It's deer hunting season -guns began Monday night at dusk

Wednesday morning, for the 2nd morning in a row, I saw a doe and fawn. As they were moving about the yard, nibbling on the grass, the fawn tried to nurse. Momma had no time for that nonsense!


This is the season when the deer at most active. Running from hunters, gathering in winter yards, finding increasingly scarce sources of food. We haven't seen them too much, there is still food about. and they are spread out in the forest. It is early in the rutting season, as well. They begin the mating process in November, hormones are beginning to flow! Apparently, you can see the bucks rubbing antlers on tree trunks. Also, they urinate on their tarsal glands, in the back knees. Who knew?

I understand those who hunt for food, sport – not so much. I  hunt my critters with a camera, not a gun or a crossbow. I can agree to disagree with my neighbours.
One of CBC Ottawa's on-air staff, mentioning traffic issues due to the deer wandering on highways,  wondered 'when deers [sic] will be hibernating.' Sigh.

vulture

There is a deer carcass in our ditch right now. The wolves and coyotes aren't hungry enough right now to get rid of it. I'll keep watching it. I haven't seen the vultures at it, either. They'll be moving on south soon, too. I hope someone cleans it up!

Tigger

We loved watching our buddy, Tigger, from 2010, when he was a fawn, to 2012. We watched him grow from a bouncy boy to a nicely decorated oldster, for deer live, on average, age 3 - 5. We haven't seen him since. You can tell the bucks apart from their antlers. They grow much the same each year, adding as they go.

Deer antlers

All done!

Unlike horns, antlers are true bone and are composed primarily of calcium and phosphorus and are deciduous. Deciduous means antlers are dropped or shed and grown anew each and every year. They grow from pedicels located on the frontal bone of the skull. The pedicels which begin growing at a couple months of age in buck fawns provide the base from which the antler will grow. The small hair covered bumps on a six month old male fawn’s head (a button buck) are the pedicels. They are not antlers. Infantile antlers or actual hardened antlers on a buck fawn have not been documented in Virginia but have been reported in other states. Deer grow their first set of antlers when they are approximately one year of age.

I've been working on my annual family calendars, digging up old photos for hubby, as he likes a critter calendar. My kids always get a calendar which includes month-appropriate photos from the previous year.

These are two of my favourite photos of Tigger with antlers. The first shows him in the foreground, his brother behind him (2012). The 2nd was when he showed up with his sisters and mothers the previous year (2011). They were watching cats. They are quite curious about them.

After the Fall rutting season, around January or February, the males drop their antlers. It's a good sport to hunt the deer sheds, the antlers are interesting.

I was horribly unsuccessful at it, that January, 2103, despite seeing Tigger with only one antler that year. It was a good tromp in the forest, through the snow.

You can read more here: Deer shed hunting for Family Day! 

Tigger, winter 2010/11

Tigger his first year 2011

Tigger following Oliver on out walk

Tigger asks, 'Yes, what?'

Deer shed hunting for Family Day!

yearling Tigger

Everyone who knows me knows I'm not into any kind of hunting except with a camera. Often, when my granddaughters visit, I ask, "Do you want to go outside and find some deer poo?"
"Sure!" is the usual response! Now I have something new to search for.

Tigger's twin brother in December

Tigger's twin under the bird feeder!

An on-line acquaintance is an avid deer shed hunter. After the fall rut is when the male deer shed their antlers. Rather than hunting deer at that point, you can simply hunt for the shed antlers!

There are some tricks to it.
When are they shed?

I spotted Tigger, our young buck, on December 13th.
He'd lost one antler.

You are best to watch for deer trail in December and January. In December I spotted Tigger with only one antler! Rutting season is in the fall, and they shed them after this in winter to save energy.
How to search
Firstly, you should find them as early in the shedding season as possible. Many forest critters gnaw on the antlers for the calcium content. This can happen quite quickly.
Secondly, look for a stream where you know the deer to cross. There are places on the far side of a stream where the deer will jump and jar the antlers.
Thirdly, a tree line, where the deer frequently walk nibbling leaf buds.

young buck, with antlers just beginning to grow

Fourthly, deer leap over tall fences, and can crawl under them, too. Look for shed beside fence lines, where you see their tracks in the snow.

White tail - Following the trail

Fifthly, look for regular trails. As Justin points out, it takes less energy to follow a well-worn trail, rather than trodding through deep snow. We find our deer like to trod a path they follow in the deep snow. They change their schedule and beds, to keep predators on their toes, but they do stick to the same paths. If I go out in the snow in snowshoes, they will follow my trail. Look for trails with low-hanging branches or brush thickets!

deer bed in the forest

Next, look for deer beds where they sit during the day in the sun and chew their cud.

deer scat

A young deer, sitting in her bed!

Signage for a winter yard

Also, deer will congregate in winter yards, this is a place to look, as well.

Tigger follows Oliver

Our wetland is a place where the females gather for warmth. We seldom see the bucks, though. I will have some hunting to do!

Tigger (foreground) and his twin brother

Tigger and Ollie were great buddies!
He'd follow us on our forest walks,
his twin close behind in the forest.

Justin Hoffman ‏@HoffmanOutdoors Looking for something to do on Family Day/Presidents Day? Why not give shed hunting a try | http://youtu.be/cSivXQIQCh4  #fun#shedhunt #outdoors