VABowman's thread about big bucks being harvested got me thinking.....
Other than the one older buck I've seen this year.....every buck I have seen (this year....with 40+ sits and over 120hrs on stand) have been 1.5 yr old deer. I saw (probably) 20+ different bucks, last year.....with 2 of them being 3.5 yr olds...and 2-3 being 2.5 yr olds.
What happens to all the youngsters from one yr to the next?.....in your opinions? Am I just not seeing them? Are they transplanting? Wouldn't others move IN if the latter were the case?
I don't think they're all being taken by hunters. I really don't.
most move to new areas, but yeah others come in. I have always wondered the same thing. I know just like people, the older the deer the less they move around...especially during daylight. But wow, 40+ sits and only one mature buck...i feel for ya. What state do you hunt?
Around here we have point restrictions, but if a 1.5 year old meets the point requirements there is a good chance he'll get shot in gun season provided he made it through archery season. Other than that, any deer that has made it through a couple seasons quickly realizes what's going on once the gun hunters hit the woods and makes himself scarce.
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Visibly shaken but never stirred...
The bucks are going to be moving around from land to land over the years and that is probably why the bigger/older bucks aren't there anymore. Another thing is the older bucks might not be doing any moving until night when there isn't anybody around.
I do not know thenumber of young ones that go down, but 70-80% is reasonable. I cannot complain, it is worse in other areas. I think the ones that survive are quite likely to move a bit to establish a different 'home' range between age 1.5 and 2.5. If and how far they move depends onseveral of variables such as human pressure, pressure from older bucks, and how dominant the individual buck is at a young age.
GMMAT--I know I have sat 30+ times some years and have only seen 1 mature buck...but they have were 10-20 yards outside of bow range. Can be tough but dang it when I arrow a nice buck it sure makes it worth it! When you see a mature buck with a bow around here, you need to make the most of it! You need to make the pressure shot when it presents itself, because you may not see another one within range for another year or two! Or maybe I am just an awful buck hunter...now that may be it.
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RE: Where do all the bucks go?
I have one in my freezer ...... just in case you were looking for him ....
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for out of the abundance of the heart, the mouth speaks!
Some of them definetly end up in the freezer....Some of them end up coyote food, and others are road kill and other natural causes.
As you no doubt know, the older they are the smarter they are. I'm sure some pick up and move, but I honestly believe that to be a pretty small number. They just become recluses, and don't move far from their beds during daylight. I'm betting if you had let's say....20 bucks around, at least 10 of them are still there....They're just hiding, and apparently doing a mighty fine job of it.
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Where do all the bucks go?
