Pre Rut

There are a number of locations on our property where you can predict the arrival of a deer scrape almost to the day. Last Saturday doggo and I were out hunting ringnecks when we decided to check several of those spots for any activity.

Sure 'nuff, and right on time, at the bottom of this photo (arrow) is a recently started scrape.  At the top of the photo is a horizontal branch of an oak tree just to the left of the photo frame.  This is called a licking branch.  Licking branches are located directly above a scrape. 

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches close by.  You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints.  This is called a scrape. 

Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground. Once the soil is stirred up, they urinate on the scrape.  Bucks don’t pee the way we do.  We try to keep it off of us.  Bucks actually try to pee on their own hind legs.  The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape.  Every deer has its own unique bouquet and the tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that spoor.  About the licking branch - a tree branch will hang above the cleared out soil. Bucks will rub their forehead glands on it and will also lick it with their tongue. 

The earliest of scrapes that begin to appear in October are few and far between and used principally to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake-out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line. 

Scrapes serve much the same function in the whitetail world as a mailbox post or a fire hydrant does for dogs.  Scrapes are meant to show dominance over a territory but are normally used by more than one buck.   

Very soon the scrape will be used to communicate breeding readiness. 

The Rut

The rut has officially arrived with the bucks making themselves visible during daylight hours and scrapes and rubs appearing on the landscape.

Including this dandy Big Boy that showed-up on one of the trail cameras.

Rub

Scrapes

Above the scrapes there is the licking branch

Trail

Pre-Rut

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches that are close by.  You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints.  This is called a scrape.  Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground.   Once the soil is stirred up they urinate on the scrape.

Bucks don’t pee the way those of us males of the human species do.  We try to keep it off of our legs and boots.  Whitetail bucks actually try to pee on their own legs.  The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape.  Every deer has its own unique scent. The tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that scent.  

scrape - bottom center and  licking branch top center

 

 

Another thing scrapes have is a licking branch - a tree branch will hang above the cleared out soil. Bucks will rub their forehead glands on the stick and will also lick it with their tongue.  

 

Scrapes serve much the same function in the whitetail world as a mailbox post or a fire hydrant does for dogs.  Scrapes are meant to show dominance over a territory but are normally used by more than one buck.   

 

These early scrapes are a bit different.  Few and far between they are mainly used to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line.  Later in the season an active scrape will be used to communicate breeding readiness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Finally, there are these beginning to appear on the landscape – buck rubs.   

 

 

Around these parts it is typically a tamarack sapling sacrificed to the cause.   

 

It is a common misconception that deer rubs on trees are caused by male whitetails attempting to rub the velvet from their antlers.  While it would not be unusual for a velvet-antlered deer to rub against a tree the rubbing seen at this time of year is a consequence of deer that have long-ago shed the velvet from their antlers.  The rub in the photo was made by a dominant buck.  Consider it both a visual and a sensory calling card brought on by an increase in testosterone levels.   

It isn't unusual for other bucks to add their contribution to the rub but it's more to do with establishing the pecking order.   

 

The term dominant buck is apropos given that one of the reasons for this behavior is to mark their territory and curb the lesser bucks both psychologically and hormonally.  This suppresses testosterone levels in the smaller bucks allowing the Big Guy to exert his influence and create the circumstances for successfully spreading his seed during the breeding season.  

 

The glands located in the forehead of the dominant male send a signal that this is my turf.  It also signals to the ladies of the male's readiness to mate.  Consider it the whitetail equivalent of passing-along your name and phone number to someone you might wish to meet again. 

 

Stay-tuned for additional updates from whitetail romance land.

Brood Flock

While not scarce - turkeys around these parts have not been as common as in years past.  Brood flocks in particular.

Last weekend Jill spied a brood flock of three adult hens and their poults cruising thru the backyard.  Because it was a mowed expanse of lawn it is highly unlikely that we missed any additional hens or little ones.   However, between the three of them there were only a small handful of young.  One hen had only a single sole poult in tow.

Low probability (poor) hatch this spring?  

Predation?

It's not likely I'm mistaken about the anecdotal evidence.  I'm sure it's the same for the neighbors.  I'll have to ask around.

Anyway, I was reminded of this short, silent video vignette taken recently.  One of the very few with mama and her brood.....

The Thing About Wildlife.....

......is that wildlife is ubiquitous.  It is everywhere.  If you provide cover, water and natural food resources they will come.  They might even move-in with you.  Well, may not move in (literally) but stay close.

From the other day there was this.  

Directly out in the front yard, in the flower bed behind the rock wall - deer beds.  Three of them - the two you can see in the photo and a third off to the right out of view.  They just wandered-over after dusk, maybe helped themselves to a birdseed bedtime snack and plopped down to sleep.

Directly in the front yard.  Thirty feet from the house.

And on our walk there was this.

Coyote pee marking several spots along the trail.

This is mating time for the resident coyotes and Mr. Wiley Coyote has been leaving his spore along the trail trolling for female companionship.  Just like some lounge lizard handing out his phone number to the ladies at the singles bar.

Blonde dog made sure to pee on all the male markings on our walk.  An action which should mix things-up for sure.

Unless conditions are so nasty it's keeping the critters and people holed-up there's never a dull moment around here.  

Should be seeing more migrant song birds materializing before too long.

Spring is directly around the corner.

The Rut

This is a buck rub. Every day we see more of them while out on our daily walk.     

It is a common misconception that deer rubs on trees are caused by male whitetails attempting to rub the velvet from their antlers.  While it would not be unusual for a velvet-antlered deer to rub against a tree the rubbing seen at this time of year is a consequence of deer that have long-ago shed the velvet from their antlers.   

Around here the tree of choice for rubbing seems to be willow, younger aspen and tamarack.  This happens to be an assault on a basswood tree planted about a decade and a half ago and happens to be in our front yard. Is it something about the bark? Is it the diameter of the tree? Is there a scent imparted by the tree to the deer?  Or vice versa?  

It's actually the versa. 

So here's the rub.  If you've ever had an opportunity to watch my Labrador retriever in action it's all about scent.  When she is running hot on a trail she isn’t following with her eyes as much as she is following her nose.  Deer scrapes are much-ado about scent-marking. A deer rub carries with it a sensory experience that engages scent and visual impact.    

The rub above was made by a dominant buck - brought about by the impact of testosterone overload.  It would not be unusual for other bucks to add their contribution to the rub but it's more to do with establishing the hierarchy amongst the local bucks.

The term dominant buck is apropos given that one of the reasons for this behavior is to mark their territory and curb and intimidate the lesser bucks both psychologically and hormonally.  This suppresses testosterone levels in the subordinate males allowing the dominant whitetail to exert his influence.    

The glands located in the forehead of the dominant male send a signal that this is my turf.  It also signals to the ladies of the male's readiness to mate.  It is the whitetail equivalent of leaving your name and phone number with someone at the bar.     

If I had to hazard a guess I think I am witnessing pre-rut activity - colloquially the same as the beginning of the breeding season.

 

The Rut

From our walk today there was this.

At the bottom of the photo (center) is a fresh scrape.

Middle of the photo the horizontal limb from the small oak on the left is a licking branch just above the scrape.

Both of these are typically found together.

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches close by.  You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints.  This is called a scrape. 

Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground. Once the soil is stirred up, they urinate on the scrape.  Bucks don’t pee the way we do.  We try to keep it off of us.  Bucks actually try to pee on their own hind legs.  The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape.  Every deer has its own unique bouquet and the tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that spoor.  Another thing scrapes have is a licking branch - a tree branch will hang above the cleared out soil. Bucks will rub their forehead glands on the stick and will also lick it with their tongue. 

The earliest of scrapes that begin to appear in October are few and far between and used principally to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake-out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line. 

Scrapes serve much the same function in the whitetail world as a mailbox post or a fire hydrant does for dogs.  Scrapes are meant to show dominance over a territory but are normally used by more than one buck.   

Very soon the scrape will be used to communicate breeding readiness. 

 

Whodunnit?

These canid tracks are not from my Labs.   

From my field guide there is this.   

Tracks:  forepaw 2¼ inch long, round to slightly oval, hind paw slightly smaller; straight line of single tracks; hind paws fall near or directly onto fore prints (direct register) when walking, often obliterating the forepaw tracks,  12-15 inch stride when walking.  

Yup - yote.

Deer Movement

By now you already know that the guys killed seven deer during the opening weekend of the gun season.  Does to be exact.  We only saw a couple of spike and fork bucks and let them walk in the interest of slowing the growth of the local deer population and achieving a more optimal age/sex ratio.

It may very well be that the rut is on the downhill slide.  Small wonder as the antlerless deer continue to move about in daylight hours.

And the mature bucks move after dark.

 

click on images for a closer look

Pre Rut

From our walk today there was this.

Lower half (center) is a fresh scrape.

Licking branch just above.

For you guys hunting this weekend just past the dog is a deer stand - The Taj.

Pre-rut looks to be in full swing. And I have a photo of who I think may be tending that scrape...

click on images for a closer look

 

A Day In The Life...

...Of A Trail Camera.

Yesterday I uploaded a ginormous number of video vignettes and digital pictures from four trail cameras deployed to their respective woodland locations to keep patient watch on who happens-across their path.

I thought it would be fun to post a representative sampling of photos from one location taken in one day. I've not cropped the date and time stamps from these so you can see for yourself the progression from pre-dawn to daylight and back to night so take note of the time stamp.  For purposes of brevity I selected only one photo from each species.

Here they are: 

A raccoon

 

 

Hen turkey and her brood

 

 

Twin fawns (you can tell them apart as their spots differ)

 

 

 

Mama

 

 

And a doodle bird (American woodcock)

 

click on images for a closer look



This is a particularly fine variety of wildlife passing thru one location in 24 hours.  From the photos you may correctly conclude who general appears nocturnally and during daylight hours.  Although deer show-up at all hours of the day.
 
The fifth camera that had recently been in service to monitor the Baltimore orioles coming to the feeders on the porch has been redeployed to the woods in a previously unmonitored and brand-new location.

Stay tuned...

Winter Critter Identification

I happen to be one of the rare individuals who embraces winter.  The cold doesn't particularly bother me as long as I'm dressed for the conditions (and not fighting for survival).  The night skies are clear and sharp and offer the most excellent opportunities to engage in amateur astronomy - and on occasion the northern lights pay a visit to my latitude.  There are no mosquitos or sociopath yellow jacket wasps.  And there is evidence of the animals on the landscape - namely their tracks that are easily found in the snow.  And it's not like you have to travel far at all as long as you are observant.

Just for fun I've posted a handful of photos of animal tracks found in the yard immediately adjacent to the house.  See if you can match them with the animals listed below. 

 

 

click on images to enlarge

 

Choose from the following:  feral cat, ring neck pheasant, dark-eyed junco, deer mouse, whitetail deer 

 

Run-up to Deer Camp

I spied this buck while bow hunting November 2.  He blends-in rather well in the big bluestem - but he's there, top third of the photo immediately left of center.

click on images for a closer look

 

He was out of range but those wide-set antlers were a perfect identifier.

Last weekend the girls and I hiked the trail camera circuit and fetched the SD cards from six patient sentries that keep track of the comings and goings of the local wildlife.  Including male deer that we have come to identify by the distinctive nature of their headgear.

Including these photos of the very same deer.

This was taken on November 9th.

This one too.

And this one on November 10th.

Precisely on the trail he was following when I spied him a couple of weeks ago.  It is noteworthy that these are all daytime photos - evidence of the rut continuing.   To my deer camp pals it would appear that anyone hunting from the Taj, the Creek Stand and the First Guard Tower might stand a chance of seeing this big boy.

Unless, of-course, the neighbors haven't dropped it beforehand....

Brood Flock

One of the things about having trail cameras keeping watch on the comings and goings of the local critters is that you can pick-up on patterns of behavior.

This is called patterning and it is a technique that hunters will use to plan their ambush of a turkey or a deer that has settled-into a certain pattern of location and/or time of movement.

I've had a bit of fun patterning a local brood flock of wild turkeys going all the way back to when they were tiny poults, to chicken-size poults and to now when they are just about adult-size birds. 

click on images to enlarge

 

They really do enjoy this particular location to hang out. 

While the grasshoppers are all gone for the season this remains an ideal location to loaf in the sun and relax.

Funny thing is that when they show-up they hang around for almost an hour.  Sometimes less.

Mama hen and her brood know a good thing when they find it.








And I feel privileged to have patterned their movements.  Stay-tuned to see if it persists into the winter with the cold winds and snow blows or if these birds will seek shelter in the thicker pines and spruces...

New Location

The location of this trail camera has been acceptable as it has been delivering a steady diet of deer and turkey photos.  And occasionally a selfie.  So after discussing the matter with my four-legged ladies we moved it about thirty yards (give or take) west.


It is still situated on the north bank of Silver Creek but facing the opposite direction south by southwest directly in the trodden path of a well-worn game trail.

Stay tuned...

Pre Rut

Most days Jill and I take the girls out for a walk – generally 1 to 1½ mile if the app on the mobile device is to be believed.  Of course, if you are a Labrador retriever you might as well double the distance because Labs never travel in a straight line and are always hunting something, rolling in something, splashing in the creek and generally getting into something which usually leads to a bath upon returning home.  But I digress.  We were also scouting deer sign as the male whitetails are beginning to stake-out their territories in preparation for the breeding season – or the rut.  The lead-up is what is known as pre-rut.   

These are beginning to appear on the landscape – buck rubs.  Generally a tamarack sacrificed to the cause.  It is a common misconception that deer rubs on trees are caused by male whitetails attempting to rub the velvet from their antlers.  While it would not be unusual for a velvet-antlered deer to rub against a tree the rubbing seen at this time of year is a consequence of deer that have long-ago shed the velvet from their antlers.  The rub in this photo was made by a dominant buck.  Consider it both a visual and a sensory calling card brought on by an increase in testosterone levels.   

It isn't unusual for other bucks to add their contribution to the rub but it's more to do with establishing the pecking order.  The term dominant buck is apropos given that one of the reasons for this behavior is to mark their territory and curb the lesser bucks both psychologically and hormonally.  This suppresses testosterone levels in the smaller bucks allowing the Big Guy to exert his influence and spread his seed during the breeding season.  The glands located in the forehead of the dominant male send a signal that this is my turf.  It also signals to the ladies of the male's readiness to mate.  Consider it the whitetail equivalent of passing-along your name and phone number to someone you might wish to meet again.   

If you encounter a whiff of deer pee redolent in the autumn air look carefully beneath any shoulder height tree branches close by.  You may locate a bare patch of dirt in the turf that is trampled with deer hoof prints.  This is called a scrape. 

Bucks create scrapes by using their hoofs to dig at the ground.   Once the soil is stirred up, they urinate on the scrape.  Bucks don’t pee the way we do.  We try to keep it off of us.  Bucks actually try to pee on their own legs.  The object is to hit their tarsal glands in an effort to leave their scent on the scrape.  Every deer has its own unique bouquet and the tarsal glands hold concentrated amounts of that spoor.  These early scrapes are few and far between and used principally to communicate as bucks begin to leave their bachelor groups and stake out their territory.  It is akin to posting a no trespassing sign on a property line.  Before too long it will be used to communicate breeding readiness. 

click on images for a closer look

 

At the bottom-center of the photo (above) is a scrape.  Yesterday I relocated a trail camera to patiently record who visits this location.  Above the scrape is a licking branch.  I’ll talk more about the role of the licking branch after I swap-out the SD card next weekend to see if this scrape is active. 

Stay tuned...