Something I've been curious about...

[MUP]

is that, when bucks are traveling as they shift during the times that they break away from bach groups, rut shift, or whatever, do they tend to find their own home territory at this time, or mostly just come back to the same bach group after season? The reason I ask is that I picked up a nice couple of bucks on cam last year that I hadn't had all season, during the rut shift, and was hoping one, or both, had taken up residence on my place.

[in the dog house!]

Good question.

Also if a mature buck has a core area will he keep it year after year or will it change?

[Diehard]

is that, when bucks are traveling as they shift during the times that they break away from bach groups, rut shift, or whatever, do they tend to find their own home territory at this time, or mostly just come back to the same bach group after season? The reason I ask is that I picked up a nice couple of bucks on cam last year that I hadn't had all season, during the rut shift, and was hoping one, or both, had taken up residence on my place.

Interesting question. One thing most people don't understand is what a "territory" actually is. A territory is an area an animal will claim and DEFEND against others of the same species. Thankfully, deer are not territorial in that way. A dominant buck will run subordinates away from a doe, but I don't think they run them out of an area. Thus, they don't have real territories. What I have noticed over the years is this. Certain areas seem to hold dominant bucks. If you remove one, another will take his place eventually. This has to do with a lot of factors like food, cover, pressure, mates, etc. So, with that said, all deer, does included, tend to shift their range (not a territory) during different times of the year. They may or may not return to the same summer/winter range, depending on the factors I mentioned above. Sometimes I think we over complicate matters by believing deer have some emotional attachment to an area. In reality, if they can meet all their requirements, they don't have pressure, and they have no reason to move, they don't. As a matter of fact, several studies have found that as a buck matures, his core area gets smaller. Some as small as a couple hundred acres. They only leave it when a need is not being met, like the walkabouts they take during the rut. So, after taking the long way around, my answer would be.....who knows. If your land meets their needs and they feel safe, they may. On the other hand, they may have been on a walkabout and then returned to that core area they called home.

[Diehard]

Good question.

Also if a mature buck has a core area will he keep it year after year or will it change?

Several studies have found that they will keep the same core area. It is the core area for a reason. It was long thought that too much pressure would drive mature bucks out of an area, but some studies have shown that in reality, the mature bucks simply decreased their core area size and didn't move much during daylight hours. That area is the core area for a reason. If that deer has met all his needs and survived there for several years, why would he leave it? Keep in mind though that each deer is an individual, and even a homebody may take an excursion when love is in the air. Think of them as young men in their twenties trawling in the bars. If they can't find what they are after in the bar usually frequent, sometimes they have to take the show on the road and look for greener pastures. When they have "scratched that itch" they will return to where they felt safest.

I might add, this is one reason post season scouting is so important! If you know where those core areas are well before season starts, you have several months to devise a game plan. I love hunting during the rut, but I also believe one of the best times to kill a mature buck is during archery season when they may still be on a summer feeding pattern and hunting pressure is at a minimum.

[Phil1979]

Good info. Thanks.

[AllOutdoors]

love this forum good info right there

Yep. Some good info!

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[timberjack86]

Good info. Thanks!!

[in the dog house!]

Thanks DH