Observation while cleaning deer this season.

[SpurHunter]

OK, so I have cleaned 3 deer so-far this year, and all of them have had UNBELIEVABLE fat on them. No, I do not feed corn at my place, (dont need to), and dont know if anyone around me does, but I have checked all three deer and they not hadany in them either. I wonder if its just the unreal mast crop from this year? </p>

Anybody else notice this too?emoScratch </p>

 

[inthebox30lbs]

I have got 3 deer this year and all of them have been loaded with fat. One of the bucks i got weighed 140 and I have never seen as much fat on a deer this size, i had to cut it off him on the back straps and hams. I have cut up 5 other deer that friends have gotten and the same thing, they have been loaded with fat as well. Its got to be the mast crop this year for sure. Last year the 4 I got had 0 fat on them. I have not seen the numbers of deer this year compared to last year. Usually on years with abundant mast, the deer just dont need to move as much, and last year no water, and no mast, they definitely moved alot more looking for food and water, just my 2 cents
scott

 

[churly]

The deer on my farm have been very void of fat this year, but my cousin nailed a huge doe yesterday and she had tons. We had alot of acorns there this year, I figured the deer were still recovering from last year! DUNNO!?

 

[AThornton]

I attribute it all to the amount of food and browse in the woods this year. I hunt mainly in South Ga, and this year has been one of the most productive years I can remember as far as forage goes. All of our acorn crops did well, as well as persimmons and grapes and other fruits. I think its because we got a little more rain than we did last year, and last year was a flat out flop as far as vegetation goes. At least it was for us at my club in Hancock Co. But this year, all of our deer have been healthy and beautiful with clear coats and less ticks than normal.

 

[Guest]

Are you just making conversation Spur? emoScratch
When critters eat a lot they get fat. emoRolleyes

 

[mallardecho]

Its the poor economy, they could'nt afford there Jenny Craig this year. The economy is really affecting everyone.

 

[djbogle]

I've processed 6 deer so far this season and it's about 50/50.

Two weeks ago I took a nice 6-point and my neighbor took a good 8-point not 400 yds. from me later that afternoon. I processed both of them, and the 6-pt. had NO fat but the 8-pt was loaded. Could it be individual metabolism?

I took a BIG doe in Alabama a couple of weeks back in the bottoms surrounded by corn-fields with plenty of corn left on the ground and there was hardly any fat on her.

Personally, from a processing stand-point, I'd rather not have any fat on a deer. Much easier to skin and cut, and the meat yield is the same.