Getting kind of "skinny" up here...

[pdhntr]

With the late spring and snow that won't quit, the deer are struggling to get by. I was feeding 5 for most of the winter, but I am up to 15 at times now. Hard to believe all of the fawns have made it in spite of the wolves. The deer bed about 100 yards from the house. I know that helps.

Three weeks ago a couple of bucks showed up that were looking pretty bad. You could count their ribs and their hip bones stuck out like big bumps. I started feeding twice a day and will continue for probably another week. Looks like warmer temps next week.

The bucks are looking better each day.

They really like the rutabagas. They dig for hours.

Jim

 

[Capt. Oblivious]

Very nice picture that Jim

 

[dolek]

Good to see you helping them out. I am feeding about 14 right now,ribs are showing here too. It's been a long winter,still getting snow every day and they come earlier every day . I barely make it back to the house before they are eating.

 

[pdhntr]

Good to see you helping them out. I am feeding about 14 right now,ribs are showing here too. It's been a long winter,still getting snow every day and they come earlier every day . I barely make it back to the house before they are eating.

All of the fawns and does gather around my shed when I am working out there to "whine". When I feed, the fawns follow right along behind me just a couple feet back.

Where are you located?

Jim

 

[okie]

I cant imagine...winter here non-existent--mosquitos been out here for a month and ticks bad already--knee deep grass everywhere--turtles hatched last week--kids brought one in and killed a cottonmouth where they got it...
my wife wears a sweater if it gets below 70...im glad you are feeding them!
hope you get warm up soon!!

 

[pdhntr]

I cant imagine...winter here non-existent--mosquitos been out here for a month and ticks bad already--knee deep grass everywhere--turtles hatched last week--kids brought one in and killed a cottonmouth where they got it...
my wife wears a sweater if it gets below 70...im glad you are feeding them!
hope you get warm up soon!!

Thanks Okie,

We will have ticks and skeeters here pretty soon. No cottonmouths though thank goodness.

The deer dug in the rutabagas and turnips all day long today.

Jim

 

[Lone Hunter]

With the late spring and snow that won't quit, the deer are struggling to get by. I was feeding 5 for most of the winter, but I am up to 15 at times now. Hard to believe all of the fawns have made it in spite of the wolves. The deer bed about 100 yards from the house. I know that helps.

Three weeks ago a couple of bucks showed up that were looking pretty bad. You could count their ribs and their hip bones stuck out like big bumps. I started feeding twice a day and will continue for probably another week. Looks like warmer temps next week.

The bucks are looking better each day.

They really like the rutabagas. They dig for hours.

Jim

You ought to ask PETA about their helping the animals. Bet they have never seen the deer die of starvation. Hard to see things suffering out of an office window. Hopefully it will warm up for you and the other animals soon.. Good Job

 

[jackson1]

Killing time on the interweb. On my way up to Northern Wisconsin in a few minutes, to check out the cabin. This extra long winter, has to be tough on an already small deer herd.

 

[pdhntr]

You ought to ask PETA about their helping the animals. Bet they have never seen the deer die of starvation. Hard to see things suffering out of an office window. Hopefully it will warm up for you and the other animals soon.. Good Job

Killing time on the interweb. On my way up to Northern Wisconsin in a few minutes, to check out the cabin. This extra long winter, has to be tough on an already small deer herd.

This winter reminded some of us older timers of the winters we had back in the early 1980's. I was working in the woods at that time as a hand cutter. There were 4 of us working a job near Cub Lake, just north of Loretta/Draper, known locally as the "twin cities".

I believe it was the winter of 1981 and we had 6 weeks where the temp never got above zero, and we had several feet of snow. We were cutting predominantly white birch and the deer moved into our job for the buds on the end of the branches. It wasn't long and we had a deer yard with at least 75 deer.

I remember very well, as I will never see this again, we had to shout at the deer to get them to move as we fell the trees. As soon as we had the tree limbed and the sticks bunched, the deer moved into the tops and devoured them, including stems as large as a pencil. There were usually 20 or so deer that followed each one of us around as we cut in our sections.

It was another example of natures cruel way of thinning. The fawns were of course small, couldn't get through the snow, and couldn't compete with the larger deer. We found many dead by the end of the job.

Anyhow, today the snow is melting fast and the deer spent the entire day feeding in their garden. They are noticeably less frantic when I put out the corn and alfalfa silage for them.

Jim

 

[dolek]

All of the fawns and does gather around my shed when I am working out there to "whine". When I feed, the fawns follow right along behind me just a couple feet back.

Where are you located?

Jim

They really do know how to get to you,we have youngsters that come right to the window to let me know they are ready for a feeding. I enjoy feeding/watching them,helps me get through the long winters .Typing this from my hospital bed now,on the way to the ER we stopped at the feedstore. Can't let them down now,spring is almost here in North East NY/Canada border.

 

[pdhntr]

They really do know how to get to you,we have youngsters that come right to the window to let me know they are ready for a feeding. I enjoy feeding/watching them,helps me get through the long winters .Typing this from my hospital bed now,on the way to the ER we stopped at the feedstore. Can't let them down now,spring is almost here in North East NY/Canada border.

Hope it isn't something serious.

In my trucking days I occasionally made runs through northern NY. What a difference between there and NY city! I loved the many hills with trout streams.

Take care.

Jim

 

[alf]

This winter reminded some of us older timers of the winters we had back in the early 1980's.

I'm a little concerned when old timers and 1980's are used in the same sentence........

 

[dolek]

Hope it isn't something serious.

In my trucking days I occasionally made runs through northern NY. What a difference between there and NY city! I loved the many hills with trout streams.

Take care.

Jim

Thanks Jim,

I'm in good hands here,hoping for the best.

It really is a beautiful part of NY . I live along the St.Lawrence river valley...I am 3 miles from Canada as the crow flies. Missing my deer tonight . We have noticed we are still getting more daily,and the new gang does not get along with the regulars all that well. Seeing a lot of fighting and bunches of hair on the ground from them pounding on each other. My Wife takes it hard when they do that,a little too attached I think.haha



Dale

Edit: My wife sent me this pic last night,my cat Steve...he loves watching the deer too,he runs from window to window watching them come in to feed.

 

[jackson1]

Have to bite my fingers. Boy as I wrong. Been hunting and observing game in the area for over 40 years. Have watched the number of deer decline in the area since the late 1990's. In the last hour before dark, my brother in law and I went for a little drive. We saw more deer then either of us can ever remember. We drove east, west, and north and were consistently seeing large deer numbers. They looked healthy and saw many big deer. Maybe this was a anomaly, but it was great to see. Years of over hunting, long seasons (archery and special hunts), wolves and CWD, led me to believe deer hunting, or at least high success rates were gone. Maybe I am just to optimistic in hoping a come back is in he offing.

 

[dolek]

Have to bite my fingers. Boy as I wrong. Been hunting and observing game in the area for over 40 years. Have watched the number of deer decline in the area since the late 1990's. In the last hour before dark, my brother in law and I went for a little drive. We saw more deer then either of us can ever remember. We drove east, west, and north and were consistently seeing large deer numbers. They looked healthy and saw many big deer. Maybe this was a anomaly, but it was great to see. Years of over hunting, long seasons (archery and special hunts), wolves and CWD, led me to believe deer hunting, or at least high success rates were gone. Maybe I am just to optimistic in hoping a come back is in he offing.

Same thing here,I bought my place in 1995 and the deer population was very high. Our population is still down,but from what I see locally it looks like it may be on the rise. We still don't have the big bucks like in the past,for years folks have been shooting anything with horns . Not many get a chance to mature.

 

[roadkill61]

I'll bet you won't find any peta people out helping any animals in distress. They just want to stand on a street corner and point fingers at hunters for there cruelty.

 

[Lone Hunter]

I'll bet you won't find any peta people out helping any animals in distress. They just want to stand on a street corner and point fingers at hunters for there cruelty.

They are scared to go into the woods. Totally alien to them. They might help out an alley cat or stray dog but they understand nothing about the wild animals that have to fight just to live. PETA is just another hypocritical organization making some rich while lying to others and eating steak the whole time. Never with a thought about that pore ole dumb animal that gave or had it's life took so they can eat. But, just like the anti gunners, It's always some one else's fault. If your living your killing something,be it plant or animal, but your still killing something. Sorry, rant over. I hate peta and the like. Then there's people like pdhntr and daleboy that understand them and feed them and don't ask for help. Stand up people.. Thanks Guys.

 

[okie]

This winter reminded some of us older timers of the winters we had back in the early 1980's. I was working in the woods at that time as a hand cutter. There were 4 of us working a job near Cub Lake, just north of Loretta/Draper, known locally as the "twin cities".

I believe it was the winter of 1981 and we had 6 weeks where the temp never got above zero, and we had several feet of snow. We were cutting predominantly white birch and the deer moved into our job for the buds on the end of the branches. It wasn't long and we had a deer yard with at least 75 deer.

I remember very well, as I will never see this again, we had to shout at the deer to get them to move as we fell the trees. As soon as we had the tree limbed and the sticks bunched, the deer moved into the tops and devoured them, including stems as large as a pencil. There were usually 20 or so deer that followed each one of us around as we cut in our sections.

It was another example of natures cruel way of thinning. The fawns were of course small, couldn't get through the snow, and couldn't compete with the larger deer. We found many dead by the end of the job.

Anyhow, today the snow is melting fast and the deer spent the entire day feeding in their garden. They are noticeably less frantic when I put out the corn and alfalfa silage for them.

Jim

wow. life is tough up there. my town is a logging community too--never seen one starve