BSK
Well-Known Member
Makes as much sense as any.
Mature Bucks, Trail Cams and New Properties
- Thread starter DeerCamp
- Start date
BSK
Well-Known Member
And if I can add even more confusion to the story of seasonal ranges, some other interesting findings from GPS collar studies:
A deer's annual range is defined in research as the closest 95% of GPS positions a deer wearing a collar generates in a year. A map of a deer's annual range can end up being VERY strange, not a circle or an ellipse as many people envision. Often the annual range is made up of separate sections. Basically, it often is a conglomerate of the deer's separate seasonal ranges, and these seasonal ranges might not even touch each other. Then after throwing in all these different seasonal ranges, for bucks their rut range has to be accounted for. Most bucks end up doubling the area they cover for the rut compared to all of the areas they use the rest of the year. Some bucks simply expand their travels outward from their fall ranges, making their total range twice as large. But some bucks do some truly strange things, like up and leave their normal fall range and find a completely different range to spend the 6 weeks of peak breeding before returning to their normal fall range post-rut. And this separate rut range can literally be miles away from their normal range. So you end up with a cluster of seasonal ranges in one area, and a big rut range in a completely different area. Now most of the time, these separate rut ranges are traditional, in that the buck goes to the same distant rut range every year. But I've also seen examples of bucks that choose a different distant rut range every year. Their seasonal ranges are the same year to year, but they move to a new location each rut, never choosing the same rut range twice in their lifetime.
Trying to figure out buck movements will make you realize there are so many "exceptions to the rule" that exceptions to the rule become the rule!
A deer's annual range is defined in research as the closest 95% of GPS positions a deer wearing a collar generates in a year. A map of a deer's annual range can end up being VERY strange, not a circle or an ellipse as many people envision. Often the annual range is made up of separate sections. Basically, it often is a conglomerate of the deer's separate seasonal ranges, and these seasonal ranges might not even touch each other. Then after throwing in all these different seasonal ranges, for bucks their rut range has to be accounted for. Most bucks end up doubling the area they cover for the rut compared to all of the areas they use the rest of the year. Some bucks simply expand their travels outward from their fall ranges, making their total range twice as large. But some bucks do some truly strange things, like up and leave their normal fall range and find a completely different range to spend the 6 weeks of peak breeding before returning to their normal fall range post-rut. And this separate rut range can literally be miles away from their normal range. So you end up with a cluster of seasonal ranges in one area, and a big rut range in a completely different area. Now most of the time, these separate rut ranges are traditional, in that the buck goes to the same distant rut range every year. But I've also seen examples of bucks that choose a different distant rut range every year. Their seasonal ranges are the same year to year, but they move to a new location each rut, never choosing the same rut range twice in their lifetime.
Trying to figure out buck movements will make you realize there are so many "exceptions to the rule" that exceptions to the rule become the rule!
peytoncreekhunter
Well-Known Member
Interesting that the bucks that will go to different ranges year after year survive. Seeing that they don't know the terrain they are going to, where the thickets are, where to run to etc.
Wonder if those bucks have a lesser life expectancy than those that stick to a "defined" yearly home range?
Wonder if those bucks have a lesser life expectancy than those that stick to a "defined" yearly home range?
DoubleRidge
Well-Known Member
Very interesting thread.....in years past we've had mature bucks in velvet...then we're fortunate that fall to kill them in the same area....home bodys....didn't travel much.
Then for certain we've had mature bucks in velvet...then in November they disappear....may get pics of them later in year...may never see them again.
And lastly....we've taken mature bucks that we had zero pictures of....never seen them once until the day they were killed.
Interesting to study on.
Then for certain we've had mature bucks in velvet...then in November they disappear....may get pics of them later in year...may never see them again.
And lastly....we've taken mature bucks that we had zero pictures of....never seen them once until the day they were killed.
Interesting to study on.
BSK
Well-Known Member
You would have to assume so.
BSK
Well-Known Member
If you watch trail-camera data from year to year closely, each property generally sees a similar pattern of when bucks leave and when bucks show up in the fall and through the rut. Each property will have its own unique pattern. The one thing that can dramatically alter a property's pattern is a major change in habitat.
