Range Management and Deer numbers

[Outbreaker]

Over the last 3 years we would see 10-15 deer a hunt. Mostly does and young bucks. In Fact we have seen as many as 20 does in 1 picture on camera. During that time the owner had the grassland somewhat native. Lots of weeds that you would see the deer browsing on.

This place is 250 Acres that is mostly pasture land.

Fast forward to this year.

The owner leased out the grazing rights and the new "Grazer" started spraying the pastures for weeds to increase grass production. Since then the deer seen on camera have dropped to almost 0 and this season we have had 35 hunts on stand over multiple trips and have seen a total of 2 does, and 2 immature bucks.

Here is the question.....

Does ridding pastures of weeds decrease the deer utilizing the pastures.

[deerwatcher51]

Has to have an effect.....they eat forbs (weeds) and browse.

[TxnRunner]

Or weed killer ingested by deer decreases deer herd size...


I really have no idea, but it sounds like you're onto something if that's the only thing that's changed.

[Christianhuff]

Browse

Take away browse and you take away deer. Oh and never mind the extra cover that they probably lost in the process.

[Outbreaker]

I was hoping I was barking up a wrong tree here. Looks like I will be lease hunting in the off season.

[Soggy Bottom]

I weed spray our 165 acres every year. Havnt noticed any difference in the numbers we see. I actually think it makes them easier to see. They will be more concentrated at the food plots and feeders.

[Blackmouth]

Spraying weeds and managing for a clean improved pasture is probably one of the worst things you can do for deer and most wildlife in general. Diversity, diversity, diversity is what you need for good wildlife habitat.

As Soggy Bottom mentioned, he sprays and doesn't see any difference but they are more concentrated on the food plots and feeders. Reason is because they don't have anything left from the spraying and are going to other food sources.

[Killer]

This may be one reason you are seeing less deer, but it could easily be other factors also. You may be jumping to conclusions on this. Is there much cover for bedding on the 250 ac? Was it grazed last year? Did neighbors change anything? Did yall change anything from last year? Is the weather drier or wetter this year? Lots of factors could come into play on this.
But deer do browse as stated before on lots of "weeds" that cattle will not eat.

[walker1983]

Is this areal spraying? (Remedy to kill the mesquites?)

I watched some of the best pastures on our old Shackelford Co lease go to crap after the rancher killed the mesquites w/ Remedy. Yes the grass comes in thicker w/o the mesquite canopy gone but this did not benefit the deer.

That chemical seems to act as a defoliant (the leaves fall off everything) in year 1, but after year 1, only the mesquite are actually killed. With no remaining cover though, the deer moved to other areas of the ranch.

[Outbreaker]

This may be one reason you are seeing less deer, but it could easily be other factors also. You may be jumping to conclusions on this. Is there much cover for bedding on the 250 ac? Was it grazed last year? Did neighbors change anything? Did yall change anything from last year? Is the weather drier or wetter this year? Lots of factors could come into play on this.
But deer do browse as stated before on lots of "weeds" that cattle will not eat.

This is pasture land that is surrounded by for the most part Pine monoculture. There was not much for them to eat in the woods where they bedded and lived.

Only thing that really changed between this year and last is the clearing of the weeds.

[Outbreaker]

Is this areal spraying? (Remedy to kill the mesquites?)

I watched some of the best pastures on our old Shackelford Co lease go to crap after the rancher killed the mesquites w/ Remedy. Yes the grass comes in thicker w/o the mesquite canopy gone but this did not benefit the deer.

That chemical seems to act as a defoliant (the leaves fall off everything) in year 1, but after year 1, only the mesquite are actually killed. With no remaining cover though, the deer moved to other areas of the ranch.

This Is in east texas and was done by tractor and a spray boom.

Guy actually said. " I am shocked you are not seeing anything, I was jumping deer left and right when I was spraying."

[Bear82]

I hunted a lease in Evant that always had good grass and saw lots of deer. They then went to MLD and started overgrazing the pastures. Nothing but weeds. Barely saw a deer then.

[Drycreek3189]

This Is in east texas and was done by tractor and a spray boom.

Guy actually said. " I am shocked you are not seeing anything, I was jumping deer left and right when I was spraying."

Deer eat very, very little grass, so yes, anything they were eating in the pasture would have been classified as weeds. If you can't grow plots, you probably should hunt another place.
Four of us lease 350+- ac. in East Texas. Some hardwoods in the creek bottom, pine plantation everywhere else. Young pines are great for bedding, but there's absolutely nothing for deer to eat there. A combination of food plots and select timber harvesting has tripled our deer sightings in the last three years. Where timber was cut, the browse really took off the last two years because of the wet spring weather.
I say all that to make this point. Deer require food, cover, and water to live. Remove any one of those and you can radically change the amount of deer in your area.