MSU Deer Lab

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MSU Deer Lab The MSU Deer Lab is an educational unit of Mississippi State University focused on white-tailed deer ecology, research, management, and education.

A week has passed, so let’s take note of how Buck 13’s movements have changed. Recall that the area in the Northeast cor...
10/07/2026

A week has passed, so let’s take note of how Buck 13’s movements have changed. Recall that the area in the Northeast corner of his range is a soybean plot, although the satellite imagery wasn’t available to display this.

His daytime bedding area has shifted west by about 200 yards but he’s entering from the east on both occasions. Our bedding area analyses have shown that roughly 50% of buck bedding areas are only used one time. What else do you notice?

10/07/2026

The Largest Whitetail Culling Study Ever Conducted

Jacob and Eric discuss the largest whitetail culling study ever conducted with Dr. Randy DeYoung. They talk about the monster project and the unexpected findings.

10/05/2026

Have questions about wildlife management?

Join MDWFP, MSU Extension, and MSU DeerLab for an Ask a Biologist Q&A Event on October 15 in Cleveland! Bring your questions and learn from biologists about deer, waterfowl, turkey, quail, and small game, habitat management, pollinators, nuisance species, and more.

📅 October 15, 2026
⏰ 6–8 p.m. | Check-in at 5:30 p.m.
📍 MSU Extension Office - Cleveland
💲 $10 registration fee, including a catered meal

Register by October 12 to secure your meal ticket.

You can register here - https://reg.extension.msstate.edu/reg/event_page.aspx?ek=0081-0004-91097E340B1A4479B2B9312A74058B9F

Come join us for an evening event. There's sure to be plenty of interesting questions and discussions.
10/05/2026

Come join us for an evening event. There's sure to be plenty of interesting questions and discussions.

Let’s take a closer look at Buck 13’s whereabouts on the first day of hunting season. Buck 13 was wearing a GPS collar t...
10/01/2026

Let’s take a closer look at Buck 13’s whereabouts on the first day of hunting season. Buck 13 was wearing a GPS collar that was recording his location every 15 minutes, so these 96 points represent 24 hours of movement.

It’s worth noting that the satellite imagery is more recent than his movements, so even though it looks like he was spending his early mornings in a block of timber, that was actually a soybean field when these points were recorded. Refer to our recent posts highlighting Buck 13’s movements for extra info.

Early season is all about food-cover patterns for most bucks. Most bucks we’ve studied are not as nocturnal as Buck 13 during early October. He is the exception rather than the rule. However, if you knew which 5-10-acre bedding area he prefers, you would be able to catch him coming in and out during legal hours.

10/01/2026

If you've not yet had the opportunity to check out this podcast, then give it a go. Dr. Gino D'Angelo and Lisa Jorge from the UGA Deer Lab join Jacob and Eric to discuss innovative research on deer fencing and urban deer management. They share insights into how fences affect deer behavior and how science is informing fence design.

09/24/2026

Episode 106 – Deer Biomechanics and Deer-Friendly Fencing

In this episode, Dr. Gino D'Angelo and Lisa Jorge from the UGA Deer Lab join Jacob and Eric to discuss innovative research on deer fencing and urban deer management. They share insights into how fences affect deer behavior and how science is shaping fence design.

09/18/2026

Nick Walton’s Master’s degree research with the MSU Deer Lab is evaluating various deer repellents for soybeans.

His project is aimed at determining which chemical repellents are effective at discouraging deer from grazing on popular Mississippi row crops, such as soybeans, cotton, and corn, and which repellents are the most cost-effective for producers.

His final results should be available in 2028, but we will continue to provide updates throughout the project.

09/16/2026

Episode 105 – Adaptive Strategies to Manage CWD in Missouri

Jacob and Eric sit down with Jason Sumners, Director of the Missouri Department of Conservation, to discuss deer management, landowner collaboration, and adaptive strategies to address CWD.

We posted a photo in late June of Buzz and Woody showing how much difference you might see in antler characteristics, ev...
09/11/2026

We posted a photo in late June of Buzz and Woody showing how much difference you might see in antler characteristics, even in twins. Buzz (right) and Woody (Left) are twin 4-year-old brothers, were born within 10 minutes of each other, share the same mother AND father, and eat the same high-protein pelleted feed.

Bucks across the Southeast are wrapping up antler development, and the resources they consume late summer and early fall will fuel their bodies as they prepare to travel over 4 miles each day during peak rut.

Have your habitat management efforts allowed bucks on your property to maximize their potential as gnarly studs or are you forcing them to settle for doink status?

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Mississippi State University
Starkville, MS
39762

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