Hunting Deer: Knowing Their Diet

deerDeer, when they are in their natural habitat, do not actually eat the commercial “deer feed” that most feed stores will sell you as bait or as a lure. So when deer are out in the wild and they are left to their own devices, what do they eat? Unlike some of the animals you find in the wild while hunting, deer are herbivorous creatures which means that they only eat plants. While there are plenty of different plants out there in the woods, not all of them are going to provide the right amount of nutrition for the deer. Just like humans and other animals, many deer do have food preferences and will eat their certain favorite foods whenever they can find them, though they will move on to other foods when their favorites or the most nutritious options cannot be found.

Deer like to eat wild grasses, especially when the shoots are both tender and young, but wild grasses tend to be a last resort food in that they can help the deer survive when other food is not available, but they are not good for much more than that. Here is a look at some of the favorite foods that deer may like.

Woody Shrubs and Plants: Deer can feed on the leaves and other anatomy of tree and shrubs, eating the leaves, the twigs and the buds from plants like these all throughout the year. Some examples of this category of plants include greenbrier, honeysuckle, blackberry, black gum, sumac, sassafras, willow, rose, dewberry and grape.

Forbs: Forbs are herbaceous plants, which mean that they are perennial and non woody plants that produce new growth every single spring after dying off in the winter. Forbs generally include weeds and a number of other flower-producing plants. Forbs are a proffered food source for many deer, and examples of these plants include wild clover, sedges, bellflower, mushroom, dandelion, ragweed, beans, wild lettuce and sunflower.

Nuts: Nuts are extremely nutritious when it comes to deer, but the crops produced by these plants are often small, so fords and grasses tend to provide a much more reliable food source. Some examples of nuts that deer may enjoy are red and white acorns, hickory nuts and beech nuts.

Fruits: Fruits are preferred by deer because they are so very high in energy, but good fruit crops only tend to be made available during the summer and early fall months. Some examples of fruits that deer enjoy eating are sumac seed heads, persimmons, grapes, coralberry, dewberry, blackberry, dogwood and huckleberry.

Crops: Cultivated crops are crops that were planted by humans. Where food sources are limited, these can be an important part of a deer’s diet and may include plants like wheat, oats, alfalfa, clover, soybeans, vegetables and rye grass.

By knowing what deer actually like to eat, finding them in the wild will be a lot easier from now on.

Photo Credits: 1

Originally posted 2009-01-13 05:53:41. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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Boar Hunting Dogs

bigboarIf you ask someone that specializes in boar hunting what the best dog breed is for the job, you are going to get a differing opinion than when you ask the next boar hunter that you come across. There are a number of different characteristics that need to be combined in order to create a good dog for hunting wild pigs. Some of the more popular dog breeds for this purpose include the feist, the cur, the pit bull and the American bull dog. Regardless of which breed you end up choosing, the right dog for the job is going to be one that has plenty of stamina because your dog will need it when tracking wild boar.

Boars were first introduced to this country back when settlers brought about domesticated pigs, allowing for them to run loose. Because pigs have such a high intelligence, they were capable of adapting, breeding and thriving in the area. It was not long before their numbers had begun to increase rapidly. Dogs had to be introduced in order to keep the population of wild boar under control. The wild boars were aggressive toward any people that they ended up encountering and they were also ruining vegetation in the area and were killing smaller animals in the wild as well.

Before you decide to set out on a hunt for wild boar there are some things that you are going to need to know. For example, one of the primary things for you to know when hunting wild boar is that the worst possible time for you to go hunting is in December, as this is when the litters are born. During this period of time, the sows, the female boars, become fiercely overprotective because there are young nearby. Not only could your dog potentially be hurt, but you could possibly be hurt as well. The sow will create a small depression in the ground, lining it with branches and grass for her offspring. The bar will take cover in dense grasses while hunting and you may not notice the breeding ground until it’s too late.

One wild boar hunting dog that has developed an excellent reputation is the cur. These dogs are loyal and versatile, and they have the ability to run over long distances and over long periods of time as well. Many hunters also end up relying on the American bulldog for this type of hunt, though there are a couple of different variations of this particular breed that you need to consider. The Johnson line, for example, is a popular line of dogs that involves a Mastiff and an English Bull dog being bred. Another good line is the Scott line which was bred specifically to deal with big game just like the wild boar for example.

Photo Credits: fortinbras

Originally posted 2009-08-27 03:00:27. Republished by Blog Post Promoter

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