Category: Other Blog Posts By Dr. Grant Woods

I live in the very southern part of Missouri and as I write this (March 3, 2014) almost all the ground between here and the North Pole is covered by snow and ice. It’s been a brutal winter throughout most of the whitetail’s range. There’s been much research on the impacts of winter weather and the health of deer. It takes a lot of calories to remain warm during colder than normal conditions. Deer that survive such conditions obviously use most if not all of their fat reserves. The body condition can become very low by the time spring green up occurs and they can recover. Click Here To Read More At Winchester.com

This week I received several questions about feeding corn to deer due to the stressful winter conditions throughout much of the whitetails’ range. No one likes the thought of deer suffering and searching for food in the extreme cold and deep snow. However, starting to feed corn after deer are stressed and there isn’t much food for them to eat can cause more harm than good. Some ask “How could I over deer with corn when the biggest whitetails produced annually are from areas where corn and soybean are grown commercially?” Click Here To Read More At Winchester.com

Recently several folks have posted questions and pictures on my Facebook page about deer that are mostly white. These deer have a rare genetic trait that is called piebald anomaly.

Piebald deer usually have between 15 and 90% white hair. They also usually have either or all of the following characteristics: Roman nose, short legs, curving or arching of the spine, short lower jaws, and malformed internal organs. Read More At Winchester.com 

There are gads of deer shows this time of year and most of them have an antler scoring/judging contest. Want an advantage of guessing the score over your buddies? The Boone and Crockett Club published a book titled Records of North American Whitetail Deer that’s full of great information and tips about antler scores. They also recently released the following quiz that I found interesting and think you will also. First the questions and then the answers. Click Here to Read More At Winchester.com: 

I’ve shared about shed hunting during the past two entries for this blog. During those two weeks the weather has been abnormally cold and many areas have received lots of snow. There’s no doubt that deer throughout most of the whitetail’s range are under tremendous stress. Deer will have trouble maintaining their body heat and even finding enough food under the deep snow cover in some areas. Read More at Winchester.com…

It’s common for hunters in the northern states to hunt while the ground is covered with snow.  However, most hunters rarely have the privilege of hunting in the snow. Privilege?? Yes…a privilege! Snow not only covers the ground, but also covers most food sources during the late season. Most native forage plants have lost their leaves and the nuts and fruits that have fallen are now on the ground.  Simply put, food sources are scarce and the preferred food sources are readily found as critters are leaving sign in the snow! Read More At Winchester.com

This time of year most bucks are seeking the best food in their home range to recover from the rut. Does and fawns are seeking calories to maintain body heat and maintenance/growth. Both genders and all age classes of deer are seeking quality food. It’s time to change from rut season hunting strategies to stand locations that are based on the herd’s current preferred food sources. Read More At Winchester.com

Most adult does have now been bred throughout most of the whitetails’ range. They are back to a feeding/seeking cover pattern and taking their female fawns in tow with them.

Female fawns will enter puberty and become receptive once they weight about 70 pounds. In areas with enough quality forage for all deer in the area a high percentage of female fawns will breed during their first winter. Usually they won’t become receptive till the late season – December or January. This is great news for hunters seeking mature bucks! Read More At Winchester.com…

Please tell us who you are and what you do:

My name is Grant Woods and I am a wildlife biologist.

What led you to your career?

As a six year old I found a dead deer on my family farm when I was checking my trap line. My father and I skinned the deer and preserved the pelt. Since that time I have never wanted to be anything else but a wildlife biologist. Read More at QDMA.com….