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Early observations.

Milo

Milo

Tatonka guide.
8,184
157
Getting a late start again this year and had my first pull on the camera today and was pleasantly surprised to see a larger than expected batch of fawns. Last year i became increasingly concerned when i went an entire summer with only seeing 1 fawn. This is a really good sign for my area. Time to get my last 2 stands up and get on it. I put my target arrows away today and loaded and reset the bow for my slammers..gonna pound foam for a bit..

These deer are pissing me off thats for sure. I disrupted the area pretty good where i put out some applea and within 6 hours they were on the pile chowing away...so much for human scent bothering them..
 
hickslawns

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
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Ohio
Good to hear Milo. More observations: Corn and beans are really starting to turn. I like it.
 
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00buck

Junior Member
445
0
fields are yellow around here too except where they harvested the winter wheat and planted beans on it
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
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00buck said:
fields are yellow around here too except where they harvested the winter wheat and planted beans on it
Click to expand...

They actually got to plant beans. Around here I didn't see a single wheat crop where they managed to get 2nd beans in.
 
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LonewolfNopack

Junior Member
1,505
127
The woods
Shelling some corn here. It will be an early harvest for sure. As for fawns, about as same as last year, and last year was the worse I have ever observed. From my calculations just from driving around and watching them behind the house, every doe has .5 fawns.
 
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LonewolfNopack

Junior Member
1,505
127
The woods
Well in reality with a lower population, does should be having more fawns to try to get the population back up to carrying capacity. I don't think its the not having the fawns that's the issue, they just are not surviving, with the Coyote being the number one culprit.
 
hickslawns

hickslawns

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Ohio
My buddy flies one of those paraglider thingamajigs. Loves it for deer scouting. Claims he is seeing about a 10-1 buck to doe ratio just south and east of me. While I feel he may have been exaggerating, it makes one think. Even if we are a 3 to 1 buck to doe ratio, my early thoughts are: "This sucks for future deer hunting population" but "The rut is going to rock!" Those are my observations based on my buddy's sightings. Trickle rut as Charlie Alshiemer is claiming or not, there should be some great seeking and fighting. Not to derail this thread. Just thinking an early observation my buddy shared with me could be good for the hunters. We may all get to see some crazy action and bucks which we don't normally see. Down side being we also don't get to see many deer.
 
dante322

dante322

*Supporting Member*
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Crawford county
I'm no expert, but just thinking logically would lead me to think that a lopsided buck to doe ratio in favor of the bucks would cause a quick rut.

The few does you got would get bred right out of the gate, and the bucks will wander off looking for more does.
 
hickslawns

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
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Ohio
Very well could be right Dante. BUT. . . .if you have but one property with some does it could be amazing. Just thinking there could be some traveling going on. In theory, the more dominant bucks would do more breeding. In theory one might think the more desired bucks are the more dominant ones but I am not sure this is always accurate. In the long run I would think buck quality could improve over the years, but it wouldn't matter if there are so few does left we see no deer.

My other early observations include few acorns in my woods but my apple trees doing well. Finding producing oak trees might be key if there are only a handful which are loaded.

What other early thoughts are out there? This is a great topic in my opinion.
 
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LonewolfNopack

Junior Member
1,505
127
The woods
I have observed almost zero acorns or hickory nuts while out squirrel hunting so far. All the squirrels I have killed have been on Walnuts and Buckeyes, and that is usually a late winter food for them once the prefered Hickories and Acorns have all been consumed. I am a little surprised about the hard mast crop seeing we have had excellent conditions this growing season, but they do run in cycles. I think we had an average crop last year.
 
finelyshedded

finelyshedded

You know what!!!
Supporting Member
31,896
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SW Ohio
I agree, this is a good topic Phil.

In my woods around my house the hickories both shagbark and pig it's are pretty loaded the oaks not so much. I'll check them out tomorrow with the binos but nothing on the ground.

Beans are still pretty green and were put in the ground later and none of the corn looks to be turning either. Haven't done any deer patrolling but need to start checking things out.
 
Big_Holla

Big_Holla

Senior Member
26,214
234
S.E. MI to reside & S.E. OH to LIVE!
Our last camera pull still didn't produce any twins on fawns. Only a couple singe fawns and really only a few does. Not very optimistic on filling the freezer with extra deer from Ohio again as we likely will not shoot any antlerless this year again. Quite a few 1 1/2 and 2 1/2 year old bucks though. Headed down this weekend to do some final preparation!!
 
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