deer damaging crops this year

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 2:06 pm

we along with other farmers in Va finally got damage tags for deer this year. Do to the drought, deer are in the fields everywhere eating every soybean we have(that came up lol). My permits for 25 deer and I have untill Sept 20th to take those out on one 300acre trac of land. I hate harvesting deer like this, but somethings gotta be done since Doe are everywhere!!!! Everyone's trophy hunting these days so doe seem to run free lol

so you guys that hunt farmland, but sure to knock off some doe for us. Im always hunting for big bucks also, but I take far more doe than bucks to try and equal the herds out.

anyone else have problems with deer eating up crops in their areas?

Galgo · Post by **Galgo** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 6:45 pm

Yup. It's always bad around here. North of Toronto, Canada. We get up to six bow doe tags and my farmer can get some nuissance doe tags too.

F

diesel · Post by **diesel** » Sun Jul 22, 2007 8:41 pm

Yes here in ohio my brother has already taken 15 or 20 out. Give most of the meat away. We like to take them out before the fawns are born or start in the first part of September so the fawns dont have to starve.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:13 am

diesel wrote:Yes here in ohio my brother has already taken 15 or 20 out. Give most of the meat away. We like to take them out before the fawns are born or start in the first part of September so the fawns dont have to starve.

thats one problem here... I get ready to shoot and out walks twins behind the doe. Everyone I take, I try to make sure he lil ones are grown or moved on. Granted they destroy the crops, but I cant bring myself to killing one that has fawns with her. But its plenty of doe without them though so its all well

diesel · Post by **diesel** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 9:24 am

We are seeing that only about 1 doe out of 3 have fawns with them. That only 33% . What are you seeing.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:42 am

diesel wrote:We are seeing that only about 1 doe out of 3 have fawns with them. That only 33% . What are you seeing.

I would say about the same.. I did see for the first time this year that one doe had triplets! They still have their spots. Most of them have lost their spots though by now.

diesel · Post by **diesel** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:29 pm

I was told a doe had to be 4 years old or older to have triplets. I do not know if that it true or not.

Sierra · Post by **Sierra** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 1:35 pm

Deer have changed their feeding patterns and are coming closer to the house during daylight hours than in past years. Even with the dogs outside the deer are keeping the fruit trees well pruned. In our farm area, part of Ohio, the bucks seem to be out numbering the does 3 to 1.

Also have seen fawns still with spots within the last week.

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 1:51 pm

Sierra wrote:Deer have changed their feeding patterns and are coming closer to the house during daylight hours than in past years. Even with the dogs outside the deer are keeping the fruit trees well pruned. In our farm area, part of Ohio, the bucks seem to be out numbering the does 3 to 1.

Also have seen fawns still with spots within the last week.

Doe outnumber bucks here about 3 to 1 from what I see

Rich · Post by **Rich** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 10:20 am

CF,

What are you doing with the deer after they are shot, I know of a few farmers that just let them lay. If you ever need someone to pickup the deer, let me know and I'll make the drive. I'll even split the summer sausage with you.

Rich

crazyfarmer · Post by **crazyfarmer** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 1:13 pm

Ricg, right now we are doing the same. Thats the part I hate. But I dont leave them in the fields though. I drag them into the woods atleast. We process deer, but we dont do it this time of year since its so hot and deer have so many ticks on them. I wish i had known though since yesterday I took down 3 in about 40mins time. They are like rabbits on that farm. Bad thing is its no decent bucks since the doe are so thick. Hopefully this helps the buck herd also