Where do the bucks go every year?

[slabhead]

I'm curious about something...we've been hunting on some land for five years and we've seen some bucks grow bigger over time. We've let the smaller ones go and shot them later. Some of them we recognized from the photos we took over the years. Some of them we never saw before.

Three years ago, we got another track of land about four miles away. We've also let a lot of bucks go there, some that were hard to decide. But most of them we never see again. It seems like every year there are new bucks around, mostly small 6s and 8s, and a bunch of smaller ones. I think we've got photos of at least 15 different bucks this year, and we've seen most of them from the stand. There's one buck there that's a big one, so maybe he's from last year, but we don't see any of the others from last year or before. It seems like they leave this land when they get older. There's not much hunting pressure around here, as far as we know. We never hear any shots close to us or see or hear anyone. So where do the older bucks go from this land, why do they leave and new smaller ones come every year?

 

[BSK]

Those kind of questions are what fuel me. Still so much to learn about deer behavior, despite the plethora of radio and GPS-collar studies on deer.

 

[Tenntrapper]

Maybe they are just cruising through.
This farm doesn't hold bucks. It holds a few does and I feel that's what brings the bucks around during the rut. I usually see the same small bucks several times throughout the season...and an occasional bigger buck every now and then.

 

[Lost Lake]

I think they're still around.

I believe most of the older ones that survive coyotes, cars, arrows, bullets, and the rigors of chasing women simply quit moving. It's just survival mode for them. They've experienced this before and adapt quickly.

Kind of a vague answer I know.

 

[slabhead]

Those kind of questions are what fuel me. Still so much to learn about deer behavior, despite the plethora of radio and GPS-collar studies on deer.

It almost makes it so we don't even want to hunt this track any longer. I mean after 3 years of letting bucks walk and not seeing any fruits of that, is kind of discouraging. Especially when a track right down the road has produced some good bucks every year for the last 3-4 years.

 

[7mmWSM]

Cover cover cover. They've got to have plenty and no pressure to hold them.

 

[Ski]

Think solitude. Grandpa wants to be alone. He might be the only deer in the wide open woods or he might be laying in a ditch running through a cow pasture or he might be a mile deep into the most tangled clear cut. Wherever he's at, he's alone. If you're seeing other deer you won't likely be seeing him. Just the nature of the beast.

 

[Cull Buck Hunter]

Just because you don't see them doesn't mean they don't come through, my place is great during the rut and a buck ghost town after. Our best deer show up in places that are too thick to walk in and hard to hunt.

 

[themanpcl]

I'm curious about something...we've been hunting on some land for five years and we've seen some bucks grow bigger over time. We've let the smaller ones go and shot them later. Some of them we recognized from the photos we took over the years. Some of them we never saw before.

Three years ago, we got another track of land about four miles away. We've also let a lot of bucks go there, some that were hard to decide. But most of them we never see again. It seems like every year there are new bucks around, mostly small 6s and 8s, and a bunch of smaller ones. I think we've got photos of at least 15 different bucks this year, and we've seen most of them from the stand. There's one buck there that's a big one, so maybe he's from last year, but we don't see any of the others from last year or before. It seems like they leave this land when they get older. There's not much hunting pressure around here, as far as we know. We never hear any shots close to us or see or hear anyone. So where do the older bucks go from this land, why do they leave and new smaller ones come every year?

Similar situation. great trail cam pics early, pass on 2 1/2 yr olds, qdm but don't see the bucks when they are older the next season. Its like we get the minor league and never see them go pro..lol... So this year, 4th yr on the property, I moved cams after archery. Noticed several nice bucks in places I hadn't seen before. Now, not sure of your situation but if it's in TN, KY there are probably poachers that do get some because you cant be there 24/7 and cams don't catch everything. I have not seen hunters on the adjoining properties when I have hunted but I know I do have trespassers/poachers that are near. Best approach is to make your place where they can get away from pressure. Try moving the cams, taking different paths when you scout post season, move any permanent stands to different locations and get them in by July. They may not be "on" your property all the time but you can give them a reason to go to your property.

 

[backyardtndeer]

I feel your pain. We let a crap load of little bucks walk, and usually in the following year/years we don't have any definitive photos or sightings of those same deer. We do get other deer that move in though.

Usually age class we get pics of and or see in my guestimation in one season on our little tract would be about 7 to 10 different 1.5 year olds, 4 to 5 different 2.5 year olds, 2 to 3 different 3.5 year olds, 1 to 2 4.5 year olds, and we may get a 5.5 year old every other year or so. Crazy thing is, we usually see a good number of those 1.5 year olds into late season, which would make it likely they made it through, so where do they go......

 

[cbhunter]

can't speak to your farm specifically

But I think a lot of the time the answer is simply that they are older and wiser. Just because your not seeing them certainly don't mean they aren't around. Best of luck and hope you catch up soon

 

[BigAl]

Could be out chasing does all over the country. Could be in cover or moving only at night. Could be shot by hunters on other properties. Probably not out seeking different food sources, but if the does are they will follow them. So many possibilities.

 

[backyardtndeer]

Think solitude. Grandpa wants to be alone. He might be the only deer in the wide open woods or he might be laying in a ditch running through a cow pasture or he might be a mile deep into the most tangled clear cut. Wherever he's at, he's alone. If you're seeing other deer you won't likely be seeing him. Just the nature of the beast.

Good point. Often times when we have a mature buck sticking around, the younger age class bucks are not around as much. Once the big boy is killed or has moved out, more younger subordinate bucks move back in.

 

[Ski]

Good point. Often times when we have a mature buck sticking around, the younger age class bucks are not around as much. Once the big boy is killed or has moved out, more younger subordinate bucks move back in.

I'm not sure if he keeps the other deer away or if he simply fills the void when they're not around, but for sure he doesn't tolerate social pressure.

 

[themanpcl]

I'm not sure if he keeps the other deer away or if he simply fills the void when they're not around, but for sure he doesn't tolerate social pressure.

Had that situation this year. The buck I killed was mature (4 1/2 yo +) and after I took him, there was another buck that took over the area. (all over my cams in that area) Younger and smaller bucks but the bigger of them filled the void. I have trail cam pics of my buck from velvet to the day before I shot him and he was with a couple other mature bucks earlier in the season. I have not seen any of those other bucks after archery season but I bet next spring, I see a couple again. We'll see.

 

[beefydeer]

They go nocturnal and die of old age. I think more mature big bucks die of natural causes than get killed by hunters.

 

[themanpcl]

They go nocturnal and die of old age. I think more mature big bucks die of natural causes than get killed by hunters.

it is possible...

 

[@fulldraw]

It almost makes it so we don't even want to hunt this track any longer. I mean after 3 years of letting bucks walk and not seeing any fruits of that, is kind of discouraging. Especially when a track right down the road has produced some good bucks every year for the last 3-4 years.

You just answered your question. That track has something they prefer over yours. I bought a track earlier last year. Had three bucks use it during the summer that were mature. They left by mid Oct and haven't returned once. I've had over 30 bucks visit our property during season but the mature bucks haven't returned. They found something they like or are dead. Maybe they'll return after season.

 

[Tenntrapper]

It almost makes it so we don't even want to hunt this track any longer. I mean after 3 years of letting bucks walk and not seeing any fruits of that, is kind of discouraging. Especially when a track right down the road has produced some good bucks every year for the last 3-4 years.

I think you just answered you own question

 

[themanpcl]

You just answered your question. That track has something they prefer over yours. I bought a track earlier this year. Had three bucks use it during the summer that were mature. They left by mid Oct and haven't returned once. I've had over 30 bucks visit our property during season but the mature bucks haven't returned. They found something they like or are dead. Maybe they'll return after season.

Is it an anomaly that I hunt for the fun of hunting vs hunting only to kill a big buck? It is so sad that so many judge their season by antler inches and not the fun they had. SMH....

 

[@fulldraw]

Is it an anomaly that I hunt for the fun of hunting vs hunting only to kill a big buck? It is so sad that so many judge their season by antler inches and not the fun they had. SMH....

My reply was to slabhead. I don't care what others do. I challenge myself to kill mature bucks. I'm ok with tag soup. It's not fun for me just to go out and kill any deer. Sorry you didn't see my reply was to slabhead.

 

[@fulldraw]

Is it an anomaly that I hunt for the fun of hunting vs hunting only to kill a big buck? It is so sad that so many judge their season by antler inches and not the fun they had. SMH....

BTW, my reply never mentioned antler inches either. SMH

 

[ttf909]

Watched this one buck all summer and he leaves my place Oct 20. My buddy got a pic of him last week 3.5 miles as the crow flies from my place. He returns back to my farm 3 days after that. Stays home for a day and now back 3.5 miles away again. Why ? Lol who knows . This buck is 4.5 minimum. As of last night he was still alive.

 

[themanpcl]

BTW, my reply never mentioned antler inches either. SMH

responding in general to what I see today vs years before social media...

 

[Soft Talker]

Most go from doe group, to doe group, until they are all bred, all the while staying clear of where you and your cameras have been

 

[Crappieaddict]

It almost makes it so we don't even want to hunt this track any longer. I mean after 3 years of letting bucks walk and not seeing any fruits of that, is kind of discouraging. Especially when a track right down the road has produced some good bucks every year for the last 3-4 years.

I certainly don't know the answer, but if I see a nice buck and he breeds some of my does, well, I like adding that to the gene pool. After three years of this philosophy, and eating chicken instead of venison, some nice bucks stay around.

 

[BSK]

It almost makes it so we don't even want to hunt this track any longer. I mean after 3 years of letting bucks walk and not seeing any fruits of that, is kind of discouraging. Especially when a track right down the road has produced some good bucks every year for the last 3-4 years.

Every property is different. Some hold bucks all year. Some only hold bucks in the summer. Some only hold bucks in the fall. Some only see bucks around the rut, as bucks from neighboring properties suddenly expand their ranges and begin travelling into areas they only use during the rut.

That's why I run so many season-long photo censuses - to see what patterns a property has. And to confuse matters more, alter the habitat and everything changes.

 

[Ski]

Watched this one buck all summer and he leaves my place Oct 20. My buddy got a pic of him last week 3.5 miles as the crow flies from my place. He returns back to my farm 3 days after that. Stays home for a day and now back 3.5 miles away again. Why ? Lol who knows . This buck is 4.5 minimum. As of last night he was still alive.

That's actually pretty normal, in my experience. That's why I always say if you have a buck daylighting in your hunting area then get in and kill him immediately because he'll be gone soon. If you're going to hunt mature bucks you've got to do it on his schedule, not yours.

Lots of hunters get sporadic pics of a buck in the middle of the night and by default assume he's nocturnal. That's not necessarily true. More likely is he was moving all day long but so far away that he didn't get to your place until after dark. We think in terms of acres but they live in terms of miles.

 

[BSK]

They go nocturnal and die of old age. I think more mature big bucks die of natural causes than get killed by hunters.

In some parts of the state, I GUARANTEE that is the case. Mature bucks are darn hard critters to see and kill. In some areas, more die of natural causes than hunter's arrows or bullets.

 

[BSK]

Is it an anomaly that I hunt for the fun of hunting vs hunting only to kill a big buck? It is so sad that so many judge their season by antler inches and not the fun they had. SMH....

It's one of those things: "To each, their own." I enjoy hunting and being in the woods. In fact, I just went out for a couple more hunts. Don't know why I carried a rifle, as I wouldn't have shot anything I saw, no matter how big (already took a nice buck in MZ season). At the same time, I do want to be successful every year. I spend too much money and time on my place not to hope for a good deer. I have standards and don't want to kill just any buck. My standards aren't crazy high. In fact, they're quite realistic. But that doesn't mean I'm always going to be successful. But when I am, I'm thrilled.