Information a hunter should know for a successful hunt for Ohio whitetail deer.
Insultion
Deer do well in cold, snowy conditions because of their strong coat of hair. The hair is difficult to penetrate and does not allow enough heat from the deer’s body to escape and melt the snow. During the winter, you may need to use a stronger shot to penetrate a whitetail’s thicker coat.
Activity
Deer are more active early in the morning or late at night when they feel it is safest to forage for food. Typically, the sun will be low in the sky and hunters will have more trouble finding the deer.
Vision
Deer can see extremely well in the dark; much better than they can see in the daytime. Deer also have trouble distinguishing bright colors in the daytime, the mostly appear as varying shades of gray. Hunters may find it easier to scout during the day.
Diet
Deer eat a variety of foods such as fruits, berries, nuts, grasses, etc. Whitetails will typically go for the freshest food available; their keen sense of smell will pick out unappealing, stale foods. Deer consume food fairly quickly and usually eat in daylight hours. Typically whitetails will consume 8 pounds of food for every 100 pounds of body weight, daily.
Age
Whitetail bucks may live 15-20 years in the wild, while a doe tends to live a bit longer around 20-25 years. Deer are fully mature around 4-6 years of age with prime hunting range around 8-15 years when the deer will produce the most meat and healthiest hide.
Antlers
A deer’s antlers are a clear indication of health. Antlers will break off and grow back, but a healthy buck will shed his antlers during the winter. If a buck sheds during the spring or summer it is an indication of an unhealthy animal.
Positioning
It is helpful to position yourself downwind from your target during a hunt. Deer have impressive noses and use their sense of smell to detect potential threats approaching.
Marking
Bucks will use their antlers to mark their territory and where they have been in the wild. The antlers will scrape against trees and prove a clear indication that a whitetail buck was present. Usually this is done during mating time to show does where a buck is located.
Area
Certain states have higher deer populations than others which is important to know before taking part in a hunt. You may be more likely to spot a deer in certified gaming areas.
Tails
An Ohio whitetail deer tail is a means of communication for these animals. Twitches and wags may all be indications of different things such as when a deer is feeling most relaxed and therefore easier to hunt or when the animal is agitated and likely to bolt. It is important to do your research on this subject before hunting.
