Yarding Deer

[The Grebe]

Fellas, will deer still instinctively yard up, even if there is no snow and they still have access to food that would normally be covered?

Gonna be some fat deer next year, maybe they won't be able to run so fast, or be so sneaky and slinky? Fat Albert deer.

If they are anything like the squirrels around our place, they are putting on the winter pounds instead of losing weight! We have some of these squirrels that look like they are the size of a loaf of bread!

If this mild winter keeps up, all the deer are gonna look like tan 50 gallon drums!

[jltimm]

This is a good question Grebe as i was wondering the same thing? The deer around my land here are usually all but gone by this time of year usually, but this year they are still wandering around.Actually I'm seeing more tracks in the snow now than during rifle season this year.

[SSSTaxidermy]

Maybe they know something we don't. (As in mother nature). Who knows...maybe the extra pounds put on now are in preperation of a snowy & ice cold Jan/Feb/Mar.

[LoonASea]

A good share of the bucks up here in the Duluth area have shed their antlers a few weeks ago ,,,Im guessing from poor diet ,,,and the cedars are getting a good trimming from 5ft on down ,,the deer have never touched our cedars in past years ,,the lack of moisture this past season must have stunted the forage they normaly eat in the winter ,,if they havent hit your cedar shrubs yet wrap them or they will look like huge morel mushrooms come spring

Randoid

[harvey lee]

This has been a wonderfull winter for the wildlife to date. The first deer to always die off are the bucks as they didnt have time to add fat content to thier bodies because of the rut. Then the fawns go and the last to die off will be the does.A little snow could really help with moisture for the deer.

Usually where I hunt in ND, I dont see or hear of the deer yarding up until the snow depth is deep and the food source is depleted. If we can get through the next 2-3 weeks with little snow and warm weather all might be pretty good. The doe's should have a easy time if this weather continues.

[sachem longrifle]

I have noticed the ruffed grouse that I have shot in Dec are nice and plump, also.

[BLACKJACK]

I had to slow down three times on the way into work this morning for deer, the deer are definately NOT yarded up around the Willmar area. I think it takes deep snow to get them yarded up.