llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Jun 24, 2004 19:02:43 GMT -5
I turned the corner to my house today and there was a whole herd of Axis deer grazing. I counted 30 in one spot - does with their little ones and another 7 across the way, then this guy!  I was so glad to see him. This is the first time I have seen him this year and thought some hunter or car had gotten him. He is so beautiful! Wish I could have gotten a bit closer but, as you can see, he saw me and I was lucky he stood still long enough for me to get this shot. The other buck is actually a little bit bigger, but his rack has a long way to go to catch up with Big Buck. I have been throwing out apple scented deer corn, so I expect I will be having these visitors and their families over quite often! llana BTW, these guys are GOOD eatin' too! Better than white tail. I couldn't ever shoot one, but I'll sure eat one if someone else does the shootin' and butcherin'!  |
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Post by cookie3rocks on Jun 24, 2004 19:29:20 GMT -5
Llana, those are beautiful! not your garden variety deer. They look like something youl'd see in Africa. How does he hold his head up with that rack  Thanks for sharing, cookie |
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Post by sandsman1 on Jun 24, 2004 19:36:44 GMT -5
WOW is all i can say i dont get to see to much great stuff like that in person living in the city mostly squirls and dirty pidgins hahaha---very proud lookin buck
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Jun 24, 2004 19:56:26 GMT -5
The Axis are not native to this area. They are an exotic deer, but I am not sure where they come from. When I first moved back here in '90, there were a few of them around, and each year they multiplied. Now there are thousands of them. They are beautiful animals, quite tasty and can be hunted year around - if ya' can afford it! I think it's about $1500.00 to hunt one. They really are getting too abundant. They eat EVERYTHING, the white tails are a bit more particular about what they eat and the Axis are consuming the white tail food and many of them are going hungry - esp. during the dry summers when there isn't much to eat. I have NEVER seen an Axis with its ribs showing, no so for the white tails. Here at the RV park, we have both white tail and axis and everybody throws out corn for them, but the white tails don't come right up in the middle of the park like the Axis do. They stay out in the tall grass in the field between here and the river. I have all sorts of critters around. Rabbits, squirrels, deer, tons of birds, armadillos, possum (UCK - those are some nasty little critters!), racoons and tons of birds - hummers, cardinals, doves, blue jays, painted buntings (I haven't ever seen one of those out my front door, but other people have seen them around here.) And I sure don't want to forget the scorpins, spiders and snakes! But, heck, I live in the country, so ya' expect to have all those critters around! My grocery list includes dog food, squirrel/rabbit food, bird food and deer corn! Their food costs more than what I buy for myself! I love living where I can look out the window and see lots of four legged critters. Don't ever want to live anyplace where when I look out my door I see lots of two legged critters!  llana |
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Jun 24, 2004 20:07:46 GMT -5
Just googled up Axis deer. They are from India and considered the most beautiful cervid (guess that means deer and/or antelope!) A taste test was done and the Axis was the top tasting meat out of 22 native and exotic wild meats. Axis meat is low in fat, calories and chosesterol and since the Axis is a tropical variety of deer they don't put on fat and there is no marbeling in the meat, nor does it have a gamey taste like the white tail. They eat mostly grass; weeds and acorns when available.
And, now you have had your lesson on the Axis! ;D
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Post by cookie3rocks on Jun 24, 2004 20:17:35 GMT -5
Llana, that's why I love it here in northGA, too. I was 40 when I moved up here and was just awestruck by the flora and fauna. The rolling hills,every kind of tree imaginable (not just pine) and critters galore. I'm a big animal lover and to have all of these beautiful creatures walking around in my yard was... I can't even discibe it. I pulled out to go to work one day and had to SLOWLY follow a wild turkey as it ambled down the middle of the road. All the animals have this "I was here first" additude so they look at you before they turn to snub you. Deer all over the place, fox,racoons, and a variety of birds that I never dreamed in my life time I would see.
And last winter we had our first local bear. Seems mom was ready to wean her 2 cubs and decided to take them out for fast food, our garbage cans! The whole neighborhood learned to open their doors very slowly and quitely for a while. A cub ran down the driveway in front of my husbands truck and he woudn't get out fo half an hour ;D
cookie
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RiverOtter
spending too much on rocks
Member since January 2004
Posts: 339
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Post by RiverOtter on Jun 24, 2004 23:39:22 GMT -5
Country livin...that's the life for me. White tail here, no axis. Coyotes, raccoons, opposums (it's really funny when they play dead and my dog fetches them up), muskrats, otters (of course ;D), and birds galore. No painted buntings but indigo. Oh and I saw our bats the other night. I was pleased to see them. Quail, no turkey in my yard but I have seen them not far away. And peacocks that wander down from the neighbors. And lets not forget the rabbits. Scared up 3 or 4 when I was out mowing the other day. I couldn't imagine any where else but the country.
Otter
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Post by rockyraccoon on Jun 25, 2004 0:56:39 GMT -5
those look like bambi with horns. my husband would love to get that population down for y'all ;D but he wouldn't want to do it the $1500 route better keep him away from there  . kim |
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Jun 25, 2004 8:33:56 GMT -5
Axis are found in almost every state, but are most abundant in Texas, Florida and Hawaii. There are really getting to be way too many here and some ranches are starting to harvest them for the meat. I personally think, since they are so abundant, that the price of hunting them should go down, but getting that $1500 fee puts alot of food on a ranchers table since the cattle biz is not exactly booming. I think there will come a day when beef is replaced by Axis meat since it is so much healthier and the government now allows it to be harvested and sold commercially.
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Post by hermatite on Jun 25, 2004 9:43:46 GMT -5
Must ...not...make..."buck stops here....pun... arrrrrgh (btw cookie - "How does he hold his head up with that rack" - if I had a nickel for everytime I heard THAT!). A lovely photo llanago...congrats.
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bschultz
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since March 2004
Posts: 234
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Post by bschultz on Jun 25, 2004 19:40:49 GMT -5
Hey Llana, do they by any chance let you hunt in your RV park?..........I didn't think so. Remember our rock hunting guide in Falls City, Paul Able. He lives in Spring Branch in the hill country and has lots of problems with the White Tails eating his tomatoes. They are too abundant and everyone in the sub-divisions out that way treat them like pets. He told me one time that all you need to deer hunt in Spring Branch is a hand full of corn and a ball peen hammer.............He said it not me!
Bob
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Post by krazydiamond on Jun 25, 2004 19:56:24 GMT -5
pretty, pretty deer.....nice photo, thanks for posting it. i had a preg white tail a few weeks ago in the yard, then witnessed the day old leggedity wonder, then the zooming toddler......haven't seen them in a few days, but then i don't encourage them as the DO eat everything. shrubs, trees, gardens.....i have a woodchuck population explosion this season, also pesky red squirrels. i was at my parents today, they pour hundreds of pounds of corn and bird seed into the environment, much to their amusement, and saw my first baby hairy woodpecker....cute little guy.
glad you are lovers of nature and critters and stuff....
KD
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donwrob
has rocks in the head
Member since June 2003
Posts: 509
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Post by donwrob on Jun 28, 2004 12:17:56 GMT -5
Llana, just caught this thread. Great pics! Those are beautiful. A question for you, do Axis shed their antlers like others in the deer family, whitetail, elk, moose and such? If so, do you hunt the sheds in late winter. I'd be interested in buying a set maybe if possible. I collect furs and antlers and other wacky stuff like that, just curious. Thanks, Don
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Jun 28, 2004 14:27:35 GMT -5
Hey Don, those are some beautiful animals, aren't they? Wish I could have gotten a pic of the fawns. They are so cute. To answer your question re: the antlers, this is from the Texas State Department of Wildlife "Axis bucks can be in hard horn any time of the year. They grow and shed antlers on their own clock so in one herd there may be a newly shed buck, a hard horn buck and a buck in the velvet. " I have no idea of where you could buy a set. I doubt seriously if someone found some they would be likely to sell them - at least for an amount anyone could afford! ;D They are prized possessions and I would be willing to bet the big ones that get found, probably get found by hunters out looking to bag a big buck with a huge rack. And then they are likely to become attached to the big buck the hunter claims to have shot. Kinda like those fish stories, ya' know. Last fall I found the body of a small buck with a little rack and a doe. Both of them had recently died and their hides had not yet been attacked by fire ants, buzzards, and such. Heck, if I would have know you then, I could have skinned those suckers and sent you the hides. Course, it would'da cost ya', big time!  |
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llanago
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since January 2004
Posts: 1,714
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Post by llanago on Jun 28, 2004 14:42:00 GMT -5
Hey Don, those are some beautiful animals, aren't they? Wish I could have gotten a pic of the fawns. They are so cute. To answer your question re: the antlers, this is from the Texas State Department of Wildlife "Axis bucks can be in hard horn any time of the year. They grow and shed antlers on their own clock so in one herd there may be a newly shed buck, a hard horn buck and a buck in the velvet. " I have no idea of where you could buy a set. I doubt seriously if someone found some they would be likely to sell them - at least for an amount anyone could afford! ;D They are prized possessions and I would be willing to bet the big ones that get found, probably get found by hunters out looking to bag a big buck with a huge rack. And then they are likely to become attached to the big buck the hunter claims to have shot. Kinda like those fish stories, ya' know. Last fall I found the body of a buck in velvet and a doe. Both of them had recently died and their hides had not yet been attacked by fire ants, buzzards, and such. Heck, if I would have known you then, I could have skinned those suckers and sent you the hides. Course, it would'da cost ya', big time! You can get an Axis hide here www.teamlzo.com/specials.htm for $75.00. And, they probably know how to skin one better than me! llana |
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