Ask The Biologist

Entries for December 2021

Hot to Trot

Hot to Trot

By Bob Humphrey

You just can’t predict the rut, regardless of temperature. QUESTION: This year, right about the time of peak rut, we had a really warm spell and I hardly saw any deer. I’m wondering is it even worth hunting when it gets warm like that? ANSWER: There is research showing that daytime deer activity slows down when temperatures are unseasonably warm, e... READ MORE

Lying Down on the Job

Lying Down on the Job

By Bob Humphrey

Bucks, and all whitetails, do things that defy explanation. QUESTION: My friend has a trail camera set up over a scrape. He has photos of a buck lying in the scrape for three hours. Is this normal in central Pennsylvania during November? ANSWER: Yes, but only in central Pa., in November (kidding). Sometimes deer just do things that have no simple... READ MORE

Shoulder vs. Lungs

Shoulder vs. Lungs

By Bob Humphrey

Is one shot better than the other for firearms hunters? QUESTION: I was taught to always aim for the heart-lung area on a deer, but I recently went on a trip down South, and some of the guys in camp talked about shooting deer in the shoulder. Which is the better shot to ensure you recover the deer. ANSWER: I’ll assume you’re asking about shots with... READ MORE

Not a Flat Tire

Not a Flat Tire

By Bob Humphrey

If you hear this sound in the woods, get ready! QUESTION: I was watching two yearling bucks sparring in my food plot, and I heard a noise that sounded like a deer blowing its nose or hissing. Out stepped a bigger buck, and the two yearlings stopped sparring and kind of moved away. Is this normal? ANSWER: What you likely heard is referred to as a sn... READ MORE

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