neck4752

Hey all, I am reading a book about bowhunting whitetails and the author states numerous times that whitetails will drastically change their travel routes after summer, come fall, and possibly may even have a totally new homerange.
How true is this.
Does this mean that the trails I have been scouting with game cameras and set up stands along this summer will be useless come fall?

Thanks
Jim

johnch

Where I hunt the bucks change their routes several times from the start to end of season.
first change is when bacholar groups break up
2 change is when the corn starts to be cut
3 change is for the rut(s)
4 change is post rut and winter
I have been hunting this area 25 years now and I am still learning
the does only seem to whorry about the changes in food and beding areas
And Yes the scouting cam. may only be good to tell you what was around that day .I have scouting cam. out all season to point me to the right areas

skeeter 7MM

Very ture and you have just figured out why so many hunters say scouting is best directly following the end of your hunting season. Does this mean your scouting is useless absolutely not but it will or I should say may have impact as the deer go through the changes. Like john pointed out they change range or patterns for a few reasons. However if all things remain equal the mating season forces bucks to channel outward and move in search of their own land to breed the girls. While quite common to see 3 or 4 large bucks in a group during the summer once that October wind blows(pre rut here) things are quite different.

Best advice is stick to what you know to begin with and pay particular attention to changes, adapt to them and go get your buck. Some scout until season and then hunt...I am different I scout and then hunt. This comes while I am hunting of course but I am always looking for the spot with in the spot.

TURKEY FAN

Hey neck,
I have been preaching this ever since turkey hunting got outta the way, and these fella's say they see this deer on their property, or got a pic of a nice buck. Big bucks travel pattern will definetley change!!! Some guys dont want to beleive it but its true. Ya see, bucks when they were younger there momma had brought them up in a area where they are use to breeeding during the rut and they know where the does are going to be because thats where they all meet year after year, unless something happens of course. They are where the food is because that is what they are thinking about right now, when its breeding time they change there way of thinking..........who knows your area could be that core area of a nice buck. Hope this helps and good luck.

MNRut

Deer patterns also change as mast falls.

Hill Hopper

Around here, when the first acorns fall, patterns totally change.Scouting with a camera in the summer will tell you what kind of racks are there, but when the acorns begin to fall, you have to find totally new routes.

OH_RedNeck

Neck,

What is the title of the book you are refering to? I bought a book last season titled "The Art and Science of Patterning Whitetail Deer" by James C. Kroll and Gordon Whittington. The book is only 200 or so pages, but provides a great deal of insite into the life of the Whitetail Deer. I highly recommend it. After reading it I was able to better understand what deer were doing in my area and start to piece together things I had seen. The book also covers how to pick possible stand locations and how to rate them to pick the one that will help you harvest deer (buck or doe). You can find the book on amazon.com