Delayed seasonal range shift

[BSK]

For some reason, the annual range-shift many deer in my area display is delayed. Normally, bucks break up from the their bachelor groups at velvet shedding and head for their fall range. I usually start picking up a flood of these "new" bucks in mid-September. But so far, nothing. Acorn drop and the harvesting of nearby cropland also drives deer into the hills. Acorns are falling now, but crops are only just starting to be cut (saw first combine running yesterday). What's worse is the acorns have the deer off the food plots, so it's hard to get a good photo census.

But the one positive is the number of does and fawns this year. WAY up over previous years. That certainly can't hurt come the rut.

 

[Thelonegoose]

Interesting. In my neck of the woods, I thought the shift occurred early. I started noticing the split-offs in very early September. If there was a bachelor group of 3, one stuck around and the other two went for greener pastures somewhere. Around early to mid September, I noticed an influx of "new" bucks appearing on camera.

 

[megalomaniac]

Range shift is late on my farms as well. The 4.5yo killed this morn was still in his bachelor group with a 3.5yo 10, and 3 2.5yos. We've had a couple new bucks shift on, but we've usually picked up a dozen by now. The bucks that usually shift off haven't yet. They are still in their typical summer patterns, with bachelor groups moving in daylight (usually everything 3.5 or older is completely nocturnal now)

Not sure why it's behind schedule this year... but it def is. Had I known this was going to happen, I would have made the trip up to hunt this weekend. Normally, there is about a 0.001% chance of seeing a mature buck in daylight after the velvet is off... but my cameras have been catching them every morning after sunrise and every evening before sunset.... just like mid summer patterns.

 

[Boll Weevil]

I've seen a range shift on my farm for a different reason…there's a new 400ac clearcut across the road. I bet the population is up 50-60% almost overnight.

 

[rifle02]

I noticed all the Young Bucks in my neighborhood disappeared around 10 days ago. And I do mean neighborhood I am talking about Suburban deer. At least one has still ventured around because I noticed a Buck has rubbed his antlers on my apple trees in the front yard. It had to be a very small buck because the damage was minimal.

 

[Kirk]

I made a camera pull yesterday and still had a bachelor group on it on September 18.

 

[RS]

I started seeing several new bucks show up starting on 9/20.

 

[BSK]

I checked cams the 25th and nothing new yet.

I have no idea how far into the season this apparent delay in biological timing will extend. Hopefully, by the rut, everything will be back on time.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I checked cams the 25th and nothing new yet.

I have no idea how far into the season this apparent delay in biological timing will extend. Hopefully, by the rut, everything will be back on time.

Same for us....ran cameras the 26th and last night reviewed several cards and wrapped up reviewing last card this morning.....couple bucks I hope hang around....but no new bucks have shown up yet.....however, the red coats are turning grey...the velvet is gone....the fawns spots are beginning to fade....times are changing.

 

[BSK]

Same for us....ran cameras the 26th and last night reviewed several cards and wrapped up reviewing last card this morning.....couple bucks I hope hang around....but no new bucks have shown up yet.....however, the red coats are turning grey...the velvet is gone....the fawns spots are beginning to fade....times are changing.

I picked up some new yearlings, but no new older bucks.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I plan on going ahead and setting up several mock scrapes this weekend. Some of them may already be open. Moving from salt to these and a few pinch points. I usually wait until mid-October, but I probably won't be back for a couple weeks. These will not be in intrusive locations - mostly in new plots. I'll be cutting a small tree with the perfect limb and strapping it to a T-post a few yards out in the fields. Plan on setting up several of these. Hoping we will see some new ones pop up.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I plan on going ahead and setting up several mock scrapes this weekend. Some of them may already be open. Moving from salt to these and a few pinch points. I usually wait until mid-October, but I probably won't be back for a couple weeks. These will not be in intrusive locations - mostly in new plots. I'll be cutting a small tree with the perfect limb and strapping it to a T-post a few yards out in the fields. Plan on setting up several of these. Hoping we will see some new ones pop up.

Sounds like a good plan.....buddy of mine found several fresh scrapes open Saturday while running his cameras....I'll set up a few cameras on scrapes soon as well.

 

[DeerCamp]

For some reason, the annual range-shift many deer in my area display is delayed. Normally, bucks break up from the their bachelor groups at velvet shedding and head for their fall range. I usually start picking up a flood of these "new" bucks in mid-September. But so far, nothing. Acorn drop and the harvesting of nearby cropland also drives deer into the hills. Acorns are falling now, but crops are only just starting to be cut (saw first combine running yesterday). What's worse is the acorns have the deer off the food plots, so it's hard to get a good photo census.

But the one positive is the number of does and fawns this year. WAY up over previous years. That certainly can't hurt come the rut.

Seconded.

We haven't seen a buck on the home plot on camera in 10 days. Part of this may be because I am in the middle of building the Taj-ma-Deer (late start... yeesh), but even on the other cameras not near the main food plots, the bucks seem to still be grouped up and hanging out near the soybeans, which are still very green on the neighboring farms.

 

[tree_ghost]

My velvet target buck is still where I left him but obviously in hard horn now. Wouldn't you know it while I'm up in Ohio chasing the wind, because the deer weren't cooperating, he's down here gorging his gut in the white oaks in broad daylight 2 of the past 4 days…SMH

 

[BSK]

FINALLY observed the beginnings of the annual range shift. New deer started appearing on cam Sept. 28. That's about 2 weeks late for my place. But new deer are flooding in now. Some of this may be due to late planting and late harvesting of crops in the adjacent bottomlands. Farmers are only just now starting to harvest corn in the bottoms. Usually that's completed by late September. Soybeans still a few weeks away from harvest (still a little yellow in the leaves).

 

[peytoncreekhunter]

FINALLY observed the beginnings of the annual range shift. New deer started appearing on cam Sept. 28. That's about 2 weeks late for my place. But new deer are flooding in now. Some of this may be due to late planting and late harvesting of crops in the adjacent bottomlands. Farmers are only just now starting to harvest corn in the bottoms. Usually that's completed by late September. Soybeans still a few weeks away from harvest (still a little yellow in the leaves).

Well, maybe the deer have been in quarantine to avoid covid-19 and are just now venturing out and about....

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I REALLY can't wait to see what bucks show up - this year more than ever. Might actually have a deer to go after

 

[BSK]

Well, maybe the deer have been in quarantine to avoid covid-19 and are just now venturing out and about....

If I see a deer wearing a mask, I'm going to pee myself! :p

 

[DoubleRidge]

I REALLY can't wait to see what bucks show up - this year more than ever. Might actually have a deer to go after

I listened to a recent video from Dr Grant (yes listened to it while driving to work) video pertained to managing does on your property....but I thought about you, JCDeerman and others in Hickman and Perry County.....he stated that 2 to 3 years following a Major EHD outbreak can be an excellent time to see bucks that have reached their full potential....with the thought being that with the drastic herd reduction the available food source's are abundant...so the bucks that do survive the outbreak really get their full nutritional needs met.... obviously a Major EHD outbreak isn't something we want to see....but if (or when) it happens, this is a positive spin that I hadn't thought of before.....the video is one of the newer ones he has listed ....check it out.

 

[BSK]

I listened to a recent video from Dr Grant (yes listened to it while driving to work) video pertained to managing does on your property....but I thought about you, JCDeerman and others in Hickman and Perry County.....he stated that 2 to 3 years following a Major EHD outbreak can be an excellent time to see bucks that have reached their full potential....with the thought being that with the drastic herd reduction the available food source's are abundant...so the bucks that do survive the outbreak really get their full nutritional needs met.... obviously a Major EHD outbreak isn't something we want to see....but if (or when) it happens, this is a positive spin that I hadn't thought of before.....the video is one of the newer ones he has listed ....check it out.

I wish I could pinpoint the reason we saw such massive antler growth per age-class last year. Honestly, I can't pin it to anything. But it doesn't look like it will be repeated this year. So far, everything looking average for their age.

 

[DoubleRidge]

I wish I could pinpoint the reason we saw such massive antler growth per age-class last year. Honestly, I can't pin it to anything. But it doesn't look like it will be repeated this year. So far, everything looking average for their age.

I remember last year you mentioning this....and it's the fact that it was observed across each age class that makes it so interesting.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I listened to a recent video from Dr Grant (yes listened to it while driving to work) video pertained to managing does on your property....but I thought about you, JCDeerman and others in Hickman and Perry County.....he stated that 2 to 3 years following a Major EHD outbreak can be an excellent time to see bucks that have reached their full potential....with the thought being that with the drastic herd reduction the available food source's are abundant...so the bucks that do survive the outbreak really get their full nutritional needs met.... obviously a Major EHD outbreak isn't something we want to see....but if (or when) it happens, this is a positive spin that I hadn't thought of before.....the video is one of the newer ones he has listed ....check it out.

I searched and found that video last night - thanks for the heads up on it. Very encouraging video. They've had good forage for growth since the die off, but hardly any acorns until this year. I can see many changes this year compare to the past two (2019 and 2020). Many more does and fawns, and we have three 3.5+ year olds still hanging around. That's three times more than we had last year at this time . I believe only one is mature, possibly two. Can't wait to see what shows up. We typically have around 8-12 what we consider shooters each year, but haven't seen those numbers since 2018. Adding 11 more acres of food should attract something this fall and hold a few more that may otherwise range shift off of us.

 

[TheLBLman]

FINALLY observed the beginnings of the annual range shift. New deer started appearing on cam Sept. 28. That's about 2 weeks late for my place. But new deer are flooding in now. Some of this may be due to late planting and late harvesting of crops in the adjacent bottomlands.

And some (maybe much) of this may be due to a good acorn crop in your woods,
whereas there are relatively few hardwoods in much the surrounding areas?

Right now, we have some really great cultivated food plots coming on strong, yet the deer are largely ignoring these lush green plots of clovers, brassicas, oats & wheat. Instead, they're hardly coming out of the woods, where they're gorging themselves on fresh falling acorns.

 

[BSK]

And some (maybe much) of this may be due to a good acorn crop in your woods,
whereas there are relatively few hardwoods in much the surrounding areas?

Right now, we have some really great cultivated food plots coming on strong, yet the deer are largely ignoring these lush green plots of clovers, brassicas, oats & wheat. Instead, they're hardly coming out of the woods, where they're gorging themselves on fresh falling acorns.

Actually, in a good acorn year, the range shift is usually the earliest of all, starting about Sept 15. This year, the 28th. Strange the delay considering the corn crop. Again, probably due to the very late crop harvesting in my area. Tens of thousands of acres of corn and soybeans in the bottomlands is a pretty strong draw, as well as the cover the standing corn provides.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I listened to a recent video from Dr Grant (yes listened to it while driving to work) video pertained to managing does on your property....but I thought about you, JCDeerman and others in Hickman and Perry County.....he stated that 2 to 3 years following a Major EHD outbreak can be an excellent time to see bucks that have reached their full potential....with the thought being that with the drastic herd reduction the available food source's are abundant...so the bucks that do survive the outbreak really get their full nutritional needs met.... obviously a Major EHD outbreak isn't something we want to see....but if (or when) it happens, this is a positive spin that I hadn't thought of before.....the video is one of the newer ones he has listed ....check it out.

Does as well. Look at these fat and healthy critters

 

[DoubleRidge]

Does as well. Look at these fat and healthy critters

View attachment 116959

Yes.... absolutely.....nice to see healthy Mama's!! (Especially when they are standing in your newly created food plot....very rewarding)

 

[BSK]

Finally starting to see some "new" older bucks showing up. Started strong Oct. 12. That's almost a month late.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Finally starting to see some "new" older bucks showing up. Started strong Oct. 12. That's almost a month late.

Interesting. That's the same exact date the buck with the palmated rack I posted in another thread showed up. He's been gone since December.

 

[BSK]

Picked up several new older bucks between Oct 12 and 16. I'll see if that continued beyond the 16th when I check cameras this weekend.

 

[SwampChicken]

I've had 5 new bucks show up since 10/14 and am still waiting on a handful of others, that I have videos of from last Jan, to make their return.