Finding Bucks Dead After Season

[aggie11]

This is our 10th year on our lease in Houston County and over the years we have noticed most of our bucks "disappear" after 4.5 and 5.5 YO and we do not see them the following year. We will have them on camera in February and know they made it through season and Rut, then nothing after that. We have started wondering if they are dying from some type of disease as they get older? After discussion with our neighbor that is separated by a creek they mentioned multiple older bucks they have found near the creek and small pond dead the last few years that they had passed hoping to see the next year. This has us concerned that we have some type of illness that could be causing this... We are around 12,000 acres under one land owner, MLD for 15+ years, all feed protein and under good management practices to help protect these older deer and we are at a loss. Anyone else seeing this issue or have seen this in east Texas and have some recommendations?

[SwampBuck]

Liver flukes?
Seems like many a year ago I was told that in certain areas the deer don’t seem to make it passed 6 years of age like they normally can in more arid places due to liver flukes.

Now, don’t take that to the bank but worth looking into maybe.

[tbgascorer]

You're losing some deer to natural mortality, post rut stress, etc. Disease highly unlikely. I would also throw neighbor harvest in there and deer going back to their home ranges elsewhere. Could be a few losses to poaching as well.

[aggie11]

You're losing some deer to natural mortality, post rut stress, etc. Disease highly unlikely. I would also throw neighbor harvest in there and deer going back to their home ranges elsewhere. Could be a few losses to poaching as well.

Yeah We have known of a few deer over the years that have died from neighbor harvest that were posted on the feed store wall lol. The ones that are confusing for us are the ones we have on camera through February eating protein looking healthy after the rut then they never show back up the following year. it just seems odd that that many would die at 4-6 years old. We do not pressure our bucks or harvest too many and we rarely see bucks over 5.5 years old...

[aggie11]

Liver flukes?
Seems like many a year ago I was told that in certain areas the deer don’t seem to make it passed 6 years of age like they normally can in more arid places due to liver flukes.

Now, don’t take that to the bank but worth looking into maybe.

We have been thinking this could be part of it and are looking at some worming options to add to our protein. Anyone do this around east texas or have some recommended sources?

[Big pig]

You're losing some deer to natural mortality, post rut stress, etc. Disease highly unlikely. I would also throw neighbor harvest in there and deer going back to their home ranges elsewhere. Could be a few losses to poaching as well.

My guesses too
Mostly lead poisoning

BP

[brokeno]

You think your 4-5 year olds are actually 7-8 year olds.

[SRK14]

They are probably hiding out in one of GarGuy’s sanctuaries

[SabineHunter]

My guesses too
Mostly lead poisoning

BP

BINGO! You're hunting in E. Texas, that's the problem. A lot of locals run dogs under the guise of hunting pigs in February and March when no one is in the woods as the hunters are during the season and pre-season. You are losing more than big bucks too.
I was on a MLD lease for ten years, near Woodville, that dwindled down to just one buck taken last year, when there were 12 to 14 bucks killed when I first hunted it. I told the lease manager about the poaching, even caught a Walker hound in a coyote foot trap, brought it to him, and he still didn't get the GW involved. I think he was scared of the locals.
I hate poachers.

[Mexico]

The natural mortality rate after a deer hits 6 is incredible. There are many studies on the subject, I imagine you're losing a bunch naturally.

[Buck hunter332]

Might be the deer are older than you think?

[deerdynasty]

put up a HF and worm the animals 2x a yr... at least worm them. when i did that 6 years ago everything changed... now i have deer that i swear are 10 plus years old and have some funky cool racks. El gato aka rusty baker on here put me on to worming them... it works. that guy is VERY smart...

[brokeno]

Predators killing rutted out weak bucks. If Its only bucks disappearing.

[MASTERS]

BINGO! You're hunting in E. Texas, that's the problem. A lot of locals run dogs under the guise of hunting pigs in February and March when no one is in the woods as the hunters are during the season and pre-season. You are losing more than big bucks too.
I was on a MLD lease for ten years, near Woodville, that dwindled down to just one buck taken last year, when there were 12 to 14 bucks killed when I first hunted it. I told the lease manager about the poaching, even caught a Walker hound in a coyote foot trap, brought it to him, and he still didn't get the GW involved. I think he was scared of the locals.
I hate poachers.

Im with ya. Those good ol' boys that smell like pine sap & turpentine love them a good "race" just before the bucks lose their antlers!

[tex4k]

Maybe they’re just changing habitats! I’ve seen a few places that seem like they have old mature deer there almost all the time, even when the resident this year gets killed there’ll be another one there next year. I don’t know just a thought.