Lockdown?

[BSK]

I would love to know what is really going on during the period hunters call "lockdown," when there is a sudden decrease in older buck sightings during what is usually the peak of breeding. In fact, many hunters say they never experience it on their hunting property. In addition, researchers working with GPS collared bucks say it doesn't happen. But I've personally experienced it too many times, and talked to other hunters that experience it, to discount that "something" occurs to reduce daylight sightings of older bucks. I suspect the GPS collar research is focused on percent of positions that show movement versus "spatial" extent of the movements. I remember reading studies of GPS collared does that showed they greatly increased their movements when they were in estrus, but greatly decreased the spatial extent of their movements. In essence, they moved more, almost constantly, but they shrunk the distance they were covering down to a smaller area. I have personally witnessed this while hunting, seeing an "agitated" doe come through my hunting set-up over and over during a single hunt. Nature has probably designed this behavior to concentrate the estrus does scent in one area, making it easier for cruising bucks to locate her. I suspect something like this occurs with an older buck tending an estrus doe. The pair may move more, but they are doing so in a very small location, and that location is probably going to be in thick cover.

If I had to pick a 10 day window of peak breeding for my place, using years of trail-camera data, I would choose Nov. 11-20. During that time 3 1/2+ year old buck sightings by hunters decline dramatically. Harvest data bears that out as well, as most of our 3 1/2+ year-old buck kills occur just before that period (first part of MZ season), or after that period (usually Thanksgiving week). I suspect our success before and after peak breeding is because fewer does are in estrus at those times, hence older bucks have to seek more to find a receptive doe, bringing them past our "movement pattern" stand locations more frequently than during peak breeding.

However, as I mentioned previously, some hunters never experience lockdown on their hunting properties. I wonder if habitat plays a role, in that hunting more open ground - areas with more pasture and agriculture - don't see lockdown as much?

All questions I would love to have answers to...

 

[LenS]

I've been hunting the same property for almost 2 decades and my experience mimics yours. There will be a period of a handful of days when it seems as if there are no deer anywhere. Even trailcam photos drop dramatically. I've also witnessed several "lockdown" situations over the past few years. On numerous occasions I've witnessed a buck and doe stay in virtually the same spot for 2 hours. He never takes his eyes off of her.

 

[DC219]

We've seen it on our property as well. When sightings drop like that during the rut, you just have to keep telling yourself that any buck not with a doe is on his feet looking for one.

 

[Gone Hunting]

I could be way off but I notice a huge drop in deer sightings in general once the leaves start raining off the trees about a two week window. Sightings have been horrible the last week and a half. Camera movement shows 8 pm to 12 am they've been pretty active.

 

[eastTN270]

Deer where I hunt are "locked down" all season long . Hardly ever see any.

 

[Gone Hunting]

I should've said Jackson and Putnam county area and what rutting activity I've seen has just been year and half old bucks. The bucks are still scraping here

 

[volsfan1976]

This is kinda what I have noticed as well. At least where I'm at in Cumberland county. Best chances seem to be last week of October through roughly 1st week November. Then it kinda goes dead till about say week of thanksgiving through 1st of December. Then usually picks back up around Christmas. As far as seeing deer anyways. I was getting lots of pics on my cameras this year up until about November 3-4. Then it's like they just disappeared. I hunted all last week and only seen 1 deer all week. I always just figured I was always a week late. But I see what you are saying and it makes perfect sense if that's what's happening.

 

[volsfan1976]

And as far as the habitat, where i hunt is just all mountains and hardwoods. No real food plots but there are some bigger agricultural fields not too far away. But can't hunt anywhere near those.

 

[Andy S.]

I suspect our success before and after peak breeding is because fewer does are in estrus at those times, hence older bucks have to seek more to find a receptive doe, bringing them past our "movement pattern" stand locations more frequently than during peak breeding.

No doubt this is true for where I hunt in SW TN. I typically see more 2.5/3.5s on the front side of lock down, with more "buck kill opportunity" per se, but I see older/better headgear bucks (4.5+) on the backside of lock down. The only negative to the backside is a lot of does and bucks are dead, thus sightings plummet, 4.5+ bucks do not make a lot of mistakes, a lot of does are bred, and the temps are typically down spiraling, so the hunting can be difficult, but the reward is typically much higher for a mature buck with above average headgear. In short, the best bucks killed around here are typically killed in December. SW TN.

 

[volsfan1976]

No doubt this is true for where I hunt in SW TN. I typically see more 2.5/3.5s on the front side of lock down, with more "buck kill opportunity" per se, but I see older/better headgear bucks (4.5+) on the backside of lock down. The only negative to the backside is a lot of does and bucks are dead, thus sightings plummet, 4.5+ bucks do not make a lot of mistakes, a lot of does are bred, and the temps are typically down spiraling, so the hunting can be difficult, but the reward is typically much higher for a mature buck with above average headgear. In short, the best bucks killed around here are typically killed in December. SW TN.

This is what I see too. Consistently mid to late November is when I start getting pics of the big boys. I may get one passing through here and there but usually the biggest bucks I get on camera are not until then. And most of them I have never gotten a pic of.

 

[AT Hiker]

In KY I got on a buck yesterday morning in a wood lot, a doe was bedded down in a brush top and he stood by her for most the morning. Each time another deer would come close he would challenge them, both young bucks and does. Found him again this morning less than 200 yards from where he was 24hrs ago, doing the same exact thing.
I first seen this buck a 1/4 mile away cruising/scent checking does. Guess he found one.

 

[JhnDeereMan]

Southern Montgomery county is in lockdown right now. Just small bucks on their feet right now is all you will see unless you find the right thicket.

I have always wondered if the mature bucks just go to the thickets that are lockdown areas whether they have a hot doe or not. Just knowing the does will come to them or a smaller buck will push them in there.

 

[Specializedjon]

The deer were all locked down in 2020 where I hunt. I think they just want to get on with their lives and get back to normal now.

 

[Bone Collector]

In years Past I would say that starting today (at some point) through thanksgiving is lockdown with most of my daylight sightings (cameras) being from Nov. 10th - 17th. However this year hardly any mature buck sightings and for the last few days nothing but the same 2-3 1.5 year old bucks and a BB. All the does vanished and surprisingly (not really) all the 2.5 and older bucks disappeared too.

I quit hunting it and went to Public land and saw deer, but no shots as I was trying to hunt thicker stuff.

My land is not a core area for any of the bigger bucks. If I do have one that stays the summer he leaves middle of August. 99% of the time deer show up end of Oct. early Nov. This year one showed up mid Oct. and the last picture I got of him for sure was 11/8 at 11 PM. None of my big bucks from last year (and I'm pretty sure one made it), showed up.

It has been a weird year for sure, but I feel like the last few days they have been locked down somewhere else.

 

[deerdills]

I've experienced similar to you BSK. We have diverse habitat and the hardwoods and fields will go from super active around juvy through 1st week of Nov, to just a few young deer here and there by mid November. Have seen this years fawns just hang out on the edges of thick cover by themselves before, and they don't run off when they see you. Think it's a sure sign mommy is in there with a buck.
Last week, a lot of older bucks cruising all times of day. This past weekend, witnessed a 2.5 and 1.5 with receptive doe on separate days. The 1.5 yr old 4 pt ran off 2 spikes and bred the doe. This got me to thinking that if a buck that young and small rack is getting some action, then the bigger bucks already have one locked down somewhere.

 

[Snake]

I've been hunting the same property for almost 2 decades and my experience mimics yours. There will be a period of a handful of days when it seems as if there are no deer anywhere. Even trailcam photos drop dramatically. I've also witnessed several "lockdown" situations over the past few years. On numerous occasions I've witnessed a buck and doe stay in virtually the same spot for 2 hours. He never takes his eyes off of her.

If you have enough hunters this is the best time for the famous deer drives . This is what we did on the property we had up in Northern Giles .

 

[Dumbluck]

Lockdown can be magical for an experienced still hunter. I have had my best success at these times. The deer generally mill around in very tiny areas all day. I find them easier to still hunt and they not as aware as normal.

I've had agricultural land and timber land to hunt at the same time, I have experienced the lock down experience on both. I think the agricultural land hunters don't see it as much because the deer typically lock themselves down in small patches of thick cover surrounded by fields, fence lines, and even open fields but typically get up to feed or stretch in the open where the hunters actually see them. Where as the timber deer find thick patches in the timber, CPR fields, ect..to lockdown in which makes them less visible.

As for this year, I can't give much information because I've only been in the woods twice all year but from what I have seen driving around the deer in my area definitely started rutting earlier than usual.

The lockdown time of the year for me has been amazing. I typically hunt a stand in the morning and will get down if the ground is damp or wet and still hunt pockets I believe may be holding holed up breeding deer the rest of the day until dark. I have killed some absolute giant deer doing this.

Good luck everyone!

 

[BSK]

Fascinating idea Dumbluck.

 

[puppy]

Having ran trail cameras on the same piece of property for 9 years the peak daylight sighting/picture periods for 3.5+ yo bucks is Oct 31st +/-2 days and Dec 2-10 on this property. I have this graphed out and the peaks are easy to see as it is a dramatic jump. Not sure why the first peak at the end of Oct but I feel that the second peak is due to most does being breed with the mature bucks being on their feet and moving trying to connect with what might be their last chance for the year. As a result of this I take the first full week in Dec for vacation every year and have taken a 3.5+ yo buck for the last 4 years from the same tree and within 3 calendar days of each other. One side note, this stand seldom gets hunted before that week and if it does it has to be perfect conditions, I will sit at home before I will hunt it when I know it isn't the right conditions.

 

[DMD]

I've often wondered if the perception of "lockdown" is effected by how people hunt. Here's what I mean - if folks are hunting a buck's primary habitat because they see scrapes, rubs, etc during the heart of the November, that's a mistake in my opinion. Older bucks are with a doe and are more than likely out of their normal range. They do move less, I believe, but does will feed and move - bucks following along with them. The key is finding "hot" does. That is not always easy. I always hunt terrain during the rut, instead of sign. I look for locations that have 3, 4 or more things going for them as far as deer traveling - funnels, saddles, ridges heading up together, different types of habitat coming together, etc. I want to know that does have used the general areas, feed sign is great, but I'm not just setting up solely because there is an oak tree deer have fed under - I want lots of things to make that area favorable, thus increasing my odds. Rubs and scrapes don't really mean a thing to me during this time of the season - if they are there, that's great - but if not, makes no difference. It's hard to trust terrain over sign, but to me - during the "lockdown" period, I think it's imperative to success. Another key is - hunt as long as you possibly can. They move all day long. I have killed many mature bucks after 10 am during this time. But, I have killed several before 10 am as well. Mature bucks are not moving as far, nor as fast as they do when they are seeking - but they move. And, lockdown can happen anytime a buck is tending a doe who is in heat or is coming in heat. That's just my two cents worth. I could be wrong about all of it, but that has been how I have hunted for a long time.