Deer that must survive…..

[redblood]

To me the hardest part of managing for big deer is trying to keep top end young deer alive. This deer has been consistently present on all my tracts where i live. One of the best 3.5s i have seen. Also, dumb as a hammer. My heart skipped a beat a bit on sunday when i got a pic of a very similar young buck that was killed right across the main road. While i knew they had some differences in antler characteristics, they were very close and both young. Luckily, he was very active on camera last night so i knew he survived. So my question. What can you do? It seems some value antler siZe more than maturity. I know its a question that doesnt have a solid answer.

 

[timberjack86]

He's going to be a monster if he lives, But I've never been in that situation. I'm more focused on backstrap size lol

 

[tree_ghost]

To me the hardest part of managing for big deer is trying to keep top end young deer alive. This deer has been consistently present on all my tracts where i live. One of the best 3.5s i have seen. Also, dumb as a hammer. My heart skipped a beat a bit on sunday when i got a pic of a very similar young buck that caught right across the main road. While i knew they had some differences in antler characteristics, they were very close and both young. Luckily, he was very active on camera last night so i knew he survived. So my question. What can you do? It seems some value antler siZe more than maturity. I know its a question that doesnt have a solid answer.

Seems to me like your doing a good job. I'd say the best thing possible to influence him hanging around your place is food. Give him lots and lots of good food. It's impossible to get everyone around you bought in on your style of management. Some individuals value other aspects of hunting compared to yourself. Don't sweat it. I don't have any large pieces of ground to manage the herd on but I've seen a pile of deer I would have given an arm and a leg to see make it one more year proudly displayed on another hunters wall as their best buck to date. Pretty boy right there. Interested to follow along with him over the remainder of the season and see how it shakes out!

 

[TNlandowner]

To me the hardest part of managing for big deer is trying to keep top end young deer alive.... So my question. What can you do?

My best advice is give him the best protective cover and food around. These efforts will help, but soon he will roam in search of a hot doe. Some folks have successfully established goals to protect young bucks with neighboring land owners. I tried forming an agreement, but found folks still shooting 1.5 year old bucks

 

[gasman]

Nothing really you can do except hope that no one else shoots him. But if they do choose to shoot him, its nothing wrong with that either.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

My best advice is give him the best protective cover and food around.

Agreed - food and cover. Other than that, it is out of your hands

 

[Specializedjon]

Just post pictures of him around the property and ask nicely that no one shoots him. Probably a 1.5% chance that'll work.

Good lookin dude. Hope to see pics next year of that beast.

 

[arickettsjr]

Just post pictures of him around the property and ask nicely that no one shoots him. Probably a 1.5% chance that'll work.

Good lookin dude. Hope to see pics next year of that beast.

Better yet, post the coordinates of your camera too so people know specifically where to avoid

 

[Specializedjon]

Better yet, post the coordinates of your camera too so people know specifically where to avoid

^^Better idea^^

 

[BSK]

When managing large properties - thousands of acres - management is just about providing everything deer need to maximize their growth. However, when working with smaller properties - less than a thousand acres - the focus becomes more about keeping animals within the confines of the management during deer season as much as possible. This means providing what deer most want once hunting pressure sets in, and that means lots of great cover. Hunter-wary bucks will go to cover in daylight once the pressure is on. They will make long treks at night to access food, but will try to be back in thick cover by daylight. Keeping hunter-wary bucks on a single track of land gets even more complicated when the managed property experiences more hunting pressure than the surrounding properties. But again, thick sanctuary cover is the answer.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Only thing I think will help hold bucks, is food, cover, and of course does. Some are still going to roam. Wish I had enough ground to attempt to manage.

 

[redblood]

My best advice is give him the best protective cover and food around. These efforts will help, but soon he will roam in search of a hot doe. Some folks have successfully established goals to protect young bucks with neighboring land owners. I tried forming an agreement, but found folks still shooting 1.5 year old bucks

I have ceratinly done that. 16 acres of beans, another 4 acres of rye, wheat, turnips and clover. Only did one cutting of hay (may) so fields grew back over and have not hunted the farm a single time. Hunting other farms instead.


Here another youngster using the opposite side of the farm that is on the protection list

 

[Gravey]

Food and bedding would be my answer. Other than that it's out of your hands. Everybody has different "shooter" standards so when you pass him knowing the next guy might kill him it's just part of it. Either have to accept it or kill him if you see him.

 

[megalomaniac]

Nothing you can do except pass them up yourself, and hope the neighbors tag out on other bucks before the top end 3.5yo.

I dont have any giants (140in +) this year. In fact, my top 2 highest scoring bucks (both low to mid 130s) are 3.5. I don't expect either one to survive past Nov 15th.

 

[JArender]

Food and bedding would be my answer. Other than that it's out of your hands. Everybody has different "shooter" standards so when you pass him knowing the next guy might kill him it's just part of it. Either have to accept it or kill him if you see him.

this is one of those I hope to see in a year or two still walking around. tons of potential. ive passed him twice with bow and since the bachelor groups have split up he's gone nocturnal for the most part. hope he stays that way but the rut is knocking on the door so all bets are out the window. I have the food water and cover and very little pressure along with a healthy doe population

 

[JCDEERMAN]

this is one of those I hope to see in a year or two still walking around. tons of potential. ive passed him twice with bow and since the bachelor groups have split up he's gone nocturnal for the most part. hope he stays that way but the rut is knocking on the door so all bets are out the window. I have the food water and cover and very little pressure along with a healthy doe population View attachment 117026

TONS of potential with that deer!

 

[redblood]

this is one of those I hope to see in a year or two still walking around. tons of potential. ive passed him twice with bow and since the bachelor groups have split up he's gone nocturnal for the most part. hope he stays that way but the rut is knocking on the door so all bets are out the window. I have the food water and cover and very little pressure along with a healthy doe population View attachment 117026

No doubt. He needs to live!

 

[Ski]

Unfortunately I don't think there's anything you can do. Bucks will leave even if you have all the food, cover, and girls. I've noticed certain bucks spend certain times of the year on my place then disappear the rest of the year. Some summer there then leave in fall. Some spend fall there. Some come to stay the winter & leave when green up comes. Others leave when does start dropping fawns. Actually mother does seem to chase certain bucks away. Deer have an incredibly complex social structure that I don't totally understand. And each one has its own personality. If you can figure out how to keep a buck at your place then share the secret because I'd love to know!

 

[BSK]

Unfortunately I don't think there's anything you can do.

I would whole-heartedly disagree with that.

If you can figure out how to keep a buck at your place then share the secret because I'd love to know!

Been doing it for clients for years. Once again, the answer is sanctuary cover, thick cover that is not entered by Man. Older, more hunter-wary bucks are exceptionally good at finding sanctuary from hunters, and using those areas during daylight hours.

 

[BSK]

I've noticed certain bucks spend certain times of the year on my place then disappear the rest of the year. Some summer there then leave in fall. Some spend fall there. Some come to stay the winter & leave when green up comes. Others leave when does start dropping fawns. Actually mother does seem to chase certain bucks away. Deer have an incredibly complex social structure that I don't totally understand. And each one has its own personality.

The social dynamics, and seasonal range-shifting of both males and females has been documented in many GPS collar studies. The summer grouping of bucks in bachelor groups, the shift from summer to fall range right around antler velvet shedding, the dominance of fawn-rearing does over bucks, the expansion of buck ranges around the rut, and unique temporary rut ranges by bucks, and even the tendency for most bucks to go "walk-about" at least once during the rut are surprisingly well understood. Although as, you stated, every deer is an individual, and can display odd or unique behavior.