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Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 4:35 pm
by PLB
In a really bad winter with deep snow and bitter cold, they don't move far once they yard up! I've seen them laying down by the dozens right off the road in an oak ridge, pawing for acorns. They also like to yard up near people's feeders.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 10:36 pm
by Spysar
Yarding up is a deep snow thing. In the northeast these areas are traditional places deer go annually. The places don't change because of food.

Deer grouping up on leftover farm crops is different. That's not yarding, but kinda looks like it. More of a midwest thing.

Yarding is a defense the deer have for deep snow. They use each other to tramp down the area. These areas aren't that big.

I'll explain further, I have to go to work....

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:05 pm
by Spysar
Autumn Ninja wrote:I couldn't pick on the poll..... because the deer where I live (Ky.) do not yard up.


Exactly! You don't have deep snow, no need to yard up....

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2012 11:54 pm
by JV NC
Yarding up is a deep snow thing.


Makes sense to me.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:48 am
by headgear
Spysar wrote:Yarding up is a deep snow thing. In the northeast these areas are traditional places deer go annually. The places don't change because of food.

Deer grouping up on leftover farm crops is different. That's not yarding, but kinda looks like it. More of a midwest thing.

Yarding is a defense the deer have for deep snow. They use each other to tramp down the area. These areas aren't that big.

I'll explain further, I have to go to work....



This is a good explanation, packing down the snow is important for getting around. In MN it is pretty common to see deer use the snowmobile trails for travel when the snow is deep. They also follow logging operations around the woods, the big equipment tramples everything and produces a lot of food for them. These maybe aren't your traditional yards so to speak but these deer adapt to survive that is for sure.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 2:49 am
by PLB
headgear wrote:
Spysar wrote:Yarding up is a deep snow thing. In the northeast these areas are traditional places deer go annually. The places don't change because of food.

Deer grouping up on leftover farm crops is different. That's not yarding, but kinda looks like it. More of a midwest thing.

Yarding is a defense the deer have for deep snow. They use each other to tramp down the area. These areas aren't that big.

I'll explain further, I have to go to work....



This is a good explanation, packing down the snow is important for getting around. In MN it is pretty common to see deer use the snowmobile trails for travel when the snow is deep. They also follow logging operations around the woods, the big equipment tramples everything and produces a lot of food for them. These maybe aren't your traditional yards so to speak but these deer adapt to survive that is for sure.

I agree!! I have witnessed this also...

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:05 am
by Black Squirrel
I agree that it's probably more of a combo. In the farmland I hunt deer don't do exhibt the traditional yarding, that the do up North. I think it is for Snow and cold. I have seen studies where deer would not leave the yard, and died of starvation, because the snow was to deep and the conifers provided thermal cover. Snow probably trumps cold, but I think it is a combanation of the two. Has anyone seen yarding up in Northern WI, yet? They haven't gotten either a lot of snow or the frigid temps yet.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:50 am
by Hodag Hunter
Spysar wrote:Yarding up is a deep snow thing. In the northeast these areas are traditional places deer go annually. The places don't change because of food.

Deer grouping up on leftover farm crops is different. That's not yarding, but kinda looks like it. More of a midwest thing.

Yarding is a defense the deer have for deep snow. They use each other to tramp down the area. These areas aren't that big.

I'll explain further, I have to go to work....


This is the true defination of yarding. Deer will continue for years to yard in the same areas, regardless if food is availble or not. There may even be a great food source close by, but they stick to the traditional areas.

If you have never seen the yarding in the UP of MI it is a sight to see. Some deer literaly travel 100 miles to yarding areas. Watching/hunting these same trails used year after year is a sight to see......100 deer nights (sightings) are not uncommon.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 4:58 am
by Schultzy
When my dad still lived around here he used to plant 25 acres of soregum and leave It In for the deer. We had around 200 deer yard up that winter on our land.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 5:23 am
by Stanley
Lots of interesting input.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 6:33 am
by Black Squirrel
Hodag Hunter wrote:
Spysar wrote:Yarding up is a deep snow thing. In the northeast these areas are traditional places deer go annually. The places don't change because of food.

Deer grouping up on leftover farm crops is different. That's not yarding, but kinda looks like it. More of a midwest thing.

Yarding is a defense the deer have for deep snow. They use each other to tramp down the area. These areas aren't that big.

I'll explain further, I have to go to work....


This is the true defination of yarding. Deer will continue for years to yard in the same areas, regardless if food is availble or not. There may even be a great food source close by, but they stick to the traditional areas.

If you have never seen the yarding in the UP of MI it is a sight to see. Some deer literaly travel 100 miles to yarding areas. Watching/hunting these same trails used year after year is a sight to see......100 deer nights (sightings) are not uncommon.

I was waiting for Hodag response, I figured he has a lot of experince with yarding.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:26 am
by Hodag Hunter
Black Squirrel wrote: I was waiting for Hodag response, I figured he has a lot of experince with yarding.


To be honest I don't see much yarding (some, just not the extent the UP has) where I hunt in northern WI. Do deer migrate to winter food sources...yeah but that really isn't the true defination of a deer yard. If a guy compares what is yarding in the UP vs where I hunt it is night and day. The UP cedar swamps where deer yard are just destroyed for reachable food but the deer just keep coming back year after year.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:30 am
by Black Squirrel
Hodag Hunter wrote:
Black Squirrel wrote: I was waiting for Hodag response, I figured he has a lot of experince with yarding.


To be honest I don't see much yarding (some, just not the extent the UP has) where I hunt in northern WI. Do deer migrate to winter food sources...yeah but that really isn't the true defination of a deer yard. If a guy compares what is yarding in the UP vs where I hunt it is night and day. The UP cedar swamps where deer yard are just destroyed for reachable food but the deer just keep coming back year after year.

:oops: My bad, thanks for the clarification.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 7:37 am
by Hodag Hunter
Below is a pretty good description.

http://www.qdma.com/what-we-do/articles ... eer-yards/

I've read many articles by John Ozoga (he is mentioned in the article) regarding northern deer herds (primarilly UP Michigan info). This guy knows quite a bit and writes facinating material. Always wanted to meet him.

Re: Biggest factor inducing deer to yard up?

Posted: Sat Jan 14, 2012 8:02 am
by mn5503
I have to go with food on this one. Around here they will yard up in cedar swamps and feed on the cedar branches. It's a tough winter when cedar trees become the food of choice.