listen to deer biologist Donnie Draeger of the Comanche Ranch in South Texas as he describes the results from a landmark, 13-year study, designed to answer this question once and for all – to determine if culling can be used to “improve” genetics and increase the average antler size of bucks.   After 7 years of removing bucks with below average antler size (i.e., culling) the average antler size per age class did not improve. In fact, in the area where culling was most intense, where culling began with the yearling age class, the buck population began to crash. Most people would think this level of culling, which allowed only the large-antlered bucks to live and breed, would result in production of super bucks! Instead, the effec

Steve and Bronson discuss implications of the 2nd positive CWD sample in Mississippi and have a conversation about common questions surrounding eating venison.

Today we visit with MSU Deer Lab graduate students Ashley Jones and Colby Henderson about their research project where they are tracking GPS-collared bucks and measuring their habitat preferences. We discuss buck movement patterns during the rut and what particular cover types bucks are selecting. We talk about focal areas and how often bucks are moving to and from different focal areas. Cover is critical for bucks, but cover that simultaneously provides food is the best! We will also hear from the Ole Buck, Steve Demarais.

Jarred Brooke and Adam Janke are Professors and Extension Wildlife Specialists at Purdue and Iowa State Universities, respectively. Today we will discuss the most common habitat management strategies used for deer in the agriculture-dominated landscapes of the Midwest.

John Gruchy is a Private Lands Biologist and habitat management specialist for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. He is an expert on government programs designed to assist landowners with the costs associated with wildlife habitat management practices. If you own land, or are hoping to purchase land in the near future, this episode is for you.

Wildlife Biologist Joe Wiley has been managing deer and wildlife habitat in Maine and the Northeastern US for 50 years. In this episode we get a look at how deer management in the Northeast differs from much of the Eastern US. Joe will explain how wildlife managers manipulate the habitat to help deer survive those long, harsh winters up North.

Marcus and Bronson discuss a new way to use prescribed fire on a very small scale that anyone can do. You can use this burning technique to your advantage for hunting this fall. Along with fall food plots, you should consider bow-range burnin' too!

Is is possible does actually play some role in selecting the bucks they breed with? Most people think that when does are in heat they simply breed with the buck that's available. But what if a doe actually had the opportunity to choose which buck to breed with? Would she choose older bucks? Larger-bodied bucks? Or, larger antlered bucks? Exciting new research from the MSU Deer Lab explains what does are looking for in a buck, and why.  

Marcus Lashley tells us why prescribed fire is so important for deer and other wildlife. When should you burn to get the most benefit? What kind of fire should be used in hardwood stands? All this and more.

Bronson visits with Dudley Phelps about soft and hard mast trees for deer and other wildlife. What should you plant? When should you plant? Also, Dudley discusses the most common mistakes people make when planting trees.

February 9th, 2018, was a day us deer-centric Mississippians will remember for a long time. It’s the day we learned a single deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). Steve and Bronson will discuss what exactly CWD is, how the disease can affect deer populations, and how it might affect you.