Satellite bucks?
 

Over 10 years ago, I read an article of which I forgot the authors name. It was about mature bucks and all their different personalities. Some are complete loners, others are more social etc. One of the traits he noticed was that some of the mature bucks tolerated the company of a young, subordinate buck. He called them satellite bucks. These young bucks hung around the older buck and basically went everywhere together. Often the young buck was the first on the scene to check things out. If things were kosher, the big guy would saunter over and take things from there. I'm sure this was because of the young bucks curiosity and eagerness to explore. Not that the big buck sent him over to make sure things were safe. However, this is how it seems to work out.

My question is..... has anyone seen this type of behavior?

I've seen it twice. Once in 1993 when a 1 1/2 6 pointer came in to one of my scent bombs, a 140" 3 1/2 followed behind and took over only to receive my broadhead. The other time was last night when a 1 1/2 4 point came on the scene with a big old, down hill 11 pointer, which I passed.

I don't see it too often but it's kind of cool to experience these things.

BTW, the first time I saw it, it was 2 years before the article came out.

Please let me know.

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

I SAW THIS LAST NIGHT!

I am still kicking myself in the you know what for not shooting the little guy but i was greedy.

Long story short...Saw a "rack" coming throught he woods. I stood up, raised my bow and waited for it to come into good view and range. When it was in plain site it was a small six point (shooter in any mans book). I got ready to draw and then I spotted a BIG buck about 20 yard past him looking around causiosly. So here i was with a "decent" six point 15 yards and a HUGE (at least 8 point) about 50 yards. I THOUGHT the big guy would follow the little guy. Well he did... the little guy was now at 10 yards under my stand sniffing around... he never was alarmed, just didn't want to go any farther. So he turned around and walked back to the bigger buck that was still at about 45 yards and the both walked off together. If they had hand they would have been holding them. It was amazing.

Like i said, i am still kicking myself. But there is always another day. They never knew i was there so i know i can catch him again.

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

I have NOT seen it in person...BUT i have had freinds score nice buck's..after a small one comes bye..

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

yea i saw this 1 time last year a small 6pt. walked out an then behind came a nice 10pt. however i missed him w/ my 20ga. but ohwell

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

Every now and then, I will see a big mature buck hanging with a very young buck here. Mostly in the summer. The big boy always seems tofollow the youngsters lead...as the younger buck leads the way out into a feeding area like a clearcut. I usually see the 2.5s and 3.5s bunched up in bachelor groups...but the big boys are either pure loaners or they pick up little dudes...1.5

I have never seen it after Mid Sept. I will see the young buck again, but alone.. For example the big 4x5 I watched all summer and am still hunting had a very wide racked young young ...buck hangin with him always..always leading the way ...Lately... Ive seenjust the young wide racked buck but without his big 4x5buddy in tow..

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

I've never heard of that before.

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

I have seen it before.
We have a yearling 3 point and a 2 year old 6 that are best buds.
They may not like each other as much in a week or so.

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

Kind of like same thing he will let the doe's cruise through first. If I see a deer come through I am always looking behind it to see if another is hanging up especially the big guys.

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

That's interesting Troy, I saw it on Oct. 28th and Nov. 4th. On the Nov. sighting the little guys 6 point rack was all busted up. Must have gotten too close when the big guy was feeling aggressive. I saw the little guy a few weeks earlier, by himself, before his rack was busted up.

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

I saw this once a few years back. There was a big mature buck and a smaller buck(1.5/2.5) together on november 3rd. They went thru the woods rubbing and tearing things up, yet peacefully tolerating each other. I killed the big buck on the 5th, tailing a couple does by himself. THat was the only time I seen bucks together during that time of year.

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

I just remembered something that happened back in 1984 my first year of gun hunting here in Wisconsin.
Me and my father came down this logging road in his bronco and came to where it cut through a small hill and this small little basket buck we callthem took off to the left. He says stop so I did and he tells me he is going to get out and wants me to turn around and go back up the big hill and wait 10 minutes then come back. So hegets out loads his gun tells me to leave and slams the door. So I turn around like he says and at the time I remember why in the heck did he slam his door he always yelled at me when I did that. So anyways no sooner I get up that hill I hear a gun shot but I still waited the 10 minutes. I get back and he says what took me so long to get back and I said you told me to wait 10 minutes. He said but I shot the buck in about 2 minutes and laughed.
Well he got a real nice 9 pointer that was standing on the right side of the logging road that had watched me leave and could not see my father in between the cut in the small hill.

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

I see this all the time on my trail camera's. The smaller buck comes in then a couple minutes later The bigger one. I have also seen it in person I will see the small buck and 30 yards behind is the bigger one. I also have seen the smaller buck just roaming by himself.I don't think they are glued together they might just hang out at certain times.

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

very first year hunting, i had a muzzleloader in hand. double stand 12 foot off the ground with dad. i was 10 or 11 at the time. doe and fawn came through then about 15 to 20 minutes later this basket racked 8 point came cruising down the exact same trail not 15 yards from the stand. i raised the gun to let him have it and as i was pullin the trigger, dad says dont shoot, theres a monster. i look over and see the biggest clean 5x5 ive ever seen still ot this date step over the hill. this buck had it all and was well into the high 160s no exageration. huge mass, very very tall tines, and a very good spread. the PERFECT buck when you think of a typical whitetail. thats when buck fever kicked in. i started shakin so bad i could hardly breathe. as i was repostioning the gun over to the bigger buck, the two does that had passed through were circling back around to our stand again and snorted at me. one big bound later and the big boy was gone. i was torn up bad, especially after dad told me it was the biggest buck dad had ever seen in his entire life, and that i would likely never see a buck that impressive ever again.

so yea ive seen it...[:@]

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

Greg,

I have seen this, but only a few times. One of the times was January 1 of last year when i had a 1.5 6 pointer come in the area followed by a big 140" 9 pointer that also recieved my broadhead.

Like Troy, ive seen a lot of the 2.5 and the 3.5s hanging together, but when it comes to the BIG BOYS it seems they are alone or with a 1.5....interesting post

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

I've seen this a few times troughout the years!

The biggest deer I've evershot, a5.5 10ptwas following a 1.5 4pt!(Nov 11th 1988)

I also have a friend who's daughter(first year hunting, 12 years old)shot a spike andthe11pt that was following it the 2nd weekend of MN gun season in 94!

RE: Satellite bucks?
 

Our bigger deer are loners, but often times see 6/7/8's with spikes and 4's leading the way.