buck460XVR
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
- Messages
- 10,091
Most deer will live and die within a one square mile radius of where they were born. Only thing that drives them from that area is lack of food and pressure from predators......two legged and four. In the case of bucks, the strong instinct to procreate makes them extend their home range during the rut and pre-rut. I have personally witnessed bucks(with obvious characteristic racks) as far as 4 miles between the spots where he was seen. This is why one generally sees so many more bucks during the rut and pre-rut. They are not just cruising for does, they may be establishing new territory because they are being pushed out by other bucks or there is not enough does to go around. Thus one is seeing bucks that are outside of their normal home range. That same drive makes them move during daylight hours, not only making them vulnerable to hunters, but just more visible overall. Once the rut is over(naturally or because of hunting pressure), they return to those home ranges and go nocturnal again. The deer may be there, but just aren't visible. Deer are very pressure sensitive and attuned to what goes on in their surroundings. They also pattern humans and their habits quickly when exposed to them. I have witnessed deer getting up and leaving an area from the sound/sight of a truck pulling into a field access, long before the sound of vehicle doors slamming is heard. Those same deer stayed relaxed in their beds when it was a tractor pulling in.
Regardless of how good the photographs are, it takes feet on the ground to really know what deer habits are in any given area. While escape routes are more readily identified, those escape routes only work when the deer are pressured(as in opening weekend) and they are being pushed. Big bucks in heavily pressured areas don't take the same trails as the rest of the herd, many times taking routes that are harder to get thru and offer more cover. These trail are hard to see in the woods other than in relatively wet areas or when there is snow on the ground. Old snow or areas that are constantly moist are good for finding these trails because they are used so infrequently. The photographs did not tell me where the mast trees were or what kind of mast they are. There were fields that looked as if they may have hay taken off, but could just be marginal pasture. Many times when loggers select cut, they take the best of the mast trees and do not open enough of the woods up for new dense growth or the regrowth of preferred browse. Identifying food preferences while important, sometimes is tough. Especially when we are talking big woods without a Ag field for a draw. Deer have a preference for specific acorns and sometimes for acorns from a specific tree. But if there are acorns everywhere, as in big woods, deer will eat where they are at and least pressured. Thus jump them outta a spot on your way in and outta stand several times and they move to another Oak grove and don't come back unless driven back. Often, they will come back to those areas after hunting season to finish what's left of the acorn crop. When acorns are scarce, knowing where any acorns are can be a hotspot. Knowing what other browse the deer in the area prefer can tell you where they will be when the weather turns cold and they need energy. One area of big woods I hunt is dotted with small swamps and wetlands. On the edges of those there are areas of wintergreen that deer prefer when the snow is deep and the temperatures are cold. The areas are small and widely dispersed, but when the deer are there, all the deer in the area are there, and not bedding far away. Sometimes it's the small things you notice that makes the difference.
Regardless of how good the photographs are, it takes feet on the ground to really know what deer habits are in any given area. While escape routes are more readily identified, those escape routes only work when the deer are pressured(as in opening weekend) and they are being pushed. Big bucks in heavily pressured areas don't take the same trails as the rest of the herd, many times taking routes that are harder to get thru and offer more cover. These trail are hard to see in the woods other than in relatively wet areas or when there is snow on the ground. Old snow or areas that are constantly moist are good for finding these trails because they are used so infrequently. The photographs did not tell me where the mast trees were or what kind of mast they are. There were fields that looked as if they may have hay taken off, but could just be marginal pasture. Many times when loggers select cut, they take the best of the mast trees and do not open enough of the woods up for new dense growth or the regrowth of preferred browse. Identifying food preferences while important, sometimes is tough. Especially when we are talking big woods without a Ag field for a draw. Deer have a preference for specific acorns and sometimes for acorns from a specific tree. But if there are acorns everywhere, as in big woods, deer will eat where they are at and least pressured. Thus jump them outta a spot on your way in and outta stand several times and they move to another Oak grove and don't come back unless driven back. Often, they will come back to those areas after hunting season to finish what's left of the acorn crop. When acorns are scarce, knowing where any acorns are can be a hotspot. Knowing what other browse the deer in the area prefer can tell you where they will be when the weather turns cold and they need energy. One area of big woods I hunt is dotted with small swamps and wetlands. On the edges of those there are areas of wintergreen that deer prefer when the snow is deep and the temperatures are cold. The areas are small and widely dispersed, but when the deer are there, all the deer in the area are there, and not bedding far away. Sometimes it's the small things you notice that makes the difference.