Corn Hybrids: Deer Taste the Difference

As daylight begins to illuminate the countryside, a cold wind rustles through the leaves of the weedy rows of corn that you barely had time to get in the ground this past spring. The corn plants are stunted, the few small ears of corn that did grow are not even enticing to passing blackbirds, and that stud buck captured on your trail-camera months earlier is nowhere to be seen. Meanwhile, a couple hundred yards across the fence to the south, you hear the unmistakable sound of deer running through corn. Your heart rate involuntarily increases. As the sun continues to rise on that mid-October morning, the better view of the neighboring cornfield only becomes increasingly disheartening: Numerous whitetails are feeding back and forth across some of the rows already stripped by the combine a couple days prior. The corn plants there are twice as tall as those in your food plot that was intended for the deer, and the ears are comparatively huge with kernels exposed from the peeled-back husks. Just as the sun rises, a doe and her fawn exit the timber to the north and wander down a heavily used trail across your property. The trail leads directly into your corn plot, but the deer do not stop to feed. They continue southward across the road to join the other deer. Then, sure enough, that stud of a buck that you had dreamed about all summer appears in the neighboring cornfield, moves about to assess the receptiveness of each doe, then wanders deeper into the cornfield until he is out of sight

The Maternal Effect: Carrying the Consequences of Nutrition Across Generations

Let’s indulge ourselves in a deer-management fantasy for a moment. I’m sure it won’t be your first time! Imagine you are blessed to own and manage your own block of deer country for several years (for many fortunate readers, this is reality, not fantasy). Although the ground you purchase holds plenty of deer, the overgrown forests and grassy meadows might not be providing the nutrition necessary for these deer to achieve their genetic potential. In addition, the 6-foot high browse line resulting from extreme overabundance of deer is a likely indication of why only scrawny looking bucks are typically harvested in the area. However, you know what it takes to have healthy deer herd and grow bigger bucks, and you can see the potential your property holds. Like any responsible steward of the land, you do your homework and go the extra mile to increase the diversity of the habitat and offer more forage and browse. You establish proper food plots with forage high in digestibility and protein. You harvest numerous does each year to reduce deer numbers to a sustainable level, and conservatively harvest bucks to balance the sex ratio and develop an age structure that includes bucks of many ages. During this time, you also foster a small data-collection program framed around the close monitoring of the harvest each year, and in particular the size and age of the bucks being harvested. After a few years of intensive management, hard work, and patience, the property appears to be in better shape; a browse line is no longer evident, deer numbers are in check, bucks and does that are harvested exhibit greater fat levels, and the buck harvest is comprised mainly of mature bucks over 4½ years of age

Deer Preference for Corn Hybrids and Husbandry Practices During the Growing Season

Damage to field corn (Zea mays) by deer can be substantial and result in millions of dollars lost annually. Numerous methods exist to minimize deer depredation, but all have met with varying degrees of success. Currently, no information is available on preference of white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) for corn hybrids during the growing season and how preference might affect depredation patterns. I used captive adult female white-tailed deer (n = 4) in corn food plots to study the effect of herbicide treatments on deer use (treatment vs. no treatment) of corn in 2005, and to document preference among specific corn hybrids in 2006 and 2007. I documented preference based on deer use by plot area in relation to herbicide treatment and by consumption of each hybrid during timed trials. In 2005, I collected data weekly from 1 – 21 September to test the effect of herbicide treatments on deer use of corn; 67.2% of deer feeding activity occurring in herbicide treated areas. In 2006 and 2007, I tested deer feeding preference among corn hybrids. In 2006, I collected data weekly from 3 July – 15 September. Preference differed (P \u3c 0.05) among hybrids based on deer use throughout the study period. Mean weekly number of feeding observations for hybrid A (Dekalb DKC44-92), hybrid B (Dekalb DKC46-28), and hybrid C (Dekalb DKC48-52) was 48.2 ± 6.6, 33.4 ± 5.9, and 34.5 ± 5.6, respectively. The preferred hybrid (hybrid A) was the earliest maturing, contained higher amounts of digestible dry matter (DDM) and had lower ear heights than other tested hybrids for 2006. In 2007, I collected data weekly from 25 June – 31 August. Mean weekly number of feeding observations during early growth was 50.8 ± 1.2 for hybrid A, 32.5 ± 3.4 for hybrid D (Dekalb DKC40-07), and 42.0 ± 4.5 for hybrid E (Dekalb DKC55-82); observations during the rapid growth period were 44.0 ± 10.3 for hybrid A, 67.7 ± 3.8 for hybrid D, and 50.0 ± 11.4 for hybrid E; and dry-down weekly observations were 40.0 ± 11.1 for hybrid A, 22.0 ± 2.4 for hybrid D, and 31.7 ± 1.5 for hybrid E. I documented preference among hybrids within growth phases (early growth [P \u3c 0.05], rapid growth [P = 0.22], dry-down [P = 0.17]) and throughout the overall study period (P \u3c 0.05). Hybrid E was not preferred during any period. For 2007 preferred hybrids matured earlier and contained higher amounts of DDM than the later maturing hybrid studied. The earliest maturing hybrid (hybrid D) had lower ear heights than the others tested. I also established experimental food plots in cooperation with private landowners in areas susceptible to depredation by free-ranging deer. I documented preference by the frequency of deer feeding observations on total plants within each plot. In 2006, I documented a difference in preference (P \u3c 0.01) among corn hybrids; percentages of deer use were 45.9 ± 2.4% for hybrid A, 26.5 ± 1.4% for hybrid B, and 27.6 ± 3.5% for hybrid C. High-use corn hybrids at field food plot sites were the earliest maturing and contained higher amounts of DDM at the time of observations. In 2007, I documented a difference in preference (P = 0.08) among corn hybrids; mean percentage of plot damage was 44.2 ± 6.0% for hybrid A, 35.5 ± 4.0% for hybrid D, and 20.2 ± 3.9% for hybrid E. Earlier maturing corn hybrids at field food plot sites were preferred and contained higher amounts of DDM than the later maturing hybrid at the time of observations. Corn hybrids and husbandry practices desirable to deer (i.e., earlier maturing hybrids and fertilizer/herbicide applications) could be used to reduce damage to field corn by altering type and placement of corn by wildlife managers and crop producers

Preference of White-Tailed Deer for Corn Hybrids and Agricultural Husbandry Practices During the Growing Season

Damage to field corn (Zea mays) by white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) can be substantial, resulting in millions of dollars lost annually. Numerous methods exist to minimize deer depredation, but all have met with varying degrees of success. Currently, little information is available on preference of white-tailed deer for corn hybrids during the growing season and how that preference might affect depredation patterns. We used adult female white-tailed deer in captivity to study the effect of herbicide treatments on deer-use (treatment versus no treatment) of corn in 2005 and to document preference among specific corn hybrids in 2006 and 2007 using manipulated corn food plots. In 2005, 67% of deer-feeding activity occurred in herbicidetreated areas; deer preferred to feed on the edges of food plots (78%). In 2006 and 2007, deer exhibited preferential patterns of feeding (P \u3c 0.05) among corn hybrids throughout the study period and during most phenological growth phases of corn plants. Deer preference was not related to physical characteristics of hybrids but was related to days to maturity and nutritional content. Deer preferred earlier maturing hybrids that contained higher levels of digestible dry matter. Wildlife managers and crop producers could use corn hybrids and husbandry practices desirable to deer (i.e., earlier maturing hybrids with higher digestibility and fertilizer and herbicide application) to reduce damage to field corn by altering type and placement of corn

Factors affecting road mortality of whitetailed deer in eastern South Dakota

White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) mortalities (n = 4,433) caused by collisions with automobiles during 2003 were modeled in 35 counties in eastern South Dakota. Seventeen independent variables and 5 independent variable interactions were evaluated to explain deer mortalities