Every successful hunt is a learning experience. On top of all the excitement from the hunt, we can also gain information for our next hunt.

This image is a great example of how preferred food sources can quickly change. This shows the stomach content of  two bucks that were harvested 12 days apart (Swoops 12/22 and Center 8 1/03) out of the same plot. Notice how Swoops’ rumen content is brown and primarily acorns with some milo seeds while Center 8 had been eating much more green forage. We call this “scouting from the skinning shed”.

The best way to determine what deer are eating in any habitat is to simply inspect the rumen (stomach) content of a hunter harvested, road killed, etc. deer. This information is current and 100% accurate for that location because deer are selective feeders. They tend to eat the best food available within their range.