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RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

TYPICALLY, A buck will chase until he's blue in the face until he comes across a doe that is receptive to breeding. When he does, he will stay with that doe and breed multiple times for 24 hours or so until she goes out of heat and then he is off again. Once this phase gets going it is typically much harder to kill a buck because he isnt moving a whole lot.

During the rut, I concentrate on two areas, funnels and food sources that I know the does are using. The bucks know they are using them too and will not be far behind.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

During the rut I concentrate on a few areas.....and ALL of them are doe bedding areas.;)

I don't think bucks EVER bed with does (as a general rule).....or I don't think they do, here. It's not in their nature (reclusive) to be seen with a lot of other deer. Being locked down with a hot doe is not my idea of "bedding" with her.

**Edit: ONLY scenario I can think of to contradict what I said above is in the northern states where winter yarding occurs.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

I read an artical a few years back call "hunting the dead zone". The classified the dead zone has that time between chasing and actual breeding. We have seen, but might not of known it. It is when the bucks are chasing like crazy, you are seeing deer everyone, all times of the day, and then nothing. The artical said that a buck will bed with a doe for 24 hours before she is ready to breed, he will not leave her side. I know there has been a few times I have kicked up a doe that had a good buck with her. So to anwser your question, I do believe that buck with bed with a doe, but only right before she is ready. I do concentrate on doe bedding areas during the chasing stage, but only because I know the bucks will come looking, not because they are bedding there.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

I concur with this as well. THey may stay with a doe while she is receptive, but they are not going to move in with a doe group during the rut and live with them. If anything, they are LESS likely to be bedding with does during the rut since they are up and looking for does so much more.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

They also aren't fond of getting their asses kicked every time THE buck of the woods comes by. Downwind side of doe bedding areas....during the seeking/chasing stage.....and you've got a good chance. During lockdown......all bets are off. I wouldn't know where to begin to look for a buck, then. I'm also "guessing" a hot doe wouldn't necessarily breed in her normal bedding area (exact area). I would imagine the buck would pin her down in the best thicket available (closest one....lol), and try to hold her there until she isn't hot anymore.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

IMO rubs and scrapes are good to pay attention to during the pre-rut (Oct).

When the bucks start to chase (ussually sometime around the 1st of Nov in my area)...I could care less about where any rubs and scrapes are.

During this time Iwill hunt travel routes between bedding areas the first part of the day and closer to feeding areas in the evening.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

When there receptive and ready you bet they do. They will not leave there side one bit what so ever! Whether she beds with 10 other deer or just by herself he'll be right there bedding along with her and trying his best to keep her up so he can have some fun.

When the rut Is In full swing I don't hunt scrapes very much but In saying that It don't hurt to be close to one being the big guys I believe don't do nearly the chasing that the younger bucks do so I could see a big mature buck keeping a close eye on them from time to time.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

Gonna agree with Shultzy. If there is a receptive doe, he will stick to her side and if she beds, he'll lay right down near to her. I've bumpeddoes w/ a buckout of their beds before.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

IMO there's a HUGE difference in being locked down with a hot doe and bedding with "does", in general.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

Agreed, if there isn't a receptive doe in a group, he'll be travelling until he finds one (some).

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

During the Rut I like to hunt where the Does like to hang out.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

If shes emitting the right pheromonesthe big boys will lock on, they don't waste much time on does that are not ready. They know the routine.

Younger bucks show up early and leave late but if their is a stud in the area they rarely get to be right next to her when she is in estrus. When shes in estrus, producing the right scent, he will lay right with her and guard her like royalty and then leave her like a cheap***** once she doesnt smell right. I believe we get abouta 2-3 day window to hunt a specific buck on a specific doe.

I only like hunting scrapes that are well back in the woods and that interstect with dailydoe travel routes. These usually lay on the fringe of a big bucks bedding/core living area and a doestravel routes.I never hunt scrapes in places that are most likely made in areas that big bucks only visit at night. The best scrapes to hunt are those that are located and being hit steadily where mature bucks feel safe to move during daylight hours.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

I keep reading about "a doe or one doe". I believe that the mature bucks will lock down with many receptive does that are in one group. I think that helps explain why a certain buck or bucks may not be seen for a few days, then may begin showing up again later on. Its not a one doe rule. I've witnessed here in the rut the king buck feeding and traveling with several does. When that buck and doe group are done dealing with each other:D, he will look for more and many times if not most he will travel far outside his normal territory looking for more does to breed.

As for scrapes, if I find a new scrape(be new I mean less than a day or one day old), I'll not be far from those scrapes during the rut. Killed one of my best bucks a day or so after he made new scrapes, and he happened to chase two does past my stand not 20 yards from those scrapes. I took my best buck within a few days of finding twin new scrapes and he was less than 15 yards from those scrapes when I took the shot. Doesn't mean he was standing guard on those scrapes but he knew some receptive does were in the area and traveling the trail leading from a hillside.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

First and last time I hunted a scrape.....I watched 4 bucks work it in about an hour span of time. The first was a half-rack 4 pointer. The second was a spike. 3rd was a six pointer....and the last was a BB.

I quit hunting scrapes, that day.

The only deer that I would have shot walked by the field th escrape was in..."seemingly"uninterested in it. Was he scent-checking the field? Dunno.....but he never entered where the scrape was.

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

From what I have seen a buck will only bed with a receptive doe or a doe that is receptive but not quite ready to breed, otherwise I think they cuise alone looking for receptive does...I think most scrapes are maintained by younger deer although mature deer more than likely start many of them...

RE: Do bucks live with doe during the rut ?
 

It seems pretty simple to me. Rubs and scrapes are good indicators of whats BEEN in the area, doesn't necessarily mean he's still there, especially if he's getting antsy for some action. In my experience, the best chance of catching that big boy is to just hunt where the does are. Feeding areas, bedding areas, travel routes, etc. The bucks know where all those places are, and will be checking them, and if you have some does around, even better, live bait! Hunting does is the best way to hunt bucks.