# Axis Deer survival/ South Texas



## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

I am having a hard time getting Axis deer to survive in Goliad county. They keep dying from unknown causes. 

Has anyone else had similar problems with them?


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## garrettryan (Oct 11, 2004)

Ive seen a lot of them die from Bullets.. 




Maybe talk to a biologist


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## Texas Jeweler (Nov 6, 2007)

Hmmm...I know they do well as far south as Sinton.


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## BigPig069 (May 20, 2006)

They thrive well on a couple ranches I know off South of George West, I would try to talk to a Biologist in your area!!!!


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## El Sauz (Aug 14, 2009)

Did you buy all the dead axis from the same place?

Generally the farther south you go, the better the axis do. Most exotics cant handle really cold areas, and a freeze can kill alot. As for your ranch, the area itself shouldnt have anything to do with the axis dropping dead. There are axis deer all over that area and farther south on various ranches....


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

Is this from winter kill by any chance, or are they dieing during temperate weather?


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

Lost one last week, it was warm. Not sure what happened found him after the buzzards had taken their share.
He was a yearling, with buttons.

I have released 10 and after two years I have five left. He was the only fawn that has survived. I also lost 4 does. 

I guess it is possible he was shot, but, I found him close to the house and I doubt it. I an thinking they are eating a poisonous weed, or, getting some disease.

I am not seeing any kind of die off of whitetails, so this is puzzling.


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## BigBuck (Mar 2, 2005)

*Axis*

In what kind of shape are the ones you have left? Did anyone see the ones that died looking sick, or did they just up and die? Several diseases kill within 48 hours of symptoms, but most take a while to kill. What about predators? If they were raised on a farm, they may be easy for dogs or other predators to catch, especially the young ones. I do not know if TP&W will help with an exoctic species, but the county extention agent should be able to give some advice.
Hope you can get it figured before you lose any more.
BB


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## AvianQuest (Feb 7, 2006)

Just got back from the Y.O. Ranch and during a meeting with one of their wildlife biologists, the subject of winter kill of axis deer was brought up. They lost quite a few this past winter. 

Axis deer are a subtropical species native to India and extended cold weather can wreak havoc on them. The composition of the base of their antlers lends them to be prone to freezing and then the cold travels down through the skull and freezes the brain. 

Doesn't sound like that's the direct cause you are dealing with, unless it's latent damage.


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## outtotrout09 (Apr 21, 2009)

Too Many Yotes Down South & North. I have a friend that bought 30 and released them in a high fence place on Trinity river bottoms by Corsicanna and they were all dead within 2 weeks. The axis deer came from Juction area and we dont have many coyotes around there. So I dont know if they were not used to getting away from them or what. That might be the problem or Disease.


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## outtotrout09 (Apr 21, 2009)

AvianQuest said:


> The composition of the base of their antlers lends them to be prone to freezing and then the cold travels down through the skull and freezes the brain.
> 
> QUOTE]
> 
> That is very Intresting Thanks for sharing


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## M16 (May 28, 2008)

Our neighbor in LaSalle county stocked some on his ranch. The coyotes eventually got them all. His blackbucks didn't do any better.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

I lost two more ( both does) over the past few days, Found one yesterday that had died within the past few hours.
They are in good shape, and they all hit the protein hard.
So now I have two bucks and one doe left out of ten head. 

I suspect it HAS to be either disease, or, they are eating a toxic weed. Impossible to tell unless you find them right away and get a vet involved. 

I guess In Goliad county they are a no go for me. Time to harvest the ones that are left I guess. Too bad, I wanted to have a big enough herd to be able to take a few each year for the freezer.

FYI, no sign whatsoever of any whitetail die off.


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## Bukkskin (Oct 21, 2009)

bigfishtx said:


> I lost two more ( both does) over the past few days, Found one yesterday that had died within the past few hours.
> They are in good shape, and they all hit the protein hard.
> So now I have two bucks and one doe left out of ten head.
> 
> ...


We were wanting to do the same.

For the love of the "Deer Gods", call your extention agent and TP&W and see if they can help you figure it out.


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

I called them aTm can do a bioposy but the deer must be fresh dead, no decay. That is a problem with the warm weather, need to find them within 8 hrs of death, and you and I both know the buzzrds usually ppint them out to us, and usually way to late. Wish I had put the carcass in the cooler when I found it. 

One poster said something about cold weather, I guess that could be it, but, it has had a delayed action if it is. Still think it is a toxic weed. Or maybe a clostritium disease.


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## kweber (Sep 20, 2005)

bigfishtx said:


> I called them aTm can do a bioposy but the deer must be fresh dead, no decay. That is a problem with the warm weather, need to find them within 8 hrs of death, and you and I both know the buzzrds usually ppint them out to us, and usually way to late. Wish I had put the carcass in the cooler when I found it.
> 
> One poster said something about cold weather, I guess that could be it, but, it has had a delayed action if it is. Still think it is a toxic weed. Or maybe a clostritium disease.


you may be on to something... i did a google search and deer can be subseptible to blackleg and maligment edema
as in cattle the young are most subsestible..


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

Fast forward another two months and now I have 0 Axis deer left.

I was down to two big bucks and one doe. I saw them every day, they spent a lot of time up by the house. The last time I saw any of them was almost 3 weeks ago.

Last time I saw them they were healthy. 

No sign of poaching. No buzzards (it is possible they could have died in thick cover and I missed the buzzards). 

These two bucks were big guys, I doubt it if a coyote could take one, so if it was taken by predators, then it was more than likely a big cat.

My bet is these animals started eating a poisonous weed. Not sure why, other than drought.

It is also possible the two bucks hooked up fighting and both died. That does not explain the last female disappearing.

Well, my experiment with Axis deer is over. I never got to put a single on in the freezer. Bummer.

I guess next winter I will spend some time looking for the remains.


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## BigBuck (Mar 2, 2005)

*Axis*

Are the axis innoculated against anything when you buy them? You can innoculate cattle against anthrax, bluetounge, blackleg, things like that. If you ever have them captive, I wonder if you could dose them up before release? I know we lose a few deer every year to blue tounge, most deer have antibodies built up in order to survive.
Sorry for your loss. That is a bummer, I love axis meat.
BB


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## surfspeck (Jun 7, 2006)

If you released a bunch of hill country axis in a completely different area of Texas such as S Texas and DIDNT keep them in a relatively small area (+/-50 acre pen) with supplemental feed and allow them to learn how to eat the "new" natural food sources before turning them out on the larger pasture, that could be your problem. Ive heard of pen raised whitetail dying off from similar circumstances from being immediately turned out to a large pasture without knowing how to eat the native forbes and browse. Just a thought....


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## bigfishtx (Jul 17, 2007)

These deer were there for over a year, and, were supposed to have come off of a south texas ranch. That is what makes the deal really strange. The dealer may have bought them elsewhere though, you never know. He brought them in in two groups, and he told me he had been down around Kingsville trapping them. 

I keep supplemental free choice protein out year round, and they knew how to eat, the deer were always in good shape, with no sign of malnutrition. 

They had come out of a large pasture, not pen raised. 

I agree if they came from a yote free area that could be a problem, but, the dealer did not indicate that.

I dunno, I may try buying another small group from a different dealer and see what happens.


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## Gruengo (Dec 22, 2009)

garrettryan said:


> Ive seen a lot of them die from Bullets..


BWAHAHAHA!


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