(Part III of a three part series)

“If whitetails occasionally experience ‘psychological highs’ – and I think they probably do – one such high time for northern subspecies must be during the spring break-up, when snow finally melts and gives way to fresh sprouts of nutritious herbaceous forage.”

                                                                                                                                                                        -          John Ozoga   

For you that have never walked atop a compacted maze of interwoven deer trails, littered with deer droppings in various forms of decay found amidst dense growths of cedar and balsam, or experienced what life would be like eating the same meal day after day in seclusion to only the pathways established early on in the winter, all the while making every attempt to refrain from being some predators next meal, welcome to the whitetails world. It is no wonder that when it is time to escape this imprisonment that the animals are more than ready for their freedom, and all that spring life can and will engender.

Spring Break-Up

For more than 100 days the whitetail has been held captive under seemingly insurmountable odds, subsisting on a meager diet of coniferous matter. They have undergone the stress of close interaction with others of their kind in tight quarters with less than ideal conditions. If you ever want a sense of what this experience may be like -  no I don’t advocate checking yourself into a prison – take an international flight that lasts for 18 hours or more and is completely booked. Trust me, this experience becomes a real eye opener as to what whitetails must endure for nearly four months under some of the most severe conditions imaginable.

Throughout the winter months the deer’s metabolic rate has been severely reduced, allowing the animal to be conservative with its food intake. Because so much energy is required to compensate for heat loss, most deer are on a negative energy balance by winters end. According to Ozoga, “The whitetail’s otherwise impressive strategy for winter survival weakens around mid-March, when its metabolism shifts back to a higher level. The response to increasing daylight accelerates energy, or food demands. Fawns from the previous year resume their growth, and the fetuses of pregnant does advance in their development. These changes rapidly sap the animal’s remaining energy reserves. Depending on temperature, snow depth and the rate of snow melt, deer sometimes experience hazardous and exhausting travel at spring break-up, making a bad situation worse.”

It appears that significantly reduced snow depths are the impetus to begin leaving the confines of a deeryard. As the snow pack recedes under a warming March sun, whitetails begin to make their journey back to summer range. Because no two winters are the same and it becomes anyone’s guess as to when the snow pack will be reduced enough to facilitate this movement, it remains difficult to predict exactly when this will transpire from one deer yard to the next.  Minnesota biologist Michael Nelson has monitored wintering whitetails in the Central Superior National Forest in northeastern Minnesota for 19 years and found that dispersal from individual yards was as early as March 19^th to as late as May 4^th. In each instance it seems the depth of snow pack was one of the key elements in releasing the penned deer. Nelson’s researched showed that 80% of the deer had migrated out of the winter yards by the time snow depth reached 10 cm. Once the process has begun, most deer will disperse within a two-week period. The only influence of temperature at this time of the year is on how quickly the snow melts so that the deer can be on their way.

The Young Bucks Dispersal

Dispersal refers to a movement away from the original home range and establishment of a more-or-less permanent new home. The catalysts for this dispersal of 1 ½ and even some 2 ½ year-old males is the antagonism displayed by older age class bucks as they compete for breeding privileges, and more importantly, the ‘boot from the house’ they receive from the dam and other closely related does within the family just prior to breeding. In a study done by deer researcher Larry Marchinton, it was learned that it is usually the mothers that drive the young bucks away. After radio tracking 15 male whitetails that had lost their mothers following the weaning process, only one of these orphans was found to have left the birth range. Of nineteen separate bucks with mothers, eighteen had dispersed by the time they were 2 ½ years old.

The distance these bucks travel to eventually take up permanent residency varies from animal to animal. Distances between 2 to 6 miles is common, but there has been at least one documented instance where an ear tagged male was found to have traveled 93 miles when he was eventually shot during a firearms season. One of the dangers and consequences of adolescent bucks roaming around looking for new lodging, particularly in the autumn when hunters are out and about, is the fact that he is now in unfamiliar territory. With the equivalent mentality of a twelve year-old boy, this young male stands a greater percentage of meeting his early demise as he encounters roads, fences, and hunters with only his own intellect to now guide him.

Although this dispersal from familiar grounds can be costly to an individual buck, it benefits the rest of the deer population. By dispersing, the young male avoids inbreeding with related does, and fills a void by introducing new genetics to another herd once he reaches maturity.

Another factor to consider, should deer populations be low, as they typically are in the north country, and if a young buck is not run off during the fall breeding season, is the make-up of fraternal buck groups within the deer yard. As bucks begin to congregate during the winter months these young bucks establish social bonds with other unrelated males from a different summer range. As a result of this bonding, the young buck may then follow his new comrades back to their home turf once spring break-up occurs.

Conclusion

Because there is no set recipe or formula to predict exactly when deer will begin to migrate towards their winter yards, it becomes imperative that hunters study and have an in depth understanding of whitetail movements within their own hunting grounds. Knowing the impetus that triggers this migratory passage – outlined in this three part series as temperature, snow depth, nutritional food supply, cover and traditional habits – can only aid the consummate huntsmen in his quest to gain an advantage.

All images on this site are copyright protected and the property of R.G. Bernier

    © 2012 R.G. Bernier Nature Photography – All rights reserved.

(Part II of a III part series)

“Nothing in nature is more common-or more marvelous-than the exactness with which creatures, wild and domestic, pursue a persistently confident course, whether down the seacoast, over the boundless plains, or far into the wildest forest. The fact is, they all carry compasses.”                                                     -     Archibald Rutledge

It is difficult for me whenever I have to go to the mall, which isn’t often may I add. Once inside the cleverly designed structure housing all of the merchant’s stores it is rather easy for me to get turned around and disoriented. And trust me, if I don’t write down the letter or number on the pole near where my car is parked, trying to locate it amongst a veritable sea of similar automobiles is truly an exasperating experience. So then, how is it that whitetails can, with precise navigational aptitude, locate their traditional wintering grounds without wandering or straying off course?

The Mysterious Compass

While it is true that whitetails know every nook, cranny, bush and rock within their home range, it cannot be the case when traveling well away from what has become familiar to them. There obviously has to be something to guide them. I believe, like Rutledge, that God has inherently designed this animal with the ability to sense when it is time to leave and how to get to its winter grounds in the interest of self-preservation.

“It may be possible for some people to devise and to follow a system of philosophy which excludes the divine; but no lover of nature can ever leave God out of the scheme of things. Nature wears, now her gay cloak, now her somber one, but all these material things are only her vesture. Something’s behind it all. It is that mysterious infallible Being and Power that we call God. Such a belief is the compass all of us must carry if we are going to get home.”

There will always be those who will argue that the animal is acting merely from blind instinct, but if that is the case, how does the animal instinctively know where to go – especially when that destination is thirty miles away? He has no road signs or maps. No one has broadcast to him over the airwaves, ‘this is a warning, it is now time to evacuate’. Even those unfortunate victims of hurricane Katrina, ones that where forcefully admonished to leave for their own safety, chose to ignore the warning and paid the price. There they stood on an overpass for multiple days without food or water, waiting for someone to provide them with direction. Rutledge goes on to write, as he reinforces the Divines intervention,

“If we travel through desolate and wild country, we nearly always emerge weary and disheveled. Wild things, even under the most trying circumstances have a glamorous air of refinement. They know what to do, where to go, and how to act. In a deep sense, they are far more at home in the world than most of us are.

Homeward they find their way through the darkness, through danger, through rain and fog, through visionary moonlight.”

How Many Migrate?

The whitetail migration is more like a sporting event where the fans descend on the arena at various times prior to the start of the show. Some come as a formalized group in buses and vans, while others converge as a single family unit, and then there are those people that show up alone or with one other friend. Each doe family group comprised of successive generations usually takes their cue from the matriarchal doe and follows her lead. Dependant upon the traditional habits of this matriarchal doe a certain family group of deer may arrive at or about the same time each year. And much like people who are customarily early, fashionably late or racing to just get in under the wire, whitetails function in similar fashion.  If nutritional supplies are sufficient and snow does not descend in any appreciable amount, some deer family units will refrain from making the pilgrimage, or only decide to do so if circumstances deteriorate.

What About Bucks?

It is the norm that related does and fawns band together and migrate to their wintering grounds in groups, but the migratory habits exhibited by adult bucks is more complex and poorly studied. According to Michigan biologist John Ozoga, “Whether northern bucks migrate to winter yards with other deer, most likely other bucks, or migrate alone, to my knowledge, is unknown.”

Mature dominant bucks seem to be reluctant to leave their breeding grounds and when they do finally decide it’s time, they are usually the last to depart. Many arrive having already lost their antlers en-route. In my experience when monitoring deer yards here in the Northeast, individual bucks will all of a sudden just show up, with or without their antlers. Although they will interact with the rest of the assembled wintering herd, bucks will continue to maintain a guarded behavior and remain aloof on the periphery of the yard rather than in the midst of it.

Is This Migration Ancestral?

Based upon sound scientific research I would have to say it is. Whitetails are extremely traditional in their range occupation and annually return to the same summer and winter ranges. According to Ozoga, “Some researchers speculate that deer from individual winter yards represent distinct sub-populations of genetically related individuals, referred to as “demes.” Other studies demonstrate that deer may actually cross paths on their way from summer ranges to traditional wintering grounds. That is, a family of deer may spend the summer close to one deer yard, but then migrate considerable distance to another where they spend the winter. Reasons for such seemingly senseless moves are unknown, but must be ancestral in origin.”

This exact phenomenon transpires annually in two locations where I hunt. When provided a much closer and less burdensome journey to a deeryard within a few miles distance, the whitetails inhabiting this summer range choose instead to travel a far greater distance to take up winter residency. In terms of a deer’s winter yard longevity, some have been around for more than a century and are still in use to this day. New York’s William Severinghaus documented, “There are some deer wintering areas in the Adirondacks of New York which it is known that deer have used since 1890 or earlier; we know of two locations that were deer yards during the early 1800s and still are used today.” This fact alone indicates that the whitetails yarding trait is not linked to modern man’s intrusion or alterations to its natural habitat.

Next week’s final segment of this three part series will take a look at what precipitates the break-up of the winter yard in the spring, as well as how and where young bucks disperse once the winter is over.

All images on this site are copyright protected and the property of R.G. Bernier

    © 2012 R.G. Bernier Nature Photography – All rights reserved.

(Part I of a three part series)

“Doubtless the great depth of snow was the original cause of the fall migration of deer, and the habit had finally become so fixed by inheritance that long before there was any apparent necessity, the retirement took place.”

                                                                            – George Shiras III

Like a caravan of Gypsies moving to better digs, the white-tailed deer residing in the northern fringe of its habitat make their annual pilgrimage back to the winter yards. This rhythmic occurrence has for countless generations given whitetails living on the harsh northern range the ability to cope with the many stresses brought on by a severe winter, and facilitated survival despite what may appear as overwhelming odds.

How do the deer know when it’s time to make this pilgrimage? What triggers them to start? Without maps, compasses, or GPS how do they find their way back each year, especially when this journey could include upwards of twenty miles distance or more? Does every whitetail participate, and is the migration a simultaneous event involving an entire herd? And finally, what prompts these same animals to make the return trip back to their summer range in the spring?

The Exodus

Beginning as early as late October whitetails can and do start to march towards their wintering grounds. Usually this journey doesn’t start until late November, but there are exceptions. Biologist Michael Nelson has conducted research on migratory whitetails in Northeastern Minnesota since 1975. His studies include numerous radio-collared deer that he constantly monitors throughout the autumn, winter and spring seasons. Of the 149 females tracked during the fall, two migrated weeks (October) before other females followed suit. In both cases, these two particular females exhibited this behavior for three consecutive years. Although this behavior is considered somewhat abnormal, it certainly proves that some deer do indeed begin the trek well in advance of the rest of the herd.

For most northern whitetails there are a variety of factors that help trigger their migration from summer range to winter habitat. Although the onset of fall migration and permanent arrival of deer on winter ranges has received little study, there are several aspects that have been observed which coincide with the animal’s departure. According to Michigan biologist John Ozoga, “Most investigations of whitetails’ migratory behavior reveal that cold temperatures serve as the primary stimulus prompting deer to seek heavy cover that provides them maximum physical comfort. Mounting snow depths may later act to restrict deer movement to core areas of the best shelter, but, in itself, snowfall seldom seems to cause migration. In fact, most deer migrate to winter yards long before snow becomes deep enough to seriously obstruct their travel.”

Nelson’s ongoing study results reiterate this point. “Fall migration consistently started following the first temperatures below -7° C (19° F), which occurred during late October in 3 years and during November in 14 years. Measurable snowfall also accompanied or shortly preceded these decreasing temperatures and first migrations, except during 3 years when some deer migrated before it snowed.”

Despite this research, given the fact that whitetails are an unpredictable creature, the migratory response of deer tends to vary each year between areas and even within the same area. There are even neighboring family groups of deer that will demonstrate different migratory dates even though they are exposed to the same conditions. Nelson found that although a high percentage of deer migrated to winter ranges during a prolonged cold snap, even during November, others stalled until temperatures actually began to increase before making their move. Then there were those deer that remained staunchly on summer range until December and January when snow depths began to escalate.

Although temperature seems to be one of the key impetuses that triggers whitetails to begin moving towards winter grounds, I have personally witnessed deer heading for yards following both a late October snowfall (2000), and a mid-November drop (1985) where snow depths reached significant levels. In both of these situations, once temperatures increased and the snow receded to less than five inches the deer returned to their summer range. It would seem they intuitively realized that feed was still better and more abundant than what their wintering ground would offer. Obviously, this is conjecture on my part due to the fact that I’ve yet been unable to converse verbally with any hoofed animal.

The Nutritional Aspect

It appears that nutrition may also be an important variable influencing migration dates. According to Nelson, “Nutrition may also affect the physiological threshold to thermal changes that induce migration.” Much like bears, where a plentiful supply of mast delays hibernation, deer that are foraging on highly nutritious feed that is rich in energy may indeed prolong their stay on summer range.

It must be remembered that a whitetail survives the cold and stress of winter months through a delicate balancing act. The animal must be able to consume enough food to generate warmth as well as be afforded adequate protection from the bitter, heat robbing wind. If snow depths are not an issue and food is in abundance, despite low temperatures deer may not opt to migrate. Because deer inherently reduce their metabolism, a survival mode known as ‘walking hibernation’, the amount of food that is required to sufficiently maintain them is reduced considerably. In my nearly four decades of studying this animal I’ve seen several instances where deer have begun to move towards their wintering grounds only to abruptly stop where a logging operation was in full swing. The easy pickings provided by the logger’s chain saw, and given the fact that most north country cutting operates within stands of dense softwood, provides the whitetail all the ingredients necessary to survive the winter without going to the yard. The down side to this dangerous and often fatal gamble for these animals is a sudden increase in snow depths and diminishing food supply. Although feed within their traditional yard may not be as nutritious, the ability to form endless escape trails and retain warmth provides a much better advantage when it comes to survivability.

The Duration Of The Trip

Obviously a longer travel distance to the yard requires a greater amount of time needed to get there. I know of two deeryards in Maine where deer march in excess of twenty and thirty miles in order to arrive at these wintering grounds. One of these requires several family groups to come over a significant mountain range. It must also be understood, like the Serengeti migration of wildebeests and buffalo in Africa, and the caribou of the Canadian province of Quebec, whitetails are not in a constant uninterrupted march to get there. Minnesota biologists, Orrin Rongstad and Tim Lewis found when studying migrating whitetails that fall migration was not a direct movement from summer to winter range. Most deer took from 24 to 31 days to complete the trek.

Next week in Part II we will look at how many deer actually migrate, how they find their way, if bucks exhibit the same behavior, and if this ritual is ancestral.

All images on this site are copyright protected and the property of R.G. Bernier

    © 2012 R.G. Bernier Nature Photography – All rights reserved.

“I used to believe, I still do, that if you give something your all it doesn’t matter if you win or lose, as long as you’ve risked everything put everything out there. And I’ve done that. I did it my entire life. I did it with the game.”     – Billy Chapel

In the baseball movie classic, For Love of the Game, 40-year-old Tiger pitcher Billy Chapel is faced with a major decision: be traded at season’s end after a 19-year tenure with the Detroit team or retire. In his final start as a Tigers pitcher, Billy is caught up in his thoughts without realizing that he is pitching a perfect game; that is until the bottom of the eighth inning.

Prior to taking the mound in the ninth, Billy has some final ruminations about his career. He picks up a baseball and pen, and inscribes along with his signature, “Tell them I’m through, for love of the game.” The ball is delivered to the former Tigers owner who when reading it, smiles in approval of the decision, while Billy finishes what turned out to be a perfect game.

As the movie depicts, Billy Chapel played baseball for the sheer love of the game. It wasn’t for money, fame, fans or ego.  He played it because he loved it. His girlfriend Jane said it best, “You, the ball, the diamond…that’s perfect…perfectly beautiful…” He played for the right reason: self-satisfaction. That used to be the case for hunters of the white-tailed deer.  They hunted for love of the sport. Regrettably, I sense a major shift in the motivation of today’s enthusiasts of the sport. Oh, the excitement is still prevalent and the desire to expand their whitetail knowledge continues to rise, but in the end the focus has become, in large part, the notoriety, ego and for some, whatever financial gain that can be had.  Let me explain.

Photo Ops

I’ve seen more than my share of dead deer in hero-shot pictures over the last few months that unfortunately are nothing more than advertorials for some manufactures product. The dead beast is positioned favorably to show off his antlers with the hunter either behind or beside the animal holding a product that supposedly provided the necessary edge in its capture. And then comes the brand name attire in the form of hats, jackets, insignias embroidered on anything imaginable, front and center for all to see. The latest trend in hero-shots seems to be in the positioning of a hunter’s rifle or bow at a 45-degree angle to the buck with the muzzle/riser laid against the animal’s rear flank to insure that the brand name on the weapon is highly visible.

Folks, this is not the National Football League or Major League Baseball, it’s deer hunting, where the life of an animal is taken (hopefully under fair chase). Deer hunting is not a game that can be won or lost.  How well you play the game determines the end result, period. Gene Wensel expressed it so well in his documentary, Primal Dreams, “Why we hunt is far more important than where, when, or how. Hunting for the right reasons is much more important than the act itself – it defines fair chase – our level of passion – our future – our very existence.”

Now don’t get me wrong, I’m all for taking the time required to set-up great field photos with a hard won trophy and the successful hunter, but does the animal that has already sacrificed its life need to be denigrated by becoming an instant billboard? Are these prevalent dead deer photos indicative of an attitude surrounding our beloved recreational sport of deer hunting? I don’t know, but it certainly seems to be a disturbing trend as more and more enthusiasts of the sport are being influenced. We must ask ourselves, “Am I hunting deer because I love it or does the act itself become merely the means to an end?”

Made for TV Whitetails

Having been privy to numerous conversations where otherwise rational people refer to hunting television personalities as their ‘hero,’ I must inquire if what they depict on screen is actually heroic? Without diminishing their deer hunting feats, the true definition of hero is, “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities.  A person who, in the opinion of others, has heroic qualities or has performed a heroic act and is regarded as a model or ideal.” Maybe it’s just me, but it doesn’t seem that TV hunting celebrities fit the bill. After all, how courageous does one need to be in order to kill whitetails? Let’s not confuse heroism with achievement.

When I start to think about the amount of pressure brought to bear on anyone making an attempt at killing a deer on camera, well, despite their on-air smiles, it’s got to be tough; especially when you’re dealing with a living creature that excels at secrecy. Here’s how it plays out: You have a whitetail TV show with sponsors paying the bill. Your celebrities are scheduled along with a cameraman to go on X number of hunts with the expectation of getting kill shot footage. So what happens when this doesn’t happen?

This is when the pressure mounts not only for the hunter, who desperately needs to perform, but for the guys behind the scenes.  Money is being won or lost where essentially; the hunt has now been reduced to a business where the whitetail is the commodity. The stress makes perfect sense since deer hunting was never designed to be a spectator sport to entertain the masses.

Where’s the fun? Where’s the enjoyment? And even when the deer has been taken on film, how can one possibly find any inner solace under these stringent guidelines? In reality, another dead buck on film ultimately translates into just another $buck$. The purveyors of such programming lure us in to watch, week after week, and in so doing, have a continual influence on today’s deer hunter. Is it any wonder we’re seeing photos that look more like billboards? Should there be any doubt as to why we hear and see terms like, Bam, BBD (big buck down) or Smoked Him directly following a kill? Where does this learned behavior stem from? Yep, you guessed it, TV hunting celebs. Is this fist pumping behavior not reminiscent of the end zone celebration; cocky to be sure, with perhaps some arrogance included? After all, it takes gall for someone to say, “If ‘so and so’ is on that buck, I wouldn’t want to be that buck.”

And might I add, when it’s all said and done, what about the dignity of the fallen buck? Does he become yet another prop used in the commercialism of it all?

Back to our initial question.  Do you hunt for love of the game? Are you a Billy Chapel?  Or, have you been lured into this fantasy world that has seemingly trumped reality?

Although penned over 82 long years ago, the proverbial words of Paul Brandreth still ring as loud, long and clear today with a message that should resonate with anyone taking up the chase of the white-tailed deer.

“Hunting is a recreation and invigorating pastime that never should, through a super-civilized, over-artificialized state of living, be allowed to die out. In this age of neurotic haste it means rest and renewed health to the man whose brain and energies are being constantly overtaxed. It means stronger muscles, a more vigorous constitution, self-reliance, hardihood. A real man does not care for sport that does not involve difficulty, discomfort and sometimes danger. The trouble with modern life is that physically it is terribly softening. We need something to counteract the effects of luxury and too easy living. Hunting does this because it takes a man to places where he has to depend on first principles, and where he comes in contact with obstacles that tend to build up and strengthen his natural abilities and manhood. It makes his eyesight keener, teaches him patience, and unfold many natural laws and beauties and wonders that otherwise would remain to him unknown. We all need something of the primitive in us in order that we may have a rock bottom on which to stand.”

All images on this site are copyright protected and the property of R.G. Bernier

    © 2012 R.G. Bernier Nature Photography – All rights reserved.

Editor’s note: One week
each month we will run the, Ask The Deer Tracker post. Anyone wishing to send a
question for future posts can e-mail it to,rgbernier@gmail.com

Q. – When do bucks typically drop or shed their antlers in the winter and why do some deer lose theirs earlier than others?

T.S. – Portland, ME

A. -  A buck can lose his antlers as early as late November. There are other males that can hold their antlers until mid-March. These scenarios are on opposite ends of the spectrum, as most bucks will traditionally begin shedding antlers around mid-to- late December. Although cold temperatures and increasing snow depths play a role in determining when deer head to their winter yards, I do not believe it has any effect on when males lose their antlers other than the additional stress incurred.

It seems the more rut-related stress that a particular male experiences, the quicker he drops his antlers. Because only the most dominate, and older age class of bucks engage in the actual breeding process they are generally the first to shed their appendages. It only stands to reason when you figure a mature buck is constantly on the move for more than forty days indulging in little food and no rest, scraping, rubbing and constantly seeking available females. In the process, particularly when a hot doe is located, he expends a tremendous amount of energy warding off would be suitors all the while attempting to keep his doe corralled.

On the flip side is the juvenile male, a young buck who would love to participate in this ritual but due to his status in the pecking order seldom gets the chance. Although he will waste a fair amount of energy in his attempt to get some action, it pales in comparison to his older and more seasoned peers. Thus, the 1-1/2 & 2-1/2 year old males will hold their antlers longer into the winter. The down side to this is severe injuries can be inflicted to animals that no longer sport antlers by an aggressive youngster seeking to elevate his status within the herds hierarchy.

Q. – What does a whitetail’s diet consist of during the winter months?

                                                                                           B.  G. – Merrimack NH

A. – First of all, it is vital for a whitetail living on the northern range to pack on as much lipid and fat reserve as it can in the autumn in order compensate for the lean winter months it faces. Two of the most popular fat building foods to a whitetail are acorns and beechnuts. Once the whitetail reaches its traditional wintering ground – typically a low-lying watershed comprised of a dense canopy of conifers – food becomes a daily battle within the herd. They are confined to this range for more than 100 days and were it not for their instinctual ability to reduce their metabolism during this confinement, there may not be enough groceries to go around.

Whitetails prefer red maple, sumac, aspen, and mountain laurel for woody browse, but once the snow flies they will eat just about anything that is available to them. The most important food to wintering whitetails and the one plant that can completely sustain them by itself is white cedar.

If a herd of deer are fortunate enough to be wintering near a timber harvesting operation during the winter months they will reap the benefits from the loggers chain saw in the form of tops and fir boughs. The one great benefit of the ice storm that occurred in 1998 here in the Northeast was that it provided wintering deer feed they ordinarily would not have had. When trees and limbs came crashing to the ground under the weight of the ice build up, tender buds located on these tree-tops became a welcomed and succulent feed bag for the resident deer.

It is important to note here for all those well-intentioned folks that make an emotional decision to aid deer during these lean times that if you intend to initiate a supplemental feeding program the cost in dollars, time and commitment needs to be carefully weighed before implementing. Deer come to rely on man’s hand-outs and once you initiate feeding them the process must continue daily until the snow has disappeared from the landscape.

Q. – My question has to do with elevation. I recently began using Topo maps to find ridge lines, saddles etc. In your opinion how high is too high? Will bucks actually bed above 3000 feet in elevation? Where would my time be better spent: on the very top attempting to cut a track; traversing just below the ridgeline; or in and around high elevation swamps that are at 2,000 – to – 2,500 feet?

                                                                                                                                        P. K. – Randolph, VT

A. – While it is true that bucks will generally establish their sanctuary much higher than doe groups, that elevation really predicates more on security than it does on how high he can get. It has been my experience when finding deer in higher elevations that it stemmed from increased human presence and hunting pressure below. With that said, unless you’ve got a hot track in front of you leading to the very top, I would recommend hiking just below ridgelines with a favorable wind to your face. Do not dismiss these mountain swamps as whitetails gravitate to water and are great places of refuge during inclement weather and wind. If you’re inclined to sit for awhile and find deer traffic using a saddle to cross over the mountain, by all means be vigilant and watch this crossing; again, be conscious of wind direction. As far as whether a buck will bed above 3,000 feet – I’ve learned that a whitetail buck can and will do what ever he darn well pleases, whenever he pleases, and for as long he pleases. So is it possible, yes. Will many bucks be following this behavior? I don’t think so as the doe groups, which he has a great interest in during the autumn, are well below.

All images on this site are copyright protected and the property of R.G. Bernier

 © 2012 R.G. Bernier Nature Photography – All rights reserved.

“I’ve yet to know an experienced whitetail hunter, then or now, who doubted the moon’s importance in determining hunting tactics and timing.”

                                                    – Former Buck Sense columnist -John Wootters

It easy to be a Monday morning quarterback, and even easier to completely dismiss research that runs contrary to what you might believe. However, before you throw the baby out with the bath water it may be prudent to ask yourself a few basic questions such as, “Have I even studied the facts, looked at the evidence or lack thereof, from both sides of the argument, and could this ‘theory’ actually aid me in my deer hunting quests?”

If indeed you are of the opinion that the moon plays absolutely no role in the whitetail rut than you need not read any further; the wisdom emanating from facts gathered over nearly two decades will only be lost on you.

After all, according to some self-proclaimed experts, bucks are in the woods, all you have to do is find them.

Please understand, just because someone is touted in the sporting press to be an expert doesn’t automatically make them what they desperately desire to be and statements like, “go find them” reek of superiority and arrogance.

If you have followed my research over the years along with that of noted nature photographer, Charles Alsheimer and former Vermont Wildlife Commissioner and biologist, Wayne Laroche, then you are acutely aware that decreasing light – not specifically daylight – during the fall is the basis from which the rut cycle begins, with the actual trigger being the second full moon following the autumn equinox. Although this runs contrary to conventional views that breeding north of the Mason-Dixon Line occurs each year from November 15^th to the 30^th, hard evidence has proven otherwise.

Just because someone has a biology degree, or spends the entire month of November in the woods doesn’t automatically deem them an expert. After all, Helen Keller said it best, “Seeing is not necessarily observing.”

You must ask the question, has the biologist done the necessary research to disprove the hypothesis?  Dr. James Kroll, a highly acclaimed professional biologist that has worked with whitetail deer in research facilities his whole career wrote, “Try as we have to disprove the hypothesis that the full moon triggers breeding, we have not been able to reject it. We have disproved the hypothesis that moon position has any real effect on activity.”

Realize that when making assertions that other folks will read, memories have a way of failing and are geared more towards being favorable to those creating the memory.  Wisdom would then dictate that your next inquiry be, has the guy that spends the entire deer hunting season in the bush for multiple years taken the necessary steps to painstakingly record his observations and environmental data so that he prove his assertions, as most professional biologists would do, or is he just a chap out to secure his buck who looked no further than the means to an end?

The Research

Research is done through observation and deduction based on frequency of activity over at least a three year period of time. In order to accomplish this the researcher must have several avenues in which to conduct the study, including, but not limited to, trail cameras, snow to observe tracks, a telemetry system to track deer, the ability to locate new born fawns in the spring by spending countless hours following pregnant does and/or use of an implanted vaginal monitor, and a research facility that houses whitetails.

Here’s a misguided quote that really reveals the great divide between those that actually have done the hard work of real research and those that may have been better served talking about something else in which they actually have credibility: “The people that are trying to convince us that the moon decides the rut, are doing their research in a controlled environment (i.e.) a fenced enclosure. I don’t believe good research can be done that way on a wild animal.”

If we were to buy into that discriminatory statement it would immediately dismiss most, if not all, of the sound, biological research conducted by some of the nation’s top whitetail researchers such as, Dr. Deer, James Kroll, Karl Miller, Aaron Moen, Valerius Geist, Harry Jacobson, Larry Marchington, Mickey Hellickson, and John Ozoga, just to name a few. In fact, much of Ozoga’s studies on the whitetail deer came as a result of his 30-year career working at Michigan’s Cusino Wildlife Research Station where, according to former D&DH editor, Pat Durkin, “Despite more than 30 years of working with hundreds of individual deer, John is ever the scientist. Never does he let himself fall victim to naming deer or referring to them by anything other than an ID number. These are wild animals after all, (behind a fence) and his respect for them runs so deep that he refuses to domesticate them in any way.”

And then there is this recent admission from Dr. Steve Demarais, research biologist from Mississippi State University Deer Lab, “We have conducted a series of studies designed to reveal the degree of truth behind these long-held assumptions about breeding. It is almost impossible to intensively study behavior in a free-ranging population of white-tailed deer, not to mention the fact we can’t determine which bucks sire fawns, if any, through visual observation alone.”

I will let you be the judge as to who has the greatest credibility, the nations top deer researchers or a guy trying make a name for himself at the expense of others. And just so you will know, there is no one attempting to convince any hunter, myself included, about the rutting behavior pattern of whitetails as it relates to the moon. It’s merely helpful information based on years of research brought forth in print for the benefit of all deer hunters – period. “Interestingly,” according to Wayne Laroch, “the only way to disprove this theory is to witness behavior that contradicts it, such as seeing most does bred within seven days of a first quarter moon. Failure to observe predicted behavior, however, proves nothing, as it might be caused by unrelated factors, such as poor visibility, bad weather or low deer numbers.”

2011 Rut

This year’s annual rut was what is referred to as a ‘traditional rut,’ and it played out as predicted. My evaluation comes from both eight weeks of personal observations conducted in two States and one Canadian Province, data from Charlie Alsheimer and a few other trusted individuals that kept detailed activity logs. Here’s the run down:

Prior to November 5^th , whitetails were behaving normally; feeding, bedding and making a few scrapes within normal travel patterns. Around the 5^th, bucks began to march, specifically younger males. By November 10^th, the full moon, buck activity escalated with bucks beginning to relentlessly chase does, forcing the females into thick brush and diminished activity. I witnessed the first breeding activity on November 14^th and from that point forward until November 26^th, bucks were either in the company of a doe, following a doe or in search of a doe. All rut activity came to an abrupt halt beginning on November 27^th. The only alteration to this year’s annual breeding cycle was unseasonably warm temperatures, which shifted what would have otherwise been great daytime activity to primarily a nighttime occurrence other than the first and last hour of the day.

Experience has always been my best teacher. That wisdom has come in various forms: firsthand observations, trial and error, trustworthy instructors, mentors and most importantly, the whitetail deer itself. I am neither a biologist nor a scientist.  There is no PhD following my name, yet through my intense involvement with the deer, my thirst for knowledge and accurate reliable data gathered personally and by close associates, I’m convinced the moon indeed holds the key to unlocking the mystery of the whitetail’s breeding timetable.

All images on this site are copyright protected and the property of R.G. Bernier

    © 2012 R.G. Bernier Nature Photography – All rights reserved.

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“This magnificent creature is undoubtedly one of the most adaptive big game animals in the world. Although adapted to exploit temporally favorable vegetative patches of food and cover, the whitetail thrives in a wide range of climatic and habitat conditions, withstands great adversity and quickly adjusts to changes. Certainly, its large geographic distribution in the Americas, ranging from the southern fringe of Canada’s arctic prairie southward into the Amazon rain forests of South America, attests to the whitetail’s remarkable behavioral and genetic plasticity, and reflects its ability to cope with sharply contrasting environmental conditions.

The whitetail has not only endured modern man’s intrusion into its natural environments, the species has benefited from that encroachment. Manipulations of habitats and modern land-use practices have created diversified food and cover arrangements favoring whitetails. This in turn, compared to conditions during primeval times, has ultimately led to a sizeable increase in deer numbers and an expansion of the species’ range in North America.”                          – John Ozoga

If we are to believe a special report published earlier this year by a major sporting publication entitled, “Deer Herds In Trouble,” the economy may not be the only problem facing deer hunters across the country. In this ‘gloom and doom’ piece the author begins with the following bold prediction:

“The Deer Depression – Deer hunters have never had it so good. Multiple doe tags. Giant bucks. But a number of leading indicators suggest whitetail numbers are heading toward a game changing decline. Is it a correction? Or Is It A Crash?”

Stock markets crash. Cars, planes and trains crash.  But whitetail populations? And someone is predicting this future down turn in deer numbers? This sounds more like a segment straight from the Fox business channel where financial analysts crunch numbers, watch trends, and make forecasts based upon money markets, stocks, bonds, hedge funds, the housing market and the overall business climate. But whitetails?

What We Know

Before addressing the prophetic doomsday deer crash, let’s take a look at the deer management practices of most state game departments, who incidentally have a vested interest (their job) in ensuring their remains a viable deer population.

Whitetails are a renewable resource that can be managed for herd density objectives in one of the following four ways:

1. Maximum biological carrying capacity – This plan allows for the most possible deer that the land can sustain, 100-deer/square mile.
2. Maximum sustained yield – This plan produces the highest hunter yield and supports between 40-to-60 deer/square mile.
3. Cultural carrying capacity – This plan produces population levels tolerable to those folks living within that management district with the population of 15-to-20 deer/square mile.
4. Maximum supportable population – This plan is dependent on the amount of available deeryard space and is managed at 50% of the winter habitat’s carrying capacity.

 Here in Maine, our whitetails are managed using both cultural (#3) and maximum supportable (#4) plans depending on which Wildlife Management District (WMD) of the State is being addressed. Biologists have been entrusted to manage the State’s whitetail population and to ensure that it continues to be a resource for future generations. In so doing, their charge is far more than trying to keep disgruntled hunters happy (whose dollars generated from license sales keeps them employed). They have the job of monitoring the herd’s overall health and sustainability, based upon what the deer eat and where they live.  This governs how many deer should be living within each WMD. This value is different for each WMD and can change annually, even seasonally. In reality, it’s a tightrope act where on any given day someone is going to be second-guessing their decisions. It has often been said that managing whitetails is far easier than managing people.  Sadly, due primarily to back-to-back ultra-severe winters of 07-08 & 08-09 and the elimination of numerous acres of  winter habitat, the whitetail population has indeed crashed to historical lows. This phenomenon could never have been predicted; however, it certainly could have been, to some extent, prevented.

The Crystal Ball or The Crazy Eight Ball – You decide.

Making such a bold and alarming prediction regarding America’s most sought after big game species should, at its very core have substantial qualifying facts to substantiate the panic. The author leads off the piece with a quote from a biologist, Dr. Grant Woods, a man I personally know, that I quite frankly found to be out of character:

“Woods is a widely respected wildlife biologist whose land-management work takes him around the nation. And he says that any way he looks at it, from almost any region or perspective, America’s deer herd is in trouble.” Really, and the reason for this is? “I think we’re nearing a crisis,” says Woods, who isn’t given to hyperbole either by profession or personality. “The best-case scenario I see is that deer populations drop ten to twenty five percent over the next couple of years.”

So what does Mr. Woods know that the rest of the deer hunting world is apparently ignorant to? The article doesn’t stipulate. However, what it does say is, “We probably have more predators roaming America now than at any time since Daniel Boone blazed the Wilderness Trace. That’s a good thing, indicating that our habitat is healthy. But all those teeth can be tough on prey species like whitetails.” Yet, within the same article it is stated “how little game our forests can support.” So which is it, habitat healthy, which produces more predators or habitat not healthy? You really can’t have it both ways. Or can we?

Now comes the rub, no pun intended. According to QDMA biologist, Kip Adams, “the discrepancy in quality between habitats on private versus public land is widening at an alarming pace. Historically, the private and public habitat was approximately the same. But today, the average private land is far higher in quality than the adjacent public land. You have private landowners actively managing their land for wildlife. But on public land, you have a forest that hasn’t been managed. Most of our deer hunters hunt public land and they’re starting to notice that quality gap. It’s going to get even wider.”

How may I ask are they noticing the gap if they are only hunting public land? Or, could it be that these same average Joe hunters are looking at huge dead bucks coming off privately managed property and making the comparison based on what is available on public land? Hopefully by now your focus is narrowing. What do Woods and Adams do for work?  Manage land, habitat and deer… for a price. Are you following the money trail? Private land costs money to hunt. Private landowners understand fully the value of growing trophy bucks. They also understand that professional managers can help them achieve their goal…for a price.

On an even bolder scale of hysterical prediction, according to Woods, “we could be headed toward a crisis that has the potential to reshape the culture and economy of conservation in America. If whitetail populations are off by more than ten percent for a couple of years, then I expect up to fifty percent of our hunters will stop hunting.”  Stop the train and back it up. Are you telling us that if we can’t shoot a deer within a couple of years that over six million deer hunters will suddenly throw in the towel? That would suggest that it’s not really about the hunting experience, but all about a pile of dead deer flesh, antlers and bragging rights at hunts end. Woods goes on to say, “Sometime over the last generation, hunters became fickle. They’ll participate when opportunity is good, but give them a couple of poor years [of hunting] and they’ll stop buying licenses and gear.” Wow, that’s not saying much for the average deer hunter now is it?

The Real Crux of the Matter

Could there actually be a decline in overall deer numbers in the near future? Certainly. When you’re dealing with Nature’s Children anything is possible. We cannot predict catastrophic events, severe winters, diseases, etc., but none of these possible contributions are even broached regarding the oncoming deer depression that will apparently send millions of hard-core deer hunters scrambling out of their favored bailiwicks due to their now fickle nature. Nope, what’s actually behind this whole charade are the very same things that drove America to its knees during the Great Depression; fear, power, control and money.

As the article closes the author reveals what may well be the real crux of the matter when he writes, “Distilled to its essence, what Woods, Adams and other biologists (conveniently, no others mentioned) are really seeking is more active deer management. Aggressive predator control. Better disease monitoring. More focused habitat conservation and more proactive population assessment.”

Conclusion

In an ideal world everything would be equally proportioned. Unfortunately, we reside in an imperfect environment, for now, where there is and will be fluctuations. Historically we have seen peaks and valleys in whitetail populations due to external influences and I see no reason why that will not continue for as long as whitetails inhabit this land. Hopefully, we’ve learned a thing or two about how to prevent both over-population as well as diminishing deer herd levels. That’s why we have trained biologists on each state’s payroll, men and women who have been entrusted to properly manage the deer herd.

As the article concludes the author writes, “…most dire forecasters worry that hunters won’t be sufficiently patient to suffer through a steep decline in whitetail abundance.” You have seriously misjudged the spirit of the deer hunter in your assertions, at least the deer hunters that I know, of which there are legions. These are men and women of resolve, tenacity and are conservation minded. They are not whimsical in their approach to the sport, nor do they expect any kind of guarantee; after all, its not a deer-shoot, it’s a hunt, and the very reason why they are called ‘deer hunters.’

Although this kind of journalism makes for sensational reading and probably sells copies, excuse me if I refrain from running out of the proverbial whitetail woods in panic mode, selling my favorite deer rifle, and chasing some other game animal.  Not on one man’s prediction anyway.

All images on this site are copyright protected and the property of R.G. Bernier

    © 2011 R.G. Bernier Nature Photography – All rights reserved.

                                                                   – R.G. Bernier, The Deer Tracker’s Journey

Christmas came early for the deer tracker this year…well not exactly, but I did receive a very nice package of merchandise in October from the folks at Irish Setter. They generously provided me a list of items from which to choose from and consequently, field test during my deer hunting/photographing forays. Let me say at the outset, if it says Irish Setter, it’s 100% quality! I was not disappointed with the functionality, durability, comfort or warmth with any of the products tested; they were that good.

Wool Loft Stewart Mitt 

Being a tracker/still-hunter I need as light a pair of gloves as conditions allow and still keep my hands comfortable. Although the Stewart Mitts could be used for my style of hunting due to the ability to extend fingers through the pre-fashioned slits, they may be better suited for the hunter that spends his days on stand. However, where these mitts really shined for me personally was behind my camera lens. During inactivity they kept my hands both warm and dry, important as a nature photographer, and when it was time to begin pressing the shutter release all I needed to do was roll back the top of the mitt, stick my fingers out and click away without restraint.

Irish Setter Stewart Mitt

• WOOL LOFT® – NATURE’S TECHNOLOGY featuring 100% wool insulation that provides a high level of thermal comfort and natural moisture management
• ULTRA DRY™ – Wind resistant and waterproof membrane
• Realtree AP HD™
• Super Micro tricot shell
• Featuring magnetic lock technology for silent use
• PU palm traction grip
• M-XL
• Suggested retail $39

Camp Mocs

There is nothing like slipping into a warm, comfortable pair of slippers at the end of a long day afield. I was pleasantly surprised with the moc’s gum sole that allowed me to wear these outside, even on a wet surface. These may well be my favorite item and were certainly the envy of my hunting partner who desperately wanted a pair. Heck, I’m even wearing them right now as I type this, they are that enjoyable.

A comfortable option for slipping into after the hunt, around town or in your home.

The new Irish Setter Camp Mocs are a comfortable option for slipping into after the hunt, around town or in your home. These casual styles are built with the same quality found in Irish Setter’s legendary line of hunting boots.

Comfort is a key component of every Irish Setter shoe or boot. The Irish Setter Camp Moc slip-ons feature a cozy lining, removable footbed, leather/canvas uppers and a naturally cushioned, non-marking gum sole.
Sportsmen will love the easy-on, easy-off convenience of these shoes that are styled for the outdoorsman. No laces, no hooks – just slip them on and go.

The Irish Setter Camp Mocs are offered in a light brown on brown (#3810) slip-on version and another with darker trim (#3811) in an oxford height. Both styles retail at $79.

Woodbury Jacket

Man, when wearing this jacket I feel like, “Bernier, you’ve got it going on.” This became my go to jacket of choice for my nightly restaurant dining throughout the deer season. Not only is it functional, but fashionable as well. So yeah, the Deer Tracker was indeed styling this past fall whenever he was out on the town.

Irish Setter Woodbury Jacket

Irish Setter Woodbury Sueded Cotton Short Bomber Jacket

• Center back length measures 28″ on size large
• Antiqued finish sueded cotton with contrast stitching
• Zipper front
• Inside cell phone pocket with zippered safety pocket
• Adjustable drawcord bottom
• Offered in Bark
• Available in Men’s Sizes M – 3XL
• Suggested retail from $139

Wool Coat

Wool is my absolute favorite and preferred outer garment for deer hunting. It’s warm, quiet and retains its ability to keep you comfortable even when wet. This coat has the ability to do just that even in the nastiest conditions.

Irish Setter DeerCampWoolCoat

Deer Camp Wool Field Coat

• Melange Wool
• ULTRA DRY – Wind resistant and waterproof membrane
• Center front zipper covered with a snap front placket
• Fully insulated
• Two lower dual entry pockets
• Center back length measures 31″ on size large
• Offered in Red/BlackBuffaloPlaid or Charcoal
• Available in Men’s Sizes: M – 3XL
• Suggested retail from $129

Ridge Hawk Boot

As advertised, these boots were comfortable right out of the box. No hype necessary here as the Ridge Hawk is lightweight, flexible and warm even at below-freezing temperatures and a real joy to have on my feet. I wore these during my early autumn forays that included all of my photo shoots. These boots can taking a beating and be ready for more come the next morning.

Irish Setter Ridge Hawk Hunting Boot Is AN Aggressive Big Game Boot

Irish Setter continues to develop comfortable, more agile hunting footwear to meet the needs of today’s hunters. Built on an athletic-inspired last, thes ‘Irish Setter’ Tidge Hawk boots are made to be comfortable out of the box and handle rugged terrain.

The Irish Setter Ridge Hawks feature premium components like a Gore-Tex waterproof membrane and Thinsulate Ultra insulation. A Ground Claw sole incorporates aggressive lugs with serrated cleats upfront to assist with uphill traction and a heel kicker in back.

A Realtree AP Camo version #3801 provides 400 grams of Thinsulate Ultra insulation for $169.The Mossy Oak Break Up Camo version #3802 includes 1000 grams of Thinsulate Ultra insulation and retail for $179.

“These aggressive Ridge Hawks are equipped for varying terrain and conditions,” said Mark Dinndorf, Director of Irish Setter Product and Marketing for Red Wing Shoe Company. These new Irish Setter Ridge Hawks will be available in July 2011 at leading sporting goods retailers. Visit www.irishsetterboots.com for the retailer nearest you.

About Irish Setter

Based in Red Wing, MN, Irish Setter is a division of the Red Wing Shoe Company, Inc. that includes a full line of performance hunting boots, fishing shoes and outdoor casuals. Irish Setter continues to use leading technologies and the finest materials to provide customers the best quality outdoor footwear. For more information about Irish Setter’s heritage, products and retailers, visit www.irishsetterboots.com. Irish Setter. The Hunt Never Ends.

Editor’s note: One week
each month we will run the, Ask The Deer Tracker post. Anyone wishing to send a
question for future posts can e-mail it to,rgbernier@gmail.com

Q. – Recently I witnessed a pair of bucks take turns licking each other, particularly around the head and neck area. Is this normal behavior for bucks or could these two males have been possibly related?

K. J. – Warren, PA

A. – As far as these two bucks being siblings, it would be difficult to guess even if I had personally viewed them. In terms of their grooming behavior it is quite normal and happens much more frequently than people realize. Understand, whitetails have an established pecking order that is adhered to within their social structure. Even while the animals are still in velvet they realize and concede to their individual ranking within the herd. This is not to infer that the hierarchy never changes, especially as the dominant buck ages beyond his prime or specific bucks are eliminated due to mortality.

It has been my experience when viewing this behavior that two situations occur. In one, the subordinate buck will walk up to the more dominant male in a submissive posture and gingerly begin to lick his antlers, ears and head. As long as the higher-ranking buck shows no sign of objecting to this treatment, the grooming process will continue. In the other scenario, a more dominate buck approaches the subordinate male without deliberation. There seems to be no shyness about him and the subordinate buck will usually groom the dominant buck, returning the favor, at the same time.

The reason for this behavior is primarily to rid the other animal of insects, debris and any other unwanted material that they obviously cannot reach themselves in their daily grooming. I also believe there has to be a social value as well and or secretions produced around the head and neck of a buck that inclines them to engage in this activity. If not, there would be no real reason for the function during seasons void of insects.

Q. – Realizing there are a lot of variables involved, has there ever been a study on the average age a buck needs to reach to exceed the 200lb mark?

B. B. – Waterville, ME

A. – If there is a study, I’m unaware of it. However, like people whitetails come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The true size of a mature buck predicates on genetics and the groceries he puts into his body. How he maintains that body mass will have everything to do with the amount of stress he encounters both from winter severity and rigors of the rut.

Here inMaine, it usually takes a buck to reach the age of 3 ½ before he will field dress at or above the 200 pound benchmark. That being said, there have been some incredible 2 ½  year old bucks that occasionally reach that plateau. Generally, the heaviest bucks reside where the climate tends to be harshest; more body mass to endure long cold winters. But, travel to the mid-west in such states asIowa,Illinois,Missouriwhere winters aren’t nearly as cold or snow-filled and you will find some real bruisers. The reason for this is the fact that these deer are eating the best of the best, 24/7, 365-days a year. Not only do they grow huge bodies, but also are able to reach their full antler growth potential as well. That is seldom the case here inMaine.

Q. – What is the whitetails cue to head for their winter yards in the Northern climates?

M. K. – Northfield, VT

A. – The white-tailed deer has the incredible instinctual ability to know exactly when it is time to depart from their summer range or pilgrimage to the wintering ground. Each year that time can fluctuate depending on temperature and snow depths. There have even been instances where a winter was so mild that the deer never really migrated, opting instead to remain where food was still in abundance.

Traditionally whitetails will utilize the same winter yard they were first introduced to as yearlings unless it has been severely destroyed by cutting or natural causes. In this situation, they will congregate at the next best location or join another yarding area.

When snow depths reach 18 inches or more, deer will begin heading for the yard. There have been occurrences during some Novembers where snowstorms have dropped sufficient enough snow to begin this process. Occasionally, the deer get caught by an unprecedented amount of snow during a single storm that severely impedes their progress towards their wintering ground.

These yarding areas comprise approximately 20 percent of their normal range and are found in low-lying terrain comprised of a variety of softwood species. The conifers benefit the deer by reducing snow depth under the tree’s crown, reduce the effect of the bone chilling winds and provide sustenance to the animal through out the roughly 100 days the deer spend within its confines. These wintering grounds are usually located near a watershed or marsh, which in conjunction with the close-knit canopy, helps retain a higher temperature, especially during the night.

The other benefit a well-established yard provides to its resident whitetail population is a number of escape trails that help reduce predation from opportunistic coyotes and wolves.

All images on this site are copyright protected and the property of R.G. Bernier

    © 2011 R.G. Bernier Nature Photography – All rights reserved.

It would be implausible to think at my age that somewhere in the North Pole resides a man who annually, on the 24^th of each December, treks around the globe delivering presents to all humanity.  An even bigger stretch of this fantasy would be the belief that under his hire, several little people known as elves work feverishly constructing all of our material wants.

Much like every other little girl and boy, there was a time in my youth when I too held to this fanciful assumption. As time passed and I grew up, married and had children of my own, the reality of a fat man dressed in a red suit driving a team of reindeer became ridiculous. Try as I might to catch this elusive character coming down the chimney with a sack full of goodies, the effort proved futile. It quickly became apparent that if there was to be a Santa Clause arriving at my house to ‘fill the stockings with care’, the responsibility of such duties fell directly to me.

It is not easy becoming Santa during this bustling season; especially if your kids are still convinced he really exists. First you have to intercept their list, promising to mail it of coarse and then trudge around stores to find the latest toy you’ve never heard of before now. These big box extravaganzas they call super-stores are always mobbed with every imaginable form of human kind whose demeanor is usually less than ‘jolly.’ Then, once you have searched, found and purchased the listed items, they are transported back to and snuck into your dwelling. Every package gets meticulously wrapped, labeled and hidden in hopes that the kids will not go snooping before St. Nicholas gets there.

The whole charade culminates on Christmas Eve when the kids are finally tucked in for the ‘short winters nap.’ Exhausted, stressed and irritable you place the presents under the wilting bush that takes up a large part of your living room, consume several cookies that are then washed down with a tall glass of Egg Nog, write a thank you note in your best St. Nick penmanship and at long last, retire to bed.

Why, you may ask, would otherwise rational people go through such shenanigans for one single day? The answer is quite simple, to experience the look of surprise, excitement and fulfillment in their children’s eyes come Christmas morning.

As deer hunters that same expectation is the exact reason why we sit and shiver for hours on end in a tree stand in anticipation of a forth-coming whitetail. It is the rationale for rising from a warm bed in the wee hours of the morning to excitedly venture off into a harsh environment in search of a mere vision. In the end, reaching down into the snow to grab the antler of a majestic buck that has been brought to bear after countless miles of trekking through impenetrable terrain brings a wide smile and complete satisfaction to our being. Let’s face the facts, we go to great extremes with the insane hope that our actions will bring us that one brief moment of gratification.

With this in mind, let’s write our own letter to Santa. Rather than asking for a shiny new gun, a technologically correct bow or the latest in fashionable hunting togs, (none of which will enhance our hunting prowess), lets petition for the real and lasting attributes to which our hunting success ultimately hinges.

Dear Santa,

At mid-life I’ve come to realize that ‘things’, material possessions, are not what brings lasting contentment nor will they get me any closer to taking a trophy whitetail. It’s not the gear that is important; it’s how the stuff is used. Therefore, this Christmas I’m not looking for trappings that can be contained within a sack. What I desire is the following list of items that cannot be bought, borrowed or sold.

Time

Every one of us has an equal amount at the beginning of each day. Not one of us knows how much we will ultimately be granted in our life span. The difference lies in how we choose to spend these fleeting moments. Although our culture has changed dramatically from days gone by when an evening spent in delicious solitude observing whitetails in their natural habitat was a form of entertainment of the finest kind, it is still as practical as ever. How else are we to learn about this fascinating creature if our only interaction with the animal takes place when we are engaged in the act of hunting? Despite the wealth of literature, images and lectures produced annually about the white-tailed deer, nothing can compete with first hand observations. My first request this holiday season is to ensure that I budget my time wisely and invest it into watching and learning the behavioral characteristics of the animal I so enjoy pursuing.

Patience

Impetuousness has cost me, as well as many of my fellow huntsmen, far more opportunities at getting our deer than errant bullets ever have. We live in a society where everything spins at breakneck speed. All of our conveniences operate for efficiency. Essentially, we have trained ourselves to be an impatient lot due in large part to our technology. Whitetails know nothing of speed-dialing, e-mails, microwaves or cell phones. Deadlines and clocks do not govern their world. Whitetails, like all other animals of the forest, live out an existence devoid of chaos and anxiety. My second request is to have the good sense to patiently let every whitetail encounter unfold naturally without any attempt on my part to force the situation.

Perseverance

Without failure there would be no measure for success. When you attempt to capture an animal as unpredictable as the whitetail, which has a tremendous tenacity to live, the pendulum of achievement will not always swing in our favor. Not one of us is immune to setbacks or disappointments, it is part of life. The real achievers in the hunting community are those that rise above the hardships and excel in spite of them. My third request is to refrain from allowing disheartening circumstances such as a deerless season or a blown opportunity drag me into the pit of discouragement.

Nobility

Being gracious is not a trait that comes easily to us. In this highly competitive world we tend to strategize and position ourselves in the most favorable situations as they relate to us. I heard a quote the other day that had such an impact on me I was forced to pull my vehicle over and write it down, “The measure of a man is not in his strength, it is in his nobility.” We get so caught up in our own selfish desires to lay claim to the biggest buck in the woods that we fail to see how damaging our actions become to those we share our camp with. A whitetail, despite however large in stature he may be, can never hope to replace the significance of a relationship. The deer is not the whole equation; he is only part of the entire experience. Without friends to share the hunt with, the journey becomes stale and tasteless. My final request is to never forget to place the value of my comrades above my own wants and desires and to ensure their needs always supersede mine.

Santa, I know this is a rather unusual Christmas list and perhaps one that has seldom crossed your desk, but I also realize that only the guy writing it can actually ensure its total fulfillment.

Sincerely,

The Deer Tracker

All images on this site are copyright protected and the property of R.G. Bernier

    © 2011 R.G. Bernier Nature Photography – All rights reserved.