Who does it belong too.

[bc.gold 3,403]

We've been supplementing the Deer's diet over the winter months, curious if this is from a different type of animal.

 

[roadapples 6,983]

Any different tracks around it?

You really should have gotten a selfie with that...

[ebinmaine 67,592]

Looks like buck poop

[Ed Kennell 38,209]

Constipated deer.   Too much starch(corn) and too little ruffage(browse).

Edited March 17, 2022 by Ed Kennell

[WHX?? 48,828]

I wanted to say moose apples.... .... wasn't for the snow I woulda said chocolate covered raisins....   

[ebinmaine 67,592]

3 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

moose

Don't look like the mooooose apples we have around here but he's a couple thousand miles away I guess

[Darb1964 1,043]

Deer dropping from a feed with corn and molasses, need to be careful with supplemental feeding of White tail deer. They need woody browse to maintain the health of their digestive system. 

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

I confess...  it's mine.

 

[oldlineman 1,481]

Any chance bear. Bob

[ebinmaine 67,592]

Just now, oldlineman said:

Any chance bear. Bob

Not me Bear 🐻. 

 

 

No seeds or grains or nuts in it

[WHX?? 48,828]

Not this time of year Bob & bear scat looks more like ours. 

[oldlineman 1,481]

I have seen bear droppings but not at this time of the year. Thanks Bob

[SylvanLakeWH 25,598]

Way…

 

Way…

 

Way…

 

to many visuals… 

[kwalshy 229]

I’m not a fan of supplementing whitetail deer diet during the winter.  Just my opinion.

Edited March 18, 2022 by kwalshy

[WHX?? 48,828]

Keep it in your shorts Sylvia .... literally & pun intended 

We're about to go biology  on ya here...

 Opinion noted Kwalsky but I love studying them and as noted they are not lack of woody subtinence as they have the woody stuff cleaned off my trees as high as they can reach.

From what I read they eat the woody stuff, which has no nutritional value to them, simply because nothing else is available? Especially before green up and they are still somewhat "yarded up".

 What's your take on that? 

Edited March 18, 2022 by WHX??

[SylvanLakeWH 25,598]

7 minutes ago, WHX?? said:

I love studying them

So do I…

 

[kwalshy 229]

The whitetail has the ability to restrict their feed intake & become less active in winter to conserve energy.  They are also ruminants with a compound stomach similar to cattle.  Thus allows them to eat foods we cannot digest.  And in some way they are selective enough to choose food items to meet their nutritional needs, the woody stuff being one of them in winter months.  
 

but, WHX??, to your point, food availability will influence their preference when scarcity is an impacting factor, out of necessity they’ll eat the woody stuff

Edited March 18, 2022 by kwalshy

[bc.gold 3,403]

After brutal winter conditions, emergency deer feeding underway in northwestern Ontario.

.

[Jeff-C175 7,202]

I'm not going to stop feeding the birds. 

 

The Treasurer loves to watch them. 

 

The more she looks at them, the less she looks at me! 

 

She hasn't told me I look like a homeless bum in weeks now.

 

I can't stop the deer from eating the bird seed.

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,209]

I was concerned this would turn into a heated feed/no feed discussion.    Let's all stay civil.

 

I usually follow the science of the bioligists that frown on feeding wild game and in some cases it is illegal.

I understand the fact that the high contact of deer at feeding stations is the main cause of the spread of CWD and TB.   Most outbreaks of disease can be traced back to penned deer and elk that were released or escaped from high fence pens.

Here in Southern Pa farm country, feed is not a problem.  There is more of a crop damage and road kill accident problem.

On the 3000 acre lease I belong to in Northern Pa, after hunting season is closed in Jan., we annually feed 10 ton of corn to the deer and turkey.   I have mixed feelings about this feeding.

 

Winter kill of wildlife is a natural process that ensures the survival of the fittest and the culling of the weakest to keep the herd size in line with the feed available.   As the browse line rises, only the stronger larger deer are able to survive.     The birth rate also helps to keep the herds in check.  A well fed doe will normally produce 2  or even 3 fawns.  A poorly fed doe will have 1 or no fawns.

 

I love to hunt and harvest deer especially in archery season and I also love to watch them year round.   I also feed the birds.

 

Some info on feeding.

https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/WildlifeSpecies/White-tailedDeer/Documents/feeding_deer.pdf

 

[WHX?? 48,828]

Well said Ed. 

[Racinbob 11,088]

Am I correct in saying this looks like the deer around here are eating healthy @Ed Kennell ? Also, thoughts on salt blocks?

 

[Ed Kennell 38,209]

49 minutes ago, Racinbob said:

this looks like the deer around here are eating healthy

Niiccee  Poop.      I put out mineral blocks in January after hunting season and remove them (Pa law) 30 days before season opens in the next fall.    

I think the only negative to feeding minerals is the greater risk of disease transfer when they are concentrated at a feeding station.  I have seen some deer lick at a site for an hour, and others for a minute and move on.  It seems they regulate the amount of mineral  each animal needs,  unlike when they gorge on corn during the winter when other feed is not available.

I do use mineral blocks that contain calcium and phosphorus which is needed for antler growth.    There are many good blocks available with different hardness.  Very hard blocks last longer and limit the amount of material a deer can consume.     I feel they are best, especially in bear country.    A bear can consume a soft block in one feeding.

The mineral blocks are a good attractent and usually cause the deer to stop for good trail cam pictures making it easy to study the quality of the deer in the area.

[ebinmaine 67,592]

59 minutes ago, Ed Kennell said:

mineral blocks

Does a mineral block attract large numbers of deer to the area like feeding will?

 

I'd feed a little here and there but we have a heavy population in the area. 

We'd be overrun very quickly.  

 

 

[Ed Kennell 38,209]

1 minute ago, ebinmaine said:

Does a mineral block attract large numbers of deer to the area like feeding

 

 

No, the minerals, unlike feed,  are not critical to their survival.