Between now and early November, Wisconsin’s white-tailed deer are acting nothing short of “crazy.”
Gone is some of their fear of humans, vehicles, residences and occasionally city life.
The bucks in particular are wild and full of vigor and vinegar, it seems. The rest of the deer leash is doing its best to not get run over, except for that magic moment when the does pause to take notice, and then the chasing continues.
There’s even deer “talk” going on. Grunting, snorting and an occasional slamming of bone-hard antlers may momentarily stop the music and bring more boys of autumn to the scene.
Any human recreational activity — viewing, photographing, traveling, and hunting — takes on some of the animals’ energy. Roadways are no longer areas avoided by these wild animals that are chasing, following and running.
The world only needs to stop and wait for overactive deer to appear underneath tree stands, in front of cameras, video recorders, between vehicle headlamps; closer than at any other time.
Regardless of the deer magic, this purposeful event is fleeting. Catch it now or wait 11 months.
Pheasant season opened with a lot of mudslinging, wind, snow corn and water splashing, and ample cover for the birds. Standing corn and soybeans, too, advantaged the ringnecks. Drops at most public hunting lands continue to be biweekly until gun deer season.
The deciduous trees in many areas owe us an apology. Maybe the colors that fell with many leaves can be decomposed and recycled in time for autumn 2019. For most, it has been an underwhelming event this time around. One single cause and explanation is insufficient.
Chronic wasting disease tissue sampling continues to get easier with a doubling of self-help kiosks approaching 100 statewide. Add more cooperators, too, in the form of taxidermists, meat processors and sport shops. Did the supposed convenience of e-registration, bring about the burden of another stop to deposit a tissue sample?
A sampling of cooperators and kiosks include Dane County’s Uncle Jimmy’s Deer Processing (608-437-3337); La Crosse County’s Bubba’s Meats, a kiosk; Green County’s Sugar River Taxidermy (608-558-9583); and Sauk County’s McFarlanes,’ a kiosk.
The state-of-the-art public rifle range at Yellowstone State Park reopened last weekend, then closed again for maintenance, but will reopen in a few days. Hunters will have time before the gun deer opener to check their aim, gun and muscle memory. The other local range is in Columbia County, near Portage. Many more exist in other parts.
Wisconsin’s big and little game birds, the ruffed grouse and wild turkey, have been leaning in opposite directions this fall. Good turkey hunting, but generally poor ruffed grousing. Still a few bird dogs have been having a hazelnut day.
Duck weather has brought down some birds, and woodcocks are heading toward wintering grounds, too.
Robins and other birds, including a few starlings, have gone frugivorous and are stripping crabapple trees of their tiny fruit.
Advantage, too, are scavenger animals on deer entrails, trophy walleyes, squirrels, turkeys and everything deer. Or just hike a trail with a friend enjoying autumn weather and a crisp apple.
— Jerry Davis is an Argyle native and a freelance writer who lives in Barneveld. He can be reached at sivadjam@mhtc.net or at 608-924-1112.
