Deer University (Dr. Bronson Strickland & Dr. Steve Demarais)

Just when are deer most attracted to acorns?  You might think – all the time! And hey, you may be right. In this episode with former MSU Deer Lab graduate student Moriah Boggess we review his research where he monitored deer acorn use throughout the year and see that deer can be attracted to acorns much later in the year than you might expect. This can have important implications when hunting during the post rut.

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.

The Deep South and other parts of the whitetail’s range are experiencing severe drought and many cool-season food plots are struggling or failing.  In this episode we visit with Dr. Erick Larson, an Agronomist and Extension Specialist at Mississippi State University, that works with many of the forages hunters and managers plant for deer.  Erick will discuss when is too late and what steps we can take to make the best of a bad situation.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

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

Do all the habitat recommendations that deer biologists make also benefit turkey?  In this episode, Bronson and Steve visit with Marcus Lashley and Will Gulsby to discuss habitat limiting factors for turkey, and how to incorporate habitat management techniques that benefit both deer and turkey. Stay tuned until the end for a big announcement…

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu. You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit the MSU Deer Lab YouTube channel (here).

For more, follow NRU on Instagram, YouTube, Twitter, and Facebook.

In this episode Steve and Bronson discuss some of the most common deer diseases and parasites hunters will encounter back at the skinning shed. Should you eat the venison or not? All these topics will be discussed. If you go to our website, www.msudeerlab.com , click on the diseases and parasites link to see some example photos. From all of us at the Deer Lab, we hope you are having a great hunting season! 

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.

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!

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 effects of the environment (late birth, rainfall, etc.) suppress the expression of genetics, making culling decisions inaccurate and ultimately ineffective. Donnie will describe a negative feedback loop in buck antler size as an example of the law of unintended consequences relative to culling. 

Here’s the bottom line – for a number of reasons discussed in the interview a hunter can’t determine the genetic quality of bucks in a free-ranging management scenario. Additionally, hunters can’t determine the genetic quality of does. Combine that with the effects of a variable environment that will limit genetic expression, and buck dispersal to and from your property, and you have a recipe for culling process that only lowers the buck population. Lowering the deer and buck population may be needed on your property because food is limited, so harvesting lower-quality bucks may be an appropriate strategy relative to this objective. But harvesting smaller-antlered bucks with hopes of increasing antler size in subsequent generations is absolute folly. Thanks to Donnie and his colleagues for this incredible study and answering this culling question once and for all.

Seems like you either love dog hunting, or hate it. There’s no in between.  But what does the research say about the effects of dog hunting on deer herds? In this episode we visit with Dr. Gino D’Angelo, a professor at the Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources at the University of Georgia.  Gino is one of the few biologists that has studied a deer population routinely hunted with dogs. Gino will fill us in on the effects of dog hunting and best management practices if dog hunters hunt a property adjacent to you.    

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars. The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

Natasha Neary, Luke Resop, Steve Demarais, and Bronson Strickland delve into the relationships between moon phases, positions, and their potential effects on buck movement and bedding behavior. They review their research findings from a complex and exhaustive analysis of GPS-collared bucks to determine if moon phase and/or position has any relationship with buck movement behaviors.  They emphasize the importance of accounting for individual buck personalities and behaviors during the rut and highlight the challenges in drawing definitive conclusions. The discussion also includes insights from a survey of hunters to gauge beliefs and expectations of the moon’s role in stimulating buck movement, and the implications of various lunar theories.  The conversation highlights the complexity of deer behavior and the importance of data-driven insights to understand these patterns.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

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.

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. 

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

In this episode we visit with Dr. Natasha Ellison to review her findings relative to buck use of food plots during the hunting season.  How often are bucks visiting food plots pre-rut, peak-rut, and post-rut?  When are bucks spending more time on food plots?  How does hunting pressure affect these relationships?  Natasha is a Mathematical Ecologist and is helping the MSU Deer Lab dig deeper in the buck movement dataset to answer questions about buck behavior relevant to hunters and managers.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

In this episode, Bronson speaks with Dr. Eric Michel about his research at the MSU Deer Lab. Eric discusses the topic of epigenetics and how mothers pass information to their offspring that signal whether or genes should be fully expressed, or not. Eric makes comparisons of his research at the MSU Deer Lab to where he is now in South Dakota. Bronson, Steve and Marcus wrap up the episode with a summary of the research findings and applications to deer managers and hunters.

In this episode, Steve and Bronson talk about the problems associated with wild hogs. Some people love 'em, but more people hate 'em, largely because of the damage they cause to agriculture, fields, food plots, forests, and streams. Not to mention, hogs compete for food with our native wildlife like deer and turkey. In Mississippi alone, wild hogs cause over $60 million worth of damage a year. On a national scale, damage estimates are in the billions. If you are serious about deer management and deer hunting, you don't want hogs! For more information about wild hogs, please visit www.WildPigInfo.com

What is a deer signpost?  In this episode Steve and Bronson visit with Dr. Karl Miller, the former professor and researcher of deer biology and management at the University of Georgia. Karl and his students and colleagues have studied white-tailed deer signposting behavior for decades and he shares key findings regarding the biology and ecology of this research, and how you can apply it to hunting.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

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.

In this episode we visit with Luke Resop to discuss buck beds and bedding areas.  How often are they bedding?  What’s their affinity to certain bedding areas?  What’s the circuit time for returning to a bedding area?  Day beds and night beds are all discussed.  We also introduce our newest member to the MSU Deer Lab, Dr. Natasha Ellison.  She is a Mathematical Ecologist and is helping us dig deeper in the buck movement dataset to answer questions about buck behavior relevant to hunters and managers.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

Dr. Brady Self is an Extension Forestry Specialist at Mississippi State University. In this episode of Deer University, Dr. Strickland and Dr. Demaris chat with Brady on the ins and outs of pine management and how it may impact management of wildlife species.

In this episode Bronson interviews long-time Mississippi deer biologist Chris McDonald about the tactics used by successful deer managers. What characteristics do successful deer management programs have in common? What are the most common failures?  

In this episode we discuss the anatomy and physiology of deer relative to making effective shots that result in a rapid recovery. Our guest is Dr. Joe R. Bumgardner who is a retired surgeon.  Dr. Bumgardner practiced abdominal and chest surgery in Starkville, MS for 28 years and took his expertise from the operating room and applied it to white-tailed deer.  Dr. Bumgardner explains how broadheads and bullets disrupt the primary physiological systems of deer and cause their death. Additionally, he provides real-world examples with advice for optimal shot placement and what to do after the shot to increase your odds of recovering your deer.

In this conversation, Bronson, Steve, and Mark Turner discuss the relationship between doe body weight and buck antler size. Mark's research at the University of Tennessee aimed to evaluate how deer body and antler size varied across the eastern US and what habitat characteristics were associated with bigger deer. The results showed a consistent relationship between doe body weight and buck antler size, with an 8.5-inch increase in antler size for every 10-pound increase in doe body mass. This relationship provides a predictive equation that can help property managers and hunters assess and improve buck antler size by focusing on increasing doe body weight. The conversation also includes topics like harvest bias, compositional bias, and monitoring techniques.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

Takeaways:

There is a consistent relationship between doe body weight and adult buck antler size, with an 8.5-inch increase in antler size for every 10-pound increase in doe body weight.

Increasing doe body weight can lead to larger buck antler size, providing a predictive equation for property managers and hunters to assess and improve antler size.

Harvest bias and compositional bias can affect the accuracy of data collected on deer populations, and monitoring techniques should account for these biases.

Understanding the relationship between doe body weight and buck antler size can help property managers and hunters make informed decisions about deer management and habitat improvement.

Further research is needed to explore the variation in doe body weight and antler size across different regions and climates.

Sound Bites:

"If you can produce 120-inch does, your average mature male is gonna be 139 inches."

"When you give them food and manage the habitat, doe body weights respond, bucks respond, antlers respond."

"If you're not seeing the size of deer that you think you should be seeing, it may be that pulling the trigger is the issue."

William McKinley is a deer biologist and coordinator for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks and has been assisting hunters, managers, and landowners with deer management strategies for 20 years.  William has seen a lot of mistakes, but also has many success stories.  Join us for a fun and informative conversation with William.

In this first episode, we explain what the Deer University podcast is all about. What topics will be covered in subsequent episodes and who will benefit from listening. We will also tell the audience a little about our backgrounds and how we got to Mississippi State University.

In the second episode on culling we discuss a form of selective buck harvest that is rarely practiced for the right reason.  We call this strategy "managing the standing crop of bucks." For most people, this is the only form of culling, or selective harvest, that will have any positive impact on your deer population.

In this episode, Steve and Bronson discuss the biology behind how the rut works and how the timing is determined by genetics, hormones, and the ratio of daylight to darkness. Why and how does the timing of the rut vary from place to place? Does moon phase affect the rut? Can hunters influence the duration of the rut? Everything you need to know about the rut is reviewed in this episode.

This episode is devoted to mineral stumps.  Marcus Lashley joins the podcast and reviews all the details. How to make them, when to make them, where to make them.

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.

It’s summertime - bucks are growing antlers, does are lactating, and Steve has returned from Europe just in time to sit down with Bronson to inform listeners on what they can be doing now to help meet nutritional demands for deer this summer and following seasons to come. Get the overview of tools, resources, and science behind deer nutritional timelines in this episode you don't want to miss.

What the heck is buck breeding value?  In this episode Steve and Bronson visit with Dr. Randy DeYoung, a professor and researcher at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute at Texas A&M University-Kingsville. Randy and his colleagues and students have worked for many years analyzing genetics data related to maternity and paternity assignment in South Texas deer herds.  Randy will share results from the buck side of the equation and tell us how they impact management.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

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.

Dr. Brady Self rejoins the Deer University team for their second installment of timber harvesting, this time focusing on hardwoods. Tune into today’s episode to discover what you need to know for successful hardwood management on your land.

John Gruchy is a Private Lands Biologist for the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, & Parks and has been assisting landowners with habitat management for deer and other wildlife for over a decade.  During that time, John has compiled a list of habitat management mistakes he sees over and over again. Join us as we review these mistakes with John and discuss how you can avoid these pitfalls.

In this episode, Dr. Mark Turner discusses his research on the nutrient requirements of deer and the availability of native plants to fulfill those requirements. He sampled common deer forages throughout the Eastern US and found that only 44% of the forages sampled met the minimum crude protein requirement, and only 19% met the minimum phosphorus requirement. This highlights the importance of providing a diverse range of forage options for deer. Mark also emphasizes the need to consider both the amount and quality of forage when estimating nutritional carrying capacity. He suggests that landowners consider incorporating native plants into their management strategies and diversify their food plots to provide a more balanced diet for deer.  And Steve may have rambled a little too.

Takeaways

Providing a diverse range of forage options is important for meeting the nutrient requirements of deer.

Only 44% of the forages sampled met the minimum crude protein requirement, and only 19% met the minimum phosphorus requirement.

Estimating nutritional carrying capacity requires considering both the amount and quality of forage available.

Incorporating native plants into management strategies can help provide a more balanced diet for deer.

Diversifying food plots can also contribute to meeting the nutritional needs of deer.

Sound Bites

"Diversify your habitat and then let them do their job"

"Deer have pretty high phosphorus requirements and a lot of the plants are not meeting that requirement"

"Deer develop an aversion to forages that are very high in nutrients they already have"

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

We continue our discussions of predator impacts on deer herds with Dr. Marcus Lashley, a researcher in the MSU Deer Lab. Marcus will discuss a study he recently completed in North Carolina where coyotes were undoubtedly limiting the deer population by reducing fawn survival. He has some valuable information about habitat management to improve fawn survival. Also, he will tell the audience how to avoid an "ecological trap" when improving fawning cover to reduce coyote impacts. Last but not least, wait until you hear how far a coyote can travel! then information WILL impact coyote trapping effectiveness.

Most hunters and managers are aware of the benefits of prescribed fire on deer habitat.  Fire can be used to set back plant succession (reduce the woody vegetation) and stimulate the growth of forbs (increase the herbaceous vegetation). In the Southeastern US, deer nutrition is often limited during the summer when bucks are growing antlers and does are producing fawns and lactating. Often limitations in summer nutrition is addressed with warm-season food plots, but what about addressing this need with prescribed fire? Today we visit with former MSU Deer Lab graduate student, Rainer Nichols, and discuss his project where he compared plant quality and biomass response to dormant-season and growing season prescribed fire.  Rainer examined the impacts of prescribed fire timing and mechanical stump sprouting have on summer nutritional carrying capacity for deer. Diversifying the timing of prescribed fire between the dormant and growing seasons led to increased summer nutrient availability at the landscape level, and mechanically creating stump sprouts from woody plants led to increased available nutrition on a localized level. Combining these two management actions to target summer nutritional limitations can better help deer meet nutritional demands and reach their full potential.

Supplemental feeding of deer has become a common practice throughout most of the white-tailed deer’s range. Deer biologists often warn of the potential risks of supplemental feeding related to transfer of disease among deer, other wildlife, and people.  In this episode we interview Miranda Huang, a graduate student in the MSU Deer Lab, about her research where she quantified disease risk from parasites and aflatoxins.  The results were surprising!  

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.

In this episode, Steve, Marcus and Bronson discuss why summer nutrition is so important for deer, and what are the management options you can use to improve summer nutrition.

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.

Coyotes and other predators are routinely blamed for reduced deer sightings and deer population declines. But how do you know if predators are really problem where you hunt? In this episode we review the most recent scientific studies to inform you about potential predator impacts, and what to do about it.

In this episode we visit with Marcus Lashley, habitat management specialist in the MSU Deer Lab, and talk with him about a novel habitat management technique we call mineral stumping. Marcus and Bronson will discuss what mineral stumps are, how to create them, why deer love them so much, and how you can use mineral stumps to boost deer nutrition on your property and create more hunting opportunities.

In this conversation, Bronson and Steve discuss various topics related to deer management during the summertime. They start by addressing recent concerns about hunters contracting CJD (Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease) from consuming deer with CWD and emphasize the importance of following public health guidelines and not eating venison from CWD-positive deer. They then move on to discuss deer management tasks for the summer, including getting soil tests and adjusting pH for food plots, moving hunting blinds off food plots to reduce disturbance, controlling ryegrass in food plots, and using prescribed fire for habitat management. They highlight the benefits of burning during the growing season and the importance of providing high-quality forage for deer. Bronson and Steve emphasize the importance of analyzing harvest data and deer observations to make informed decisions about deer population and harvest strategies. Additionally, they discuss the benefits of forest management, improving road access, and diversifying food sources. The conversation concludes with a reminder to start planning larger-scale projects, such as timber harvest, well in advance.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

We get asked all the time “what’s the best food plot forage to plant for deer?”  Well, as hunters and managers, we were interested in that question too. Bronson, Steve, and Marcus discuss a food plot forage selection project conducted by former graduate student, Jacob Dykes. Cereal grains, clovers, and brassicas all have different growth rates and maturation dates, making their quality and nutrient profile change over the hunting season. What’s more, the availability of certain nutrients in the naturally occurring plants affect which food plot forages deer may favor, or avoid, and this depends on the time of year, and from place to place. So, what may be the most selected forage on your property, may be different a on property a few miles away. Just like there's no magic bullet, there's no magic food plot forage either.

And, check out this short video about the research: https://youtu.be/WUKEAtW6pqs

The latest Extension publication from the MSU Deer Lab is “Understanding Buck Movement: How, When, and Why Bucks Navigate the Landscape” is now available for viewing and download.  You can find the publication here:

https://www.msudeer.msstate.edu/results.php?q=deer%20movement

In Part 2, Steve and Bronson discuss more of the findings presented in the publication and explain how you can interpret the data and use the information for management and hunting.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

Today Steve and I announce some great news - we have finally finished our eBook on the buck harvesting strategy we call the "Strategic Harvest System." We then discuss the basics of deer movements like dispersal, home range size, migration, and excursions. Hopefully, we have answered your questions about bucks moving from here to there, and why.

This episode is devoted to doe harvest.  Steve and Bronson spend a lot of time talking about which bucks to harvest, but in this episode, they discuss the need for doe harvest, when to harvest, and what does to select.

Enroll now in our free wildland fire course!

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Want to hear more science-based information regarding natural resources? We have you covered. We are introducing the Natural Resources University Podcast Network which is much like the Deer University podcast, but we have expanded to cover other critical natural resource management topics. Habitat, Prescribed Fire, and Pond management are all covered.  Just search for Natural Resources University in Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, or your favorite podcatcher service. We hope you enjoy!

We asked and y’all delivered…Bronson and Steve sit down to answer your questions from social media on deer biology. Stay tuned for the following two Deer University episodes where more of your questions get answered! Be sure to follow us on social media @MSUDeerLab.

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.

In this episode Bronson interviews Jordan Burroughs and Johanna Dart of Michigan State University Extension about two programs designed to get people hunting, understand what hunting and conservation are all about, and last but not least, how to make a spectacular meal using wild game. For more information please visit www.gourmetgonewild.org and www.learntohuntmi.org to learn how to bring these innovative programs to your hometown.

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.

Dr. Mick Hellickson joins Deer University again to compare deer management in South Texas and the Midwest.  Mick was born and raised in Iowa and grew up hunting in that agricultural environment, but then moved to South Texas for graduate school and now works there managing deer herds.  Mick will review the most important limitations he faces managing deer in these very different environments.

In this episode Natasha Neary, Luke Resop, Steve Demarais, and Bronson Strickland discuss the MSU Deer Lab's recent analyses that disentangle the intricate relationship between buck movement and weather conditions. They use various metrics of deer activity, like movement rates and bedding percentages, and control for time of day and rut phase to isolate any additive effects of weather conditions. Does a cold front get bucks on their feet and cause them to be more active during daylight hours? Enjoy!

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

Over the past couple decades Kansas has turned into a destination state for deer hunters chasing big whitetails. But what exactly about the Kansas landscape promotes the growth of large antlers?  Dr. Drew Ricketts is an Assistant Professor and Extension Wildlife Specialist for Kansas State University and is an expert on habitat management in Kansas.  In this episode Drew, Steve, and Bronson crack the code on why Kansas produces so many record-book bucks.

In this episode Bronson visits with Dr. Mickey Hellickson about his antler rattling research conducted in South Texas. To our knowledge, this is the only scientific study ever conducted to understand what rattling techniques are effective and what times of the day and times of the year are most productive. If you have ever considered antler rattling, or wondered why it didn't work, this is your episode.

Dr. Angus Catchot and Dr. Bronson Strickland visit the Mossy Oak GameKeepers Podcast team to discuss management of armyworms in wildlife food plots and duck holes.  In this episode, you’ll learn exactly what armyworms are, what you can do about them.

Special thanks to Bobby Cole, Lannie Wallace, Dudley Phelps, and Toxey Haas for sharing this episode of GameKeepers with the Deer University podcast and helping us get the word out.

 Find this episode and others at the Mossy Oak GameKeepers Podcast page. mossyoakgamekeeper.com/podcasts

Also, visit the Mississippi Crop Situation blog. www.mississippi-crops.com

Bronson and Steve are joined by a special guest and founding father of the MSU Deer Lab, Dr. Harry Jacobson. Travel back to the early Deer Lab days and learn of the pioneering research conducted, achievements gained throughout the years, and lessons learned along the way.

Have you ever wondered WHY deer eat the plants they eat? Deer and cows are both ruminants (have a 4-chambered stomach), but deer have a completely different diet. In this episode, Bronson and Steve discuss the physiological adaptations of deer, and those adaptations influence the types of plants they eat.

Ever heard the old saying "you are what you eat"? A 10-year research project conducted by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks and the MSU Deer Lab was designed to explore the regional differences in buck body and antler size found throughout the state of Mississippi.  Were these differences caused by nutrition or genetics, possibly from when deer were re-stocked in the 1950s and 1960s. The results suggest body and antler size is not only a product of what bucks eat, but what their mother ate! Good, or poor, nutrition will impact deer for generations. 

Ever heard this? "I killed that buck to get him out of the gene pool." Or, "That buck has bad genetics, and I don't want him breeding." We hear these statements all too often. On this episode we will explain the why and how of culling. When can you make progress, and when you can't.

On this episode we don't review deer biology, but instead we talk about the history and philosophy of hunting and conservation. Ever heard of the Boone and Crockett Club? It's far more than just an antler and horn scoring system - they represent the foundations of wildlife conservation. Please listen to my conversation with Keith Balfourd of the Boone and Crockett Club and their Hunt Fair Chase Initiative. Hunters, this is very important! 

We're back! It's been several weeks, but we are back with an episode on food plot science. Marcus and Bronson discuss important information about common cool-season food plot forages for deer. Keep in mind the MSU Deer Lab has food plot app to help you measure food plot acreage and make planting decisions. It's currently only available for iPhone, but will be available for Android in a few weeks.

The latest Extension publication from the MSU Deer Lab is “Understanding Buck Movement: How, When, and Why Bucks Navigate the Landscape” is now available for viewing and download.  You can find the publication here:

https://www.msudeer.msstate.edu/results.php?q=deer%20movement

In Part 1, Steve and Bronson discuss some of the findings presented in the publication and explain how you can interpret the data and use the information for management and hunting.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

We’re back with another Q & A, this time with questions focused on buck movement and hunting strategy. Enjoy!

Be sure to follow us on social media @MSUDeerLab and subscribe to our YouTube channel MSU Deer Lab TV.

In this episode we discuss a food plot system that integrates both cool season and warm season food plot forages in the same plot.  Mitt Wardlaw has been using this system for over 5 years with great success. During the hunting season, Mitt has both high-energy grains (soybean or corn) along with high-protein clovers in his food plots. Join us for this episode to learn how to make this food plot planting system work on your property.

A topic of much debate and argument is cull bucks. Do cull bucks exist?  Are they different from management bucks?  All good questions.  In this episode we review this terminology and discuss scenarios where harvesting cull bucks, or management bucks, makes a lot of sense.

At the beginning of the episode we revealed a new Deer Management Online Seminar Series.  Below is the link to this program, and if you have questions, please reach out to Bill Hamrick at w.hamrick@msstate.edu

https://reg.extension.msstate.edu/view/cal10a.aspx?ek=&ref=&aa=&sid1=&sid2=&as=81&wp=324&tz=&ms=&nav=&cc=&cat1=&cat2=&cat3=&aid=MSU&rf=&pn=

On this page, you will find 8 courses related to Deer Biology and Management.

Buck Selective Harvest Strategies

Deer Management Concepts: Management Approaches and Population Dynamics

Food Plot Principles

Cool-Season Food Plots

Pine Management Affects Deer Habitat Quality

Regional Variation in Body and Antler Size: Is it Nutrition or Genetics?

Reproductive Ecology: Seasonal Breeding and Reproductive Success

Understanding Nutrition and Life Stage Requirements

Last, we mentioned a book we wrote that goes into great detail about culling or harvesting management bucks.  We call the process the Strategic Harvest System and we titled the book “Strategic Harvest System: How to Break Through the Buck Management Glass Ceiling”

https://www.amazon.com/Strategic-Harvest-System-Through-Management-ebook/dp/B076VXY475

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.

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!

In this episode Steve, Bronson, and Marcus answer questions from the Deer University audience. Questions about mineral stumps, supplemental feeding, deer parasites, age-related antler size decline are discussed. 

We’ve all heard time and time again that the biggest problem a landowner faces is their neighbor. But what if instead of competing with your neighbor, you joined forces? Join Dr. Marcus Lashley and Dr. Bronson Strickland, hosts of Fire University and Deer University, as they sit down to discuss the benefits co-ops provide and how working with your neighbor can give you a tangible return on investment. In this episode they interview Hunter Pruitt - founder of the National Wildlife Cooperative, an industry-wide project that quantifies wildlife co-ops across the U.S., connects landowners with nearby cooperatives, and supplies knowledge and resources to aid cooperatives across the U.S. landscape.

National Wildlife Cooperative:

Website: https://www.nationalwildlifecoop.com/national-wildlife-cooperative

Twitter: https://twitter.com/natwildlifecoop

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nationalwildlifecooperative

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nationalwildlifecooperative/?hl=en

Deer University:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MSUDeerLab​

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/msu.deerlab​

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/msudeerlab/​

Podcast: https://deeruniversity.libsyn.com/​

Fire University:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/UFDEERLab​

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ufdeerlab​

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ufdeerlab/​

Podcast: https://fireuniversity.libsyn.com/​

Natural Resources University:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/NR_University​

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NRUniversity​

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nr_university/

Podcast: https://naturalresourcesuniversity.libsyn.com

Some hunters think Chronic Wasting Disease is no big deal, some hunters even think CWD is good for a state wildlife agency because the disease will bring with it an abundance of federal funding. Our interview with Jason Sumners of the Missouri Department of Conservation, and Cory Gray of the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission will fully explain the issues this disease brings to wildlife management agencies.

Summer can be a nutritionally stressful period for deer. When bucks are growing antlers and does are gestating or lactating, there should be abundant high-quality food for them. In this episode we visit with Dr. Craig Harper from the University of Tennessee and discuss the important role of habitat and warm-season food plots during summer. Craig talks about the best summer food plot forages, and strategies to ensure their success. He also discusses his recent research on the effects of mowing perennial plots during summer.

Supplemental feeding has become a common practice, but deer biologists are often concerned about the indirect effects and how the practice could degrade habitat quality and impact the native plant community.  In this episode we interview Beau Navarre, a graduate student in the MSU Deer Lab, about his research where he measured all sorts of plant data around feeders that concentrated deer.  So, does feeding affect the native plant community?  Well, it depends.   

There’s no doubt that prescribed fire is good for wildlife habitat, but what’s the best time of year to burn?  What are the pros and cons of burning during the dormant season (winter) and the growing season (spring and summer)?  In this episode Bronson and Steve visit with MSU Deer Lab graduate student Luke Resop and discuss the findings from his research where he examined the response of vegetation to dormant and growing season fire.  Which is the best?  You guessed it…IT DEPENDS.   

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

In this third episode with Dr. Mark Turner, we discuss Mark's research exploring the factors that contribute to the variation in population-level buck antler size. He explains that deer tend to be larger in areas further north due to heat retention and dissipation. He also highlights the importance of landscape characteristics, such as row crop agriculture, in influencing deer size. Additionally, he emphasizes the significance of managing forage availability on individual properties, including improving early successional plant communities and implementing holistic food plotting approaches. Overall, the key takeaways are the importance of considering the context of a property within the larger landscape, the potential for incremental improvements in deer management, and the need to manage both habitat and deer density to optimize deer quality.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

Takeaways

Deer tend to be larger in areas further north due to heat retention and dissipation.

Row crop agriculture and early successional plant communities are positively associated with deer size.

Managing forage availability on individual properties can lead to significant improvements in deer quality.

Improving early successional plant communities and implementing holistic food plotting approaches are effective strategies for increasing forage availability.

Managing both habitat and deer density is crucial for optimizing deer quality.

Who's your daddy? In the first technical episode, we explain buck breeding success. There are so many misconceptions about which bucks do the breeding. For years, biologists and hunters alike thought the old, mature buck did all the breeding; then, DNA testing came along. We will bring you up to speed on the latest research and tell you how this information may affect your management program.

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.  

This is a crossover episode with A Talk On The Wild Side podcast, hosted by Dr. Sandra Rideout-Hanzak. Dr. Mike Cherry is the Stuart W. Stedman Chair for White-tailed Deer Research at the Caesar Kleberg Wildlife Research Institute and has experience researching and managing deer from Texas to Florida to Virginia.  Mike and Bronson talk about deer management and habitat management in the Southeastern US as compared to South Texas.

Check out the MSU Deer Lab’s online seminar series (here) and choose the Natural Resources option from the Categories drop down menu.  You will have to create an account to view the seminars.  The seminars are free unless you are seeking professional educational credits.

Also, be sure to visit our YouTube channel (here)

Subscribe to the newest addition of the NRU network: Working Wild University

In this episode, Steve and Bronson discuss how the stress of rut affects the physical condition of bucks and what managers can do to minimize these impacts.

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.