Did 7 miles around the NWR today. Found several oak stands dropping - red oaks mostly, with some willow wand water oaks mixed in- with no discernible deer sign around them. I know they aren’t the preferred acorn, but they are definitely aplenty. I wondered if it’s still so hot and dry that the tracks and movement aren’t preserved well, but I wasn’t finding much feeding sign around those oak stands. Yet.
Since we’re in such an extreme drought, I walked the creeks and sloughs to find any standing water I could. Most of them are dry - still no deer sign.
I kicked up a spotted fawn along a dry creek. That was the only deer I bumped and only sign I found.
There is a river that borders the western part of this area, and I didn’t get over along it, but I’m wondering if the deer may be staying close to it. My thinking is that water is scarce right now so it’s valuable? But I don’t know how much deer really drink.
Hogs are everywhere. I ran into ten or twelve on three separate occasions. A boar came within 8 yards and presented broadside to me. Would’ve been exciting if season was open.
