Anyone else seeing an inordinate amount of fat on their animals?

[CplRaines]

Stuck this doe on Tuesday and when I skinned her out, found a THICK layer of fat on her back. I've never seen this much during the early archery season here on the Coyle unit. Makes me think it is going to be an early, harsh winter.

First blood on my Carbon element.
Hunting some private property on the Coyle. Hit her at 40 yds. The arrow went through the ribs on the right side and out the shoulder plate on the left. The broadhead was sticking out the left side and fletchings the other when she ran a short ways. She fell over on the broadhead and pushed the arrow back toward the nock. Mt. Vesuvius (sp?) occured for a short time around the arrow shaft as she expired.

That's gonna be alot of good jerky.

[h20hunter]

Hmmm....


That is a nice fatty...

The bro in laws doe was lean as lean gets.

[snowpack]

I was wondering the other day if folks were seeing a lot more fat already.  With all the rain there's been so much extra growth when usually it would still be dry and less browse.  Just wondering if it was showing up in the animals already.

[seth30]

I got a doe on the 2nd of Sep and there was almost no fat on her.  When do they pick up there eating and start putting the fat on? 

[CplRaines]

Normally I have only seen this amount of fat on blackies around my area during Modern firearm late season - mid Nov.

[sakoshooter]

I just cut my blacktail doe up yesterday and there wasn't an ounce of fat on her. Leanest carcass I think I've ever butchered.
I'm used to seeing a lot of fat on the mule deer I've brought home.

[huntnphool]

abundance of food and fewer animals consuming it, shouldnt be a surprise.

[Button Nubbs]

My bull this year normal. the one I got last year was a chunk but I think he was gettin ready to rumble. Maybe some animals are just "big boned" like we are. survival of the fittest type thinh?

[Mtn.Ghost]

I skinned out 4 deer from the Methow area and they were all very lean almost no fat.
Thought it was kind of strange considering we got into some snow up high on 9/26 and saw a few possible migratory deer, very large and very dark coats compared to the ones down lower. Cold weather is real close and I think the deer I have seen are lacking the fat they need for some reason no idea how fast they can put it on. 

[jrebel]

My buddies buck looked just like that as well it had hug fat deposits in its arm pits / front quarters....more than I have ever seen on an early or late season deer.

My doe shot two days later was extremely lean.  No fat....Same area and elevation.

[BOWHUNTER45]

That's crazy for a blacktail to have that much fat on it...Obviously it was eating something good to get that way  Good job 

[KimWar1911]

My buddy stuck a good sized doe a week into the season and when I was skinning it was fat just like that

[Boss .300 winmag]

I got a doe on the 2nd of Sep and there was almost no fat on her.  When do they pick up there eating and start putting the fat on?

Island deer don't get a lot of fat on them typically, the bucks do get it more than the does.

[buckfvr]

That's crazy for a blacktail to have that much fat on it...Obviously it was eating something good to get that way  Good job 

Its more about abundance of feed and age of deer......if you have both, you have more accumulated fat.  My experience is its not unusual at all.

[Sportfury]

My dad shot a blacktail years ago that had a ton of fat on him like your doe. If I remember correctly we had quite a bit of snow that winter.

[Skyvalhunter]

Not necessarily an indication especially with the bucks as we haven't even hit the rut when most bucks loose their body fat. Might also be an exceptional year for nutrient feed to put on more body fat. Too many factors  what the upcoming winter will be like to base animals body fat on. They can't read the future and don't deal in Taro cards

[Old Man Yager]

Maybe it's got to do with the deer's age? Just like us, they get a little more on them each year?

[CoryTDF]

My buck was a fatty!

[PolarBear]

A backyard pet deer will tend to have more fat on it than one from deep in the woods.
With that said, the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a ton of snow for the Pacific NW this winter.

[Boss .300 winmag]

A backyard pet deer will tend to have more fat on it than one from deep in the woods.
With that said, the Farmer's Almanac is predicting a ton of snow for the Pacific NW this winter.

Loki your deer must be anorexic ! 

[Bigtine96]

The buck we got yesterday had alot of fat on him

[CoryTDF]

To the OP

Did you just stick that arrow back in the deer for the picture?

[Hilltop123]

On top of what has already been stated........was the doe, barren?  If no fawn, than the body will use food for fat production not milk production, some fawns are still nursing.... just a thought

[CplRaines]

To the OP

Did you just stick that arrow back in the deer for the picture?

If you had read the text before the pic, you would see where I wrote that the broadhead and portion of the shaft was sticking out the left side. When she fell over and did her death twitches, the arrow was pushed back toward the nock.

On top of what has already been stated........was the doe, barren?  If no fawn, than the body will use food for fat production not milk production, some fawns are still nursing.... just a thought

She was with another doe. No fawns around that I could find.