Deer fat

[deerhunter10]

We killed 4 does the other day, And they had the most fat I've seen on a deer maybe ever. The bucks I've seen killed seemed normal. Has anyone else seen that this year? Didnt weigh the does but they seemed normal weight
Seemed strange considering the drought. But the amount of deer I've seen just put their head down and eat for hours has been crazy this year.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Only killed one, last week. He was pretty rundown and lean.

 

[DoubleRidge]

Killed one buck late November. Normal neck and shoulders but hind end and back was thin. You could feel the tips of the vertebrae running your hand down his back. Very little fat. Rundown.

 

[Heath423]

8 doe harvested this season. Of those, that very thought crossed my mind with probably half of them. Didn't think anything else about it though. Interesting you brought it up. Harvested in Stewart and Hamilton Counties.

 

[backyardtndeer]

We killed 4 does the other day, And they had the most fat I've seen on a deer maybe ever.

Are there any standing soybeans still in the area? I know some, not me, say fat is a direct result of acorns, but if there are no acorns due to drought that would kind of contradict that notion.

 

[Remi]

The doe I killed on Thursday was loaded with fat.

 

[medic]

The last doe I killed had a lot of fat on her. I gave several pounds of fat to a lady that makes candles out of it.

 

[redblood]

Does usually keep their fat as all they do this time of yr is eat. Bucks have have come off 8 weeks of strenois rut preparation and covering miles every day. Food had been of little importance to them for the last 2 months. A buck is at his absolute lightest weight of the yr id estimate.

But like you, im seeing some fat fat does

 

[deerhunter10]

Are there any standing soybeans still in the area? I know some, not me, say fat is a direct result of acorns, but if there are no acorns due to drought that would kind of contradict that notion.

Yes beans weren't worth combining so have 150ish acres of standing beans.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Yes beans weren't worth combining so have 150ish acres of standing beans.

Soybeans WILL add fat on deer, I don't care what any "experts" say.

 

[Ski]

I killed two bucks in November and both were fat as I've ever seen. Surprised me given the drought conditions.

 

[megalomaniac]

No fat on bucks or does killed between mid, November and last weekend.

 

[deerhunter10]

No fat on bucks or does killed between mid, November and last weekend.

Our bucks seemed normal to just below. Just strange to Me that those 4 had so much. We will continue our doe killing this week so interested to see what those look like.

 

[Lost Lake]

Two of the four does I've killed had super thick fat along their backs. The other two were about normal.

Every buck I've seen searching for does for the last month looks like he grew up in Ethiopia. Thin and run down as I've ever, and I mean ever seen.

 

[.243 Deer]

Every doe this year that my buddy killed has been super fat and healthy. Probably due to a lower deer density overall. My buck killed during the rut was also very fat and healthy. Moreso than bucks of previous years.

 

[DaveTN]

We are fat also.