Deer University

Wildlife Biologist Joe Wiley has been managing deer and wildlife habitat in Maine and the Northeastern US for 50 years. In this episode we get a look at how deer management in the Northeast differs from much of the Eastern US. Joe will explain how wildlife managers manipulate the habitat to help deer survive those long, harsh winters up North.

Marcus and Bronson discuss a new way to use prescribed fire on a very small scale that anyone can do. You can use this burning technique to your advantage for hunting this fall. Along with fall food plots, you should consider bow-range burnin' too!

Is is possible does actually play some role in selecting the bucks they breed with? Most people think that when does are in heat they simply breed with the buck that's available. But what if a doe actually had the opportunity to choose which buck to breed with? Would she choose older bucks? Larger-bodied bucks? Or, larger antlered bucks? Exciting new research from the MSU Deer Lab explains what do...

Marcus Lashley tells us why prescribed fire is so important for deer and other wildlife. When should you burn to get the most benefit? What kind of fire should be used in hardwood stands? All this and more.

Bronson visits with Dudley Phelps about soft and hard mast trees for deer and other wildlife. What should you plant? When should you plant? Also, Dudley discusses the most common mistakes people make when planting trees.

February 9th, 2018, was a day us deer-centric Mississippians will remember for a long time. It's the day we learned a single deer tested positive for chronic wasting disease (CWD). Steve and Bronson will discuss what exactly CWD is, how the disease can affect deer populations, and how it might affect you.

In this episode Bronson interviews long-time Mississippi deer biologist Chris McDonald about the tactics used by successful deer managers. What characteristics do successful deer management programs have in common? What are the most common failures?  

In this episode Steve and Bronson discuss some of the most common deer diseases and parasites hunters will encounter back at the skinning shed. Should you eat the venison or not? All these topics will be discussed. If you go to our website, www.msudeerlab.com  , click on the diseases and parasites link to see some example photos. From all of us at the Deer Lab, we hope you are having a great hunti...

In this episode Bronson interviews Jordan Burroughs and Johanna Dart of Michigan State University Extension about two programs designed to get people hunting, understand what hunting and conservation are all about, and last but not least, how to make a spectacular meal using wild game. For more information please visit www.gourmetgonewild.org and www.learntohuntmi.org  to learn how to bring these...

In this episode, Steve and Bronson talk about the problems associated with wild hogs. Some people love 'em, but more people hate 'em, largely because of the damage they cause to agriculture, fields, food plots, forests, and streams. Not to mention, hogs compete for food with our native wildlife like deer and turkey. In Mississippi alone, wild hogs cause over $60 million worth of damage a year. On...

Today Steve and I announce some great news - we have finally finished our eBook on the buck harvesting strategy we call the "Strategic Harvest System." We then discuss the basics of deer movements like dispersal, home range size, migration, and excursions. Hopefully, we have answered your questions about bucks moving from here to there, and why.

On this episode we don't review deer biology, but instead we talk about the history and philosophy of hunting and conservation. Ever heard of the Boone and Crockett Club? It's far more than just an antler and horn scoring system - they represent the foundations of wildlife conservation. Please listen to my conversation with Keith Balfourd of the Boone and Crockett Club and their Hunt Fair Chase In...

In this episode, Steve and Bronson discuss the biology behind how the rut works and how the timing is determined by genetics, hormones, and the ratio of daylight to darkness. Why and how does the timing of the rut vary from place to place? Does moon phase affect the rut? Can hunters influence the duration of the rut? Everything you need to know about the rut is reviewed in this episode.

We're back! It's been several weeks, but we are back with an episode on food plot science. Marcus and Bronson discuss important information about common cool-season food plot forages for deer. Keep in mind the MSU Deer Lab has food plot app to help you measure food plot acreage and make planting decisions. It's currently only available for iPhone, but will be available for Android in a few weeks....

In this episode Bronson visits with Dr. Mickey Hellickson about his antler rattling research conducted in South Texas. To our knowledge, this is the only scientific study ever conducted to understand what rattling techniques are effective and what times of the day and times of the year are most productive. If you have ever considered antler rattling, or wondered why it didn't work, this is your ep...

In this episode, Steve and Bronson discuss how the stress of rut affects the physical condition of bucks and what managers can do to minimize these impacts.

In this episode, Steve, Marcus and Bronson discuss why summer nutrition is so important for deer, and what are the management options you can use to improve summer nutrition.

In this episode Steve, Bronson, and Marcus answer questions from the Deer University audience. Questions about mineral stumps, supplemental feeding, deer parasites, age-related antler size decline are discussed. 

In this episode, Bronson speaks with Dr. Eric Michel about his research at the MSU Deer Lab. Eric discusses the topic of epigenetics and how mothers pass information to their offspring that signal whether or genes should be fully expressed, or not. Eric makes comparisons of his research at the MSU Deer Lab to where he is now in South Dakota. Bronson, Steve and Marcus wrap up the episode with a sum...

Ever heard the old saying "you are what you eat"? A 10-year research project conducted by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks and the MSU Deer Lab was designed to explore the regional differences in buck body and antler size found throughout the state of Mississippi.  Were these differences caused by nutrition or genetics, possibly from when deer were re-stocked in the 1950s...

In this episode we visit with Marcus Lashley, habitat management specialist in the MSU Deer Lab, and talk with him about a novel habitat management technique we call mineral stumping. Marcus and Bronson will discuss what mineral stumps are, how to create them, why deer love them so much, and how you can use mineral stumps to boost deer nutrition on your property and create more hunting opportuniti...

Have you ever wondered WHY deer eat the plants they eat? Deer and cows are both ruminants (have a 4-chambered stomach), but deer have a completely different diet. In this episode, Bronson and Steve discuss the physiological adaptations of deer, and those adaptations influence the types of plants they eat.

We continue our discussions of predator impacts on deer herds with Dr. Marcus Lashley, a researcher in the MSU Deer Lab. Marcus will discuss a study he recently completed in North Carolina where coyotes were undoubtedly limiting the deer population by reducing fawn survival. He has some valuable information about habitat management to improve fawn survival. Also, he will tell the audience how to a...

Coyotes and other predators are routinely blamed for reduced deer sightings and deer population declines. But how do you know if predators are really problem where you hunt? In this episode we review the most recent scientific studies to inform you about potential predator impacts, and what to do about it.

In the second episode on culling we discuss a form of selective buck harvest that is rarely practiced for the right reason.  We call this strategy "managing the standing crop of bucks." For most people, this is the only form of culling, or selective harvest, that will have any positive impact on your deer population.