October NEWSLETTER 2010 |
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have topic you would wish to be discussed in a future newsletter, let us know and we will
consider it.
If you do not want future newsletters, please email or write us advising so and you will be
removed from the list.
Write to: Disappear Hunting Products Inc., PO Box 414, Wadsworth, OH 44282
Email: discoverscent@disappearhp.com
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HUNTERS
As I write this newsletter, the rut is starting to get in gear, bringing us to the most exciting 4 to 6 weeks of
hunting for the year. Are you ready? Here are some thoughts to help you prepare. Starting around the end
of September, I first check all the areas I found scrapes last year. I continue to monitor these locations right
up until November to see if the bucks reopen the scrapes they used the past year. I also continually scout
for new areas that might be producing scrapes of value. One key factor at this point is, are the scrapes
continually being freshened? There are boundary scrapes, frustration scrapes, ( usually made by young
bucks ) plus scrapes made by mature bucks that go dead. As most of you are probably aware, it takes a
combined effort of bucks and does to produce hot scrapes. Let us just follow the course that nature has
designed for a moment. Once a buck sheds his velvet off his antlers and develops his winter coat, he is
ready to bred. He will then commence with rubbing trees and making scrapes, sometimes very prolifically.
As the rut becomes ever closer to coming into play, does will start visiting the scrapes and leave their calling
card, ( urinating in the scrapes ) and this action galvanizes a so so scrape into a hot scrape that will see
substantial action. To put it into a different perspective, think of a guy going to a singles bar and there are
very few or no women present. Odds are, after a few visits, this guy is going to look for a new meeting spot.
Conversely, if the place is packed with gals, he is going to keep coming back, along with his buddies. Word
travels among the ladies, this is the spot to have your choice of the best guy. Results, a packed place with
tons of action.
By now you are starting to get the complete picture, the bucks create and maintain the scrapes, but the
does are the ones that choose which ones become the primary scrapes that receive the lions share of
activity. The scrapes that the does ignore are the ones that go dead. Another fact that you may or may not
be aware of, all things being equal, the doe likes to choose which buck she will bred with. Given a choice, she
will only bred with the best buck she encounters during her estrous time frame. This allows for the best
genes being passed on generation after generation. Nature has developed the above described scenario, in
order to perpetuate the highest quality of the species. I have had hunters tell me over the years, they
observed does working scrapes. In my experience and I have film of such activities, these does are actually
button bucks that are already nature driven to follow the timeless process of whitetail propagation.
Now let’s talk about management of the whitetail. Research over 40 years ago in TX as well as others
areas, concluded the highest quality deer herds are the ones with a ratio of one mature buck to one mature
doe. This allows the selective process I described to actually take place. If there are 10 does for every buck
for example, coming into estrous at the same time , the doe will have to bred with any buck that is available
or be left out of the process. This type of situation results in a steady decline of the quality and size of the
deer in that area. So we as hunters need to recognize the fact, that we need to harvest sufficient amounts of
does to keep the balance in place. A typical healthy whitetail herd will consist of 30% mature bucks, 30%
mature does and 40% yearlings. The yearling portion of the herd will be close to 50/50 button bucks and
does, ( actually 55% bucks and 45% does by proven studies ) however these are anterless deer. It is
difficult to have the average hunter be able to be selective enough to not harvest button bucks, when taking
an anterless deer. What does this mean? We need to harvest a greater number of anterless deer each year
than antlered bucks to maintain the proper balance and quality. Ohio is noted for producing some very high
quality whitetail bucks. Over the last number of years, you may only tag one antlered buck in this state and
up to five ( not counting urban zones ) anterless deer. This management process has allowed the quality of
the Ohio herd to stay at a high level. Also, controlling the amount of anterless deer harvested, is the tool
game departments can use to maintain, reduce or allow to increase the numbers of deer in that state’s herd.
Keith Dotterer
As I write this newsletter, the rut is starting to get in gear, bringing us to the most exciting 4 to 6 weeks of
hunting for the year. Are you ready? Here are some thoughts to help you prepare. Starting around the end
of September, I first check all the areas I found scrapes last year. I continue to monitor these locations right
up until November to see if the bucks reopen the scrapes they used the past year. I also continually scout
for new areas that might be producing scrapes of value. One key factor at this point is, are the scrapes
continually being freshened? There are boundary scrapes, frustration scrapes, ( usually made by young
bucks ) plus scrapes made by mature bucks that go dead. As most of you are probably aware, it takes a
combined effort of bucks and does to produce hot scrapes. Let us just follow the course that nature has
designed for a moment. Once a buck sheds his velvet off his antlers and develops his winter coat, he is
ready to bred. He will then commence with rubbing trees and making scrapes, sometimes very prolifically.
As the rut becomes ever closer to coming into play, does will start visiting the scrapes and leave their calling
card, ( urinating in the scrapes ) and this action galvanizes a so so scrape into a hot scrape that will see
substantial action. To put it into a different perspective, think of a guy going to a singles bar and there are
very few or no women present. Odds are, after a few visits, this guy is going to look for a new meeting spot.
Conversely, if the place is packed with gals, he is going to keep coming back, along with his buddies. Word
travels among the ladies, this is the spot to have your choice of the best guy. Results, a packed place with
tons of action.
By now you are starting to get the complete picture, the bucks create and maintain the scrapes, but the
does are the ones that choose which ones become the primary scrapes that receive the lions share of
activity. The scrapes that the does ignore are the ones that go dead. Another fact that you may or may not
be aware of, all things being equal, the doe likes to choose which buck she will bred with. Given a choice, she
will only bred with the best buck she encounters during her estrous time frame. This allows for the best
genes being passed on generation after generation. Nature has developed the above described scenario, in
order to perpetuate the highest quality of the species. I have had hunters tell me over the years, they
observed does working scrapes. In my experience and I have film of such activities, these does are actually
button bucks that are already nature driven to follow the timeless process of whitetail propagation.
Now let’s talk about management of the whitetail. Research over 40 years ago in TX as well as others
areas, concluded the highest quality deer herds are the ones with a ratio of one mature buck to one mature
doe. This allows the selective process I described to actually take place. If there are 10 does for every buck
for example, coming into estrous at the same time , the doe will have to bred with any buck that is available
or be left out of the process. This type of situation results in a steady decline of the quality and size of the
deer in that area. So we as hunters need to recognize the fact, that we need to harvest sufficient amounts of
does to keep the balance in place. A typical healthy whitetail herd will consist of 30% mature bucks, 30%
mature does and 40% yearlings. The yearling portion of the herd will be close to 50/50 button bucks and
does, ( actually 55% bucks and 45% does by proven studies ) however these are anterless deer. It is
difficult to have the average hunter be able to be selective enough to not harvest button bucks, when taking
an anterless deer. What does this mean? We need to harvest a greater number of anterless deer each year
than antlered bucks to maintain the proper balance and quality. Ohio is noted for producing some very high
quality whitetail bucks. Over the last number of years, you may only tag one antlered buck in this state and
up to five ( not counting urban zones ) anterless deer. This management process has allowed the quality of
the Ohio herd to stay at a high level. Also, controlling the amount of anterless deer harvested, is the tool
game departments can use to maintain, reduce or allow to increase the numbers of deer in that state’s herd.
Keith Dotterer
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