Showing posts with label treats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label treats. Show all posts

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

How to Keep Deer from Being Afraid of Darting

Make Darting Deer Easier I pulled a dead doe and dead fawn out today. More EHD. Getting used to the stench of death. Darted 7. One young buck comes up for cookies. I darted him out the front door with it barely cracked open after I through him a pile of cookies. As a note for those who dart, everyone knows how difficult it can be to dart multiple times. Even others in the pen start to get nervous. I like to shoot from inside the truck with the gun propped low on the door frame in an open window. As soon as I dart I start throwing cookies. Often the darted deer comes up with the dart still hanging out to eat them. I get out with the gun while they are eating so they can see it while they are getting treats. I studied deer behavior for two masters degrees and that education included studies on many animal behaviors. I took two courses on training horses through behavior modification. Darting is a negative stimulus. Feeding cookies is a positive one. Feeding cookies after darting reinforces a positive influence that will help override the negative one. I'm getting plenty of practice but I'd like for it to be over!!!