Big buck

[Asthepotthickens]

7482

Was looking for a black walnut tree to give it a try and I walked up to this, It appears that there is a fair size buck in our bush that never shed it's antlers. Hope to see it soon

[CampHamp]

Seems like precision work on that one tree with no damage to the neighboring branch/tree. Sure that's not a porcupine?

Then again, are those deer tracks all around...? :)

[Asthepotthickens]

Seems like precision work on that one tree with no damage to the neighboring branch/tree. Sure that's not a porcupine?

Then again, are those deer tracks all around...? :)

Deer tracks, droppings and urine

[Springfield Acer]

Looks like porcupine to me. Besides, there's no bark shavings on the snow; at least from what you can see in the picture.

[Bucksaw]

Not sure where you are located but deer don't rub trees in March either...

[Kngowods]

Wouldnt b possible in NE ohio Deer already lost there antlers

[500592]

Maybe the deer was eating the bark or it's a porcupine no way it is rubbing its antlers.

[ennismaple]

Not to pile on - but I'd bet that's a porky! Their dropping look very similar to a deer's. If that was a buck rub the tree wouldn't be as clean - the bark would be more shredded and all over the place. I'd say you can see the porky's teeth marks in the bark.

Make sure you've got the .22 or 20 ga with you because when you see him he needs some lead poisoning!

[Scribner's Mountain Maple]

I wouldn't be so sure it's a porky. What kind of tree is that again? The reason I say this is because I had 100 apple trees and one buck ate the bark all the way around them this time of year when food was short. Sadly he killed 15 of them, but when I ate him, he had a hint of apple:) It certainly could be a porky too, as their droppings do look just like a deer, there just a little bigger droppings.Still I think deer I have seen deer do just this to a tree before. It certainly isn't rubbing antlers on it, it is eating the nutritious soft bark. Just my guess.

[DonMcJr]

If it was there from Fall and you just happened to see it it might have been from a Buck but as far as my 30+ years of Hunting Knowledge goes they don't rub trees in March but stranger things have happened!

[Asthepotthickens]

I have never see. A porky arou d here since we thinned them out a few years ago we did a very good job. I think I will set up a camera just for fun. I know deer do NOT rub trees in the spring but I have seen a deer with antlers in the winter. Thank you for all the input.

[Greenwich Maple Man]

7482

Was looking for a black walnut tree to give it a try and I walked up to this, It appears that there is a fair size buck in our bush that never shed it's antlers. Hope to see it soon

Looks like a rabbit chew to me.

[maple flats]

That was eaten by something, most likely a porky, but rabbits have a history of such, especially in March. As the sap starts to run, they like to feed on the bark and cambium layer. Back in the early eighties we planted 700 apple trees. We checked on them every 2 weeks or so. The 1st weekend in March all was good, 2 weeks later ALL 700 had been chewed, many like your picture, most only a portion of that. The chew started about 2-3" above the snow line and went up about 15-18". We lost all but about 30 that year, within 3 years we were down to 3 and I pulled them to planted blueberries.
The following fall into winter, I hunted the rabbits. Over the course of about 10 weeks I took out more than 40 rabbits. Revenge indeed!

[FDA]

If it was there from Fall and you just happened to see it it might have been from a Buck but as far as my 30+ years of Hunting Knowledge goes they don't rub trees in March but stranger things have happened!

Sorry but with 20 years experience as a wildlife biologist i can tell you white tailed deer will retain their antlers and continue to maintain rub and scrape lines as long as there are does in heat. Its not uncommon to see fresh scrapes in March in areas with a sex ratio that is way out of balance. I worked in southern Michigan for many years we did surveys in areas there that had post harvest buck to doe ratios of 10-15 to 1 and it was not uncommon to see bucks with antlers in March and even in April.

[DonMcJr]

That's why I said "stranger things have happened" cause I've seen one Breeding in February and Antlers in March...

[FDA]

That's why I said "stranger things have happened" cause I've seen one Breeding in February and Antlers in March...
And for that reason Michigan will never see the mass numbers of mature bucks like we see here west of you. You guys need to kill does and lots of them.

[DonMcJr]

I agree to an extent FDA...Some Areas have way too many deer but not all as in my area. If I woulda shot Does when I moved in 4 years ago I'd not be seeing deer at all. Now, 4 years later I am seeing enough Deer and in particular more Does, I should say "Bald Heads". A lot I think are button bucks so once Summer gets here I need to really evaluate the Buck to Doe Ratio and maybe take a Doe or 2. Right now I'm seeing mostly the same 2 Does that have nothing but Button Bucks 3 years in a row and one had twin Button Bucks. Them two are living for sure if I have the choice.

But anyhow this isn't the QDM Forum and yes you are right Managing the Deer Herd Does mean harvesting Does IF needed in your area.

[sirsapsalot]

Right now I'm seeing mostly the same 2 Does

Are they brown with a black nose ? Do they have white patches on their neck, belly and under their tail ??? If so than those same two does are on my place as well. :lol:

[maple flats]

If you want to SEE more and bigger bucks, shoot more does. Too many want a trophy, and keep the does for future herd health. In reality the healthiest herd is 1-1 or 1-2 ratio. When you have large numbers of does and few bucks the breeding is stretched way out. This results in fawns being born 2 and 3 months late. As such they never get big enough to survive their first winter. Also, there is little competition among bucks so less that dominate bucks do much of the breeding, making a weaker herd genetically.
My last 5 deer were all does, 2 last year and 3 this past year. Until I start seeing more bucks, I'll not shoot a buck unless fully mature (not # points, but body size).

[Asthepotthickens]

Looks like a rabbit chew to me.

Rabbits don't climb trees, the rub is 5 feet high.

[DonMcJr]

One has a Blunt Nose, almost looks like a Donkey, and has had a Buck Fawn the past 3 years...

The other is "Scar-Back", has a big scar just behind it's shoulders and had Buck fawns the last 3 years and Twin Buck Fawns this past year.

Them 2 are the only 2 deer along with their offspring that I see all summer/fall until late winter, around now when the food gets scarce then the most I've seen is 10- 12 during that time.

My trail cameras and such get photo's of random roaming Bucks all fall...13 different ones during the 2011 Season...

Also I know a lot of the other hunters in the area shoot Does so again a Balanced herd is a healthy herd and I don't count the 10-12 that visit to eat the Wildlife Viewing Corn I put out 100 feet from my house I count the ones I see on all my cams from spring to the start of winter.

Dad and I also have a rule on Bucks... Bigger than the one the year before. That means 9 Points or Bigger for both of us next year!

The time will come when we need to shoot some Does but I'll have to do that cause Dad is stuck in the old ways and insists if you shoot a Doe you're shooting 2-3 Deer and Possibly 2 Bucks for the future...

[sg5054]

Rabbits don't climb trees, the rub is 5 feet high.

It was the....EASTER BUNNY!!!:o

[Pweideman]

It's not a rub. That bark was chewed off. You can see the marks from the front teeth (the lightest color).
I have a lot of experience with this on my farm this time of year. My sheep will devistate my apple trees if they get the chance. Horses have the same effect. Usually a mineral deficiency in a horse will drive them to chew bark. Plus, the sap is running. Tastes good this time of year.

Paul

[heus]

Rabbits don't climb trees, the rub is 5 feet high.
Im going with rabbits chews also. I had a crabapple tree look exactly like that from rabbits. Add some snow plus a rabbit standing stretched on its hind legs and it most certainly can chew up that high.

[Pweideman]

Im going with rabbits chews also. I had a crabapple tree look exactly like that from rabbits. Add some snow plus a rabbit standing stretched on its hind legs and it most certainly can chew up that high.
That's a huge rabbit! Deer eat bark like that, plus there were tracks.

[325abn]

You gotta be kidding about the rabbits! Right? :)

[Pweideman]

You gotta be kidding about the rabbits! Right? :)
Bugs Bunny is tall enough.

[heus]

No multiple rabbits can do a ton of damage

[FDA]

Right now I'm seeing mostly the same 2 Does that have nothing but Button Bucks 3 years in a row and one had twin Button Bucks. Them two are living for sure if I have the choice.

But anyhow this isn't the QDM Forum and yes you are right Managing the Deer Herd Does mean harvesting Does IF needed in your area.

Just a heads up, the male ( sperm ) in all mammals determines the sex of the offspring. So your does having male fawns every year was determined by their father or fathers ( a recent study has determined that 40% of all twin fawns born do not share the same father ) so i hope you didn't kill him or them. The average dispersal distance for a buck fawn is 7 miles. The buck fawns you are feeding corn to will leave this spring and travel on average 7 miles to get away from mom.

Sorry for the QDM post i thought with all of the deer threads and videos here it was OK.

[heus]

And rabbit swimming videos:)

[DonMcJr]

No it's fine. I know the Button Bucks don't stay supposedly...and that's fine with me. When do they supposedly leave Mom anyway?

Also if the Does are finding the Buck that makes Bucks them dem are some smart Does I have Eh? :lol:

[Dr. Bucket]

7482

Was looking for a black walnut tree to give it a try and I walked up to this, It appears that there is a fair size buck in our bush that never shed it's antlers. Hope to see it soon

Careful - Wouldn't suggest trying to get too close for a look - From your picture I'd be thinking, PORCUPINE!!

Cheers,

George