Deer me

[kiko]

I came up for a 5 week trip recently to the Tx Hill Country and was amazed at the number of deer roaming everywhere. I probably saw as many as 20 deer throughout the day in the Wimberley - San Marcos - Blanco area. I even saw two dead deer on I35 just South of New Braunfels.

I suppose the only way to minimize your risk as a rider is to avoid the fall and winter months when they seem to me moving around more. Seems I remember they stay off the roads more in spring and summer and mostly came out at dawn and dusk. But now it seems that they are just wandering around the roads all day long. Am I right or are these just false memories?? Anyone have any good deer avoidance tips besides parking your bike for 6 months out of the year?

[FDM]

Deer this time of the year is rutting (the deer silly season) so they stay on the move most of the time, the hill country population of deer is high so you can expect to see more of them in that area, just have to be careful and know they will run right out in front of you.

[txron]

I try to take a daily ride around my area (rural NE Texas). I passed a minivan the other day parked on the shoulder with flashers on, I went back to check and offer help. The passenger fender and headlight were messed up and a large doe was dead in the ditch 50 feet or so back in the ditch. Needless to say, I experience "enhanced awareness" when riding through this area. I think that part of it is that PC has led to an increase in the deer population.
I wonder if the ultrasonic sound devices would help?

[bronco78]

I've wrecked my mustang twice in two years due to sudden ancounters with deer. Both time on the edge of the city, same spot within 100 m of each other about 15 months apart. I rode from Kempner to Austin the other day,, Counted 10 dead deer along 183.. And those were just the ones I saw. Went to the Regency bridge last week,,,, stopped counting a about 15 dead deer on the side of the road.

They are like cockroaches around here....But taste better

[racklefratz]

I suppose the only way to minimize your risk as a rider is to avoid the fall and winter months when they seem to me moving around more. ..... Anyone have any good deer avoidance tips besides parking your bike for 6 months out of the year?Where I live a few miles north of San Antonio, I have to dodge 'em just getting out of my neighborhood. The danged blasted stupid things just stay on the side of the road and watch me ride past, they don't even try to run away - but one never knows when one of 'em will dart out across the road in front of you, so it pays to stay alert and go slow. And, 2nd tip: DO NOT watch that deer that just crossed the road in front of you; pay close attention to the place on the roadside it came out of - his buddy is there ready to jump out in front of you following the first one. The second one's the one I hit.

They don't go away in spring or summer - they're out there all year around. Here in the hill country, I avoid riding at night because of them - motorcycle headlights simply don't do a good enough job of lighting up the roadsides, and they can get from there to the middle of the road in a heartbeat - maybe your last one.

They're a REAL hazard to any kind of vehicle, and they can kill you on a bike. I've already hit two - one on a Triumph Trident years ago (killed the deer, didn't drop the bike) and one in my pickup - nearly $4,000 of insurance-covered damage to the truck with less than 10,000 miles on it. My wife hit one on the way to work on 281N around 6:15AM a few months ago.

If all the deer disappeared from the face of the earth tomorrow, I'd celebrate.

[kiko]

Way too many locals in Hays county think it's cute to feed them as if they were pets.

[bluedogok]

Coming back from West Texas this week I saw about 40 deer carcasses along I-10 from Fort Stockton to US-290 between Junction and Kerrville. I saw much fewer than expected along 290 to Austin and saw only 2 live deer along that stretch in the late afternoon.

[budzrex]

They are everywhere here in NB I tagged one with my wifes new
car ( thank goodness it was not my bike) about a block form the
house the other night. About a month ago I backed into one leaving
my driveway going to work one morning, we have more deer than
squirrells in our area

[KenH]

Deer are a problem in a lot of places. Around here deer are bankrupting farmers. Region L in Tennessee has a limit of 3 antlerless deer per day. The season began with archery on September 27 and runs straight through until January 11, with various days set aside for different types of weapons and youth hunts. There are also a couple more days of youth hunts in mid January, and "Bonus Deer" may be taken on some Wildlife Management Areas. That's 105 days of legal hunting, with the possibility of taking 315 antlerless dear and 3 antlered deer. Minors have an additional 4 days of hunting season and can take an additional 312 antlerless deer. I hunt 3700 acres and have probably taken 190-200 deer this year. There are still hundreds at a time feeding in the bottom every evening.

I think kiko has identified a big part of the problem. As more and more city folk build houses out in the country, they start feeding the deer, and the deer lose their fear of people. Instead of bolting at the first sniff or sound, the deer will just stand there and watch a while before getting spooked. Once they do spook, there is no telling which way the will go.

[RTL]

Another factor drawing deer to the road is during times of draught the roadside has better grazing than fenced in land used by livestock. It is especially dangerous when the grass is tall on the roadside.

[racklefratz]

I hunt 3700 acres and have probably taken 190-200 deer this yearGood on 'ya, man. Keep up the good work.

I think kiko has identified a big part of the problem. As more and more city folk build houses out in the country, they start feeding the deer, and the deer lose their fear of people. Instead of bolting at the first sniff or sound, the deer will just stand there and watch a while before getting spooked. Once they do spook, there is no telling which way the will go.Exactly right. There outta' be a law against feeding the blasted things.

[RonS]

I am personally accountable for one less deer in the hill country.

Unfortunately, it cost me my 2009 FLHX....

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34098

[RTL]

I am personally accountable for one less deer in the hill country.

Unfortunately, it cost me my 2009 FLHX....

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34098

You my friend were very lucky to have only road rash. I went down at 40 mph and broke my left ankle and 5 ribs. I was fully geared up so no road rash what so ever.;-)

[STryder]

I am personally accountable for one less deer in the hill country.

Unfortunately, it cost me my 2009 FLHX....

http://www.twtex.com/forums/showthread.php?t=34098

I took one out a couple years ago on my Magna. No damage to me or the bike.

Ok, everyone's gonna have to start pulling their weight and hitting a deer to help alleviate the problem. Ron and I can't do it alone. :nono:

Just kidding.

[D.Kinsey]

Deer are a problem in a lot of places. Around here deer are bankrupting farmers. Region L in Tennessee has a limit of 3 antlerless deer per day. The season began with archery on September 27 and runs straight through until January 11, with various days set aside for different types of weapons and youth hunts. There are also a couple more days of youth hunts in mid January, and "Bonus Deer" may be taken on some Wildlife Management Areas. That's 105 days of legal hunting, with the possibility of taking 315 antlerless dear and 3 antlered deer. Minors have an additional 4 days of hunting season and can take an additional 312 antlerless deer. I hunt 3700 acres and have probably taken 190-200 deer this year. There are still hundreds at a time feeding in the bottom every evening.

I think kiko has identified a big part of the problem. As more and more city folk build houses out in the country, they start feeding the deer, and the deer lose their fear of people. Instead of bolting at the first sniff or sound, the deer will just stand there and watch a while before getting spooked. Once they do spook, there is no telling which way the will go.

DANG!!!!! Now that's what I'm talk'n about!!!:clap: :eat: :mrgreen:

[RxZ]

Good on 'ya, man. Keep up the good work.

Exactly right. There outta' be a law against feeding the blasted things.

I swear there is in San Antonio. When I lived there 2 years ago, one of my neighbors was telling me that you are not supposed to feed the deer. However, most of the older people do, so the deer stay. I heard that a few years ago, the city captured and hauled off hundreds of deer; within 2 years the population was just as high.

Anyway, I can't find it on the books, but I am sure that in SA at least you are not supposed to feed deer. I swear if I still lived there I would shoot every one I saw with a strong bb gun. Let 'em know not to come snoopin around my place :eat:

[KenH]

DANG!!!!! Now that's what I'm talk'n about!!!:clap: :eat: :mrgreen:

Well, whacking does as thick as they are on the farm is akin to hunting steers on a feed lot. Taking a really nice buck is a whole 'nother nutter butter peanut.

[RxZ]

My question is, what have you done with all those deer you removed from the flock?

[racklefratz]

I swear there is in San Antonio. When I lived there 2 years ago, one of my neighbors was telling me that you are not supposed to feed the deer. ...... I can't find it on the books, but I am sure that in SA at least you are not supposed to feed deer. I swear if I still lived there I would shoot every one I saw with a strong bb gun. Let 'em know not to come snoopin around my place

Hollywood Park was and still is where deer extermination has the most notoriety. I Googled it and saw that Lakeway and a few other cities around the country are also doing it.

I do use the "non-firearm" method to discourage 'em from hanging around my place. I have a Beeman .22 pellet pistol that gets their attention after my dog alerts me they're around.

[bluedogok]

There was an article in the Statesman a few weeks back about it, Lakeway traps them and then has them processed and the meat goes to the Capital Area Food Bank of Texas in Austin.

Statesman.com - Ban on feeding deer in Austin being proposed (http://www.statesman.com/search/content/news/stories/local/12/16/1216deer.html)

We have looked at land in Lago Vista and they are all over up there.

[KenH]

My question is, what have you done with all those deer you removed from the flock?

The slaughterhouse takes 1/3 of the meat. The rest is given away, some to family, some to the old country folks that can no longer hunt for themselves, most to various food banks.

[Ira Aten]

One big problem is, in Hays County there are so many city folks moving in who think its time to let their dogs just run all over the place, and they don't see the dogs till night falls. They think their darling little pup has been out communing with nature all day, and what they do half the time is run deer out on the highway, and SPLAT, there goes a five thousand dollar fender. It's bad enough in the rut, but the more city folks moving out here who think they can simply disregard our county leash (or fenced in) laws, the more half feral dogs we have running deer. Deer run for only TWO reasons. One, something has spooked them and they are afraid they are going to be eaten. Two, a doe is running from a buck, or a buck is chasing a doe.

The rut only lasts a couple of months. The REAL problem is these jerks who let their dogs run all over the county chasing deer and peoples goats (one of the reasons hunting deer with dogs was outlawed state-wide more than twenty years ago) and deny their dogs are doing it. The dogs do it for fun.

Feeding the deer concentrates them in one area, but running dogs being let loose is FIFTY times worse than old folks throwing out five pounds of deer corn and watching them stand in one spot.

The deer standing there eating corn ain't the major problem. It's the ovepopulation of people coming in and letting their dogs run deer. The dog will quit the chase after a bit, but the deer don't know it for about two miles. Thus, that is one of the major reasons you see deer running across the darned highway or across county roads like a bat out of **** long before and after the rut. They ain't running for exercise. They are being chased by some new arrivals Afghan Hound, or (friendly) Pit Bull/Rotweiller/Doberman/etc. and then when the idiot dog gets lost, we have to put up with their owners wandering on our property to ask us if we've seen their dog, or to ask if we'll help hand out leaflets announcing that Bowser didn't come back to the "loving" home place.

If people would fence their dogs in, or put em on a leash in Hays County (according to the County Ordinance) then we wouldn't have such a big problem with running deer across the highway. (That's what helps get people killed)

[RxZ]

The slaughterhouse takes 1/3 of the meat. The rest is given away, some to family, some to the old country folks that can no longer hunt for themselves, most to various food banks.

:eat: :thumb: :clap:

That is all.

[KenH]

One big problem is, in Hays County there are so many city folks moving in who think its time to let their dogs just run all over the place, and they don't see the dogs till night falls. They think their darling little pup has been out communing with nature all day, and what they do half the time is run deer out on the highway, and SPLAT, there goes a five thousand dollar fender. It's bad enough in the rut, but the more city folks moving out here who think they can simply disregard our county leash (or fenced in) laws, the more half feral dogs we have running deer. Deer run for only TWO reasons. One, something has spooked them and they are afraid they are going to be eaten. Two, a doe is running from a buck, or a buck is chasing a doe.

The rut only lasts a couple of months. The REAL problem is these jerks who let their dogs run all over the county chasing deer and peoples goats (one of the reasons hunting deer with dogs was outlawed state-wide more than twenty years ago) and deny their dogs are doing it. The dogs do it for fun.

Feeding the deer concentrates them in one area, but running dogs being let loose is FIFTY times worse than old folks throwing out five pounds of deer corn and watching them stand in one spot.

The deer standing there eating corn ain't the major problem. It's the ovepopulation of people coming in and letting their dogs run deer. The dog will quit the chase after a bit, but the deer don't know it for about two miles. Thus, that is one of the major reasons you see deer running across the darned highway or across county roads like a bat out of **** long before and after the rut. They ain't running for exercise. They are being chased by some new arrivals Afghan Hound, or (friendly) Pit Bull/Rotweiller/Doberman/etc. and then when the idiot dog gets lost, we have to put up with their owners wandering on our property to ask us if we've seen their dog, or to ask if we'll help hand out leaflets announcing that Bowser didn't come back to the "loving" home place.

If people would fence their dogs in, or put em on a leash in Hays County (according to the County Ordinance) then we wouldn't have such a big problem with running deer across the highway. (That's what helps get people killed)

When I lived in Carter the the neighbors' pets were a problem, but the feral dogs were an even bigger problem. We called the sheriff, but the basicaly told us they couldn't do anything unless we knew to whom the dog belonged. No way of knowing when so many city folks just drive out in the country and dump dogs they no longer want. Those dogs go feral and are quite dangerous. One deputy said, "I didn't tell you this, but in my neighborhood people just shoot the feral dogs and toss them in a ravine somewhere. Nobody wanted to shoot the dogs until one neighbor's 4-year old was attacked and badly mauled. Seven days in the hospital, scarred for life, but she survived. Some of the neighbors took it upon themselves to notify everyone within a 5-mile radius that dogs with collars would not be shot, they would be captured and held for pickup 3 times. Then would be turned over to the county, which would put the dogs down if someone didn't bail the dog out of the pound. IF they behaved in a threatening manor, the dog would be shot. They even sponsored some get-togethers so everyone had a chance to meet everyone else's dog. Volunteers helped escape-proof enclosures. A call list was set up to notify the neighbors if a dog got out, which worked quite well to get the critters back home quickly and safely. Making the call to rally the community to find a missing dog did not count as a capture. Most of the time if a dog was captured it was held overnight, waiting for the call, and the dog was suddenly found after the call came in. The whole idea was to avoid taking out someone's pet. Then it was open season on the feral dogs. As far as I know nobody lost a pet. Better yet, many irresponsible owners learned to provide better care for their pets.

[aharbi]

The Highland Lakes area have a few too
http://i278.photobucket.com/albums/kk100/aharbi/IMG_0769a.jpg

[KenH]

The Highland Lakes area have a few too

Where I've been hunting I've seen a 40 acre field with deer about that thick. I took my son and four of his friends out today, dropped 3 off at the end of each of the 3 fencelines between the river and the hills then other 2 set up 300 to 400 yards behind and between the front three. All had intructions to shoot nothing until 1/2 hour after legal light unless they had a good shot at a trophy to give a good part of the herd time to move from the fields into the hills. Also, with the wind from the northwest, the deer in the eastern part of the hunting area would smell the hunters to the west, but not be able to see them. The deer normally run the tops of the finger ridges, but their escape routes are up the draws between the ridges. Any deer spooked by the front row would run right over the second row. The way they were set up it would be impossible for any one to shoot another. I set up 300 yards behind and between the 2nd row because from there I could watch for their misses and keep an eye on Ol' Woodsmoke's favorite daytime watering spot.

We were home at 11:30 with 15 does, 3 little bucks, a 6, and a 9 at the processors. This isn't really hunting, it's almost as easy as hunting steers on a feedlot. I've been hunting Ol' Woodsmoke all season, I've seen him 4 times, but haven't had a clean shot for a quick, humane kill.