It's 4 AM, and I've been on this darn computer, answereing e-mails, writing hunting articles, and writing my Minnesapolis StarTribune newpspaper blog, since 9 AM yestrday morning, But, I though of this yesterday, meant to post it then and forgot, thought of it again just now, and figured I better post it before I forgot again.

I've realized thagt when I get deer hunting questions, thet hunters often assume the bucks they eithe see on the poperty or because they see buck tracks, rubs and scrapes on the property that they hunt, that that particular buck beds on the property they hunt.

Let's explain some things here. A buck often has a seasonal home range that is 3-5 times lsonger han it is wide, and due to the speed at which deer generally travel, they cannot move more than about three tenths of a mile per hour maximum. Because most of their movement is between the hours of 4 PM and 10 AM, it means they probably do not move more than 3 and more likely 2.5 miles per day.

If we use that to figure out how long a buck's home range is, we come up with the figure of about 1.5 miles ffrom one end (where it often has its core are) to the other end (where it often visits a food source, where it meets does in the evening).

To figure out if a particular buck has its daytime core area on your property, draw a rough oval, about 4 times longer than it is wide, and 1.5 inchs long, and lay it over a full scale map of the area you hunt (with 1 inch equaling 1 mile).

Place the end of your drawing with the food source on it, over a food surce on your propety, and move it all around the map like the hand of a clock, looking at all of the areas that you think a buck might bed in, to see: 1. whether or not a buck may bed on your property, 2. how far a buck's core area can be off your property - and still allow the buck to use your property or 3. if a buck probably does not bed on your property.

If a buck does not bed on your property, you can sill hunt it 1. if it regularly enters the propery on its rub route or in a travel corridor during daylight hours for any reason, 2. during the 2-3 weeks prior to peak breeding, when it is likely to be traveling its rub route during daylight hours in either the morning or evening as it looks for does, 3. during peak breeding when it may move anywhere at anytime as it chases, follows or breeds estrus does.

Figuring out where the bucks that use your popperty bed, is one of the best ways to pattern bucks, and to hunt deer.

I hope that helps. If you have questions - feel free to ask here or e-mail me at [email protected].

God bless you and yours,

T.R.