Will small bucks mate when larger bucks are around?
 

I saw some really nice mature deer when i set up my camera on a piece of property we just bought. When I was fixing to take my camera back home I saw a pretty big scrape with a broke off licking branch on the main trail heading out of the swamp. I decided to set up the camera facing it because I could tell the area was being worn out. The deer I saw come back and chew on the branch and start hoofing at the dirt was just pathetic. He couldnt have been a yearling because he had a decent sized body (~125lbs). I think he looked to be at least 2.5 but you couldnt tell that from his horns. He had the smallest 4pt rack I have ever seen. They went straight up and were not even above his ears and the fork was hardly noticeable.

Please tell me that with some big 8 pointers in the area that they will breed all of the does?

well those big ole 8 points are probably his daddy, give him a couple years, but yes young bucks breed when they can, doesn't happen often, mature bucks seek the does out when they approach estrus (s) the younger bucks just chase everything.
RR

lol I guess I took the thread title totally wrong.

Same here. Its a lifestyle choice (not that theres anything wrong with that) :o

If you read the title and then look at his screen name, it's easy to think what we thought. :D

Well, I'm glad its not just me.

I had the same thought when i saw the title...:s2:

I read an article once that tracked this very thing in a scientific study. They were saying that most mating actually is by the less dominant bucks.

It was mainly a matter of numbers. The big bucks simply weren't numerous enough to mate with all of the does, and that gave the smaller bucks plenty of opportunity.

It did vary though. Opportunities for the lesser bucks came in the peak of fertility.

working in radiology does allow for some good puns.

i remember hearing similar things. Someone with a lot of big deer on his property did a study. He said all the big bucks did was fight each other and the little ones snuck around and mated with all the does.

I think males of any species, without regard to size, will breed any female that can get to. Bigger bucks may try to prevent it but there are too many females to prevent smaller bucks from mounting a good number of them.

I have done a lot of elk hunting and when it comes to elk there are herd bulls that try to contain all the cows. Problem is as soon as another bull comes along and challenges the herd bull it distracts him and a younger bull nearly always uses that chance to breed one or two cows. Seems logical to assume the same thing would happen with deer.

I was going to post the same thought (in bold) but flags beat me to it. :biggrin:

I don't have nearly the experience hunting that he has, but the rest of what he says makes a lot of sense.