Target bucks bedding on the land you hunt?

[dan]

I think they got there when they left there home area thru natural disbursement.

Well....so do I. And, that's what C.A.'s article was saying (and the other study I cited). There is no conflict.

Ok... From what you wrote, it seemed different. Its interesting that both articles are seeing 3 & 4 year old bucks move long distances until most are killed...
Thats the part I am not getting... To me, 1st off there is huge differences between 3 & 4 year olds. and I don't see the excessive movement in 4 year olds. They seem to hold pretty tight to certain areas.
Its funny to think a 4 year old would wander all over the place but a 5 y/o holds to a couple hundred yard area... ?

I won't get into the yearling buck thing again.......we'll have to agree to disagree. I can't explain hard-antlered yearling bucks running with doe groups. I just know I've seen it occur.

If you say you have seen it, I believe you have... My only thought is to question whether or not the doe is his mother. Not saying that can't be true either... Just have my doubts.

[dan]

The bottom line is the 3s and 4s walk till they die. Because they are constantly on the go they eventually find themselves in a hunter's sights.

This is what gets me... If this was true it would be incredibly easy to shoot huge bucks where I hunt cause there are a few 3 and 4 year old bucks running around, but they just don't move in daylight far from there beds here.

[headgear]

About one 3.5 for every 400-500 acres.

like Dan said I think people will greatly underestimate this.

I was on the "way more than most believe" band wagon at one time. Then I bought a bunch of trail cams.

I found that there are more than most believe in my area...but I also found that there are way less than I once thought.

I agree Ninja, I think we both hunt bigwoods and can only convey what we know. There are more bucks out there than I know of but if there were plenty of them around I would at least see their tracks . I see about one mature buck per section, some areas far less, others sections might have a 2-3 around but that is rare.

If there is one thing hunting bedding areas has taught me is that mature bucks are survivers. No doubt some get taken out, the question we have to ask is how many? My best guess is maybe half? It seems like some places I hunt a big buck will show up and get nailed that season on a consistant basis, that might hold true to the walk till they die article. Other places there are alwasy big bucks roaming around year after year and no one can seem to get a tag on them or it doesn't happen all that often. No doubt the 3.5's are majority of the walk till they die bucks, some probably mistaken for 4.5's. I would think even the great CA is guessing like the rest of us when it comes to aging older bucks.

[JV NC]

My only thought is to question whether or not the doe is his mother.

Again....one of those things that can't be proven one way or another........which is why I don't lend it much merit. Kinda like anything involving deer huntng where I see (__________) professed as an absolute.

I just see it and take it at face value. If I see a fawn/yearling with a doe, I assume it's her off-spring......rightly or wrongly.

[BowtechHunting]

I try to focus soley on properties that have mature buck bedding... otherwise you are just hoping to get lucky

Not all of us have access to "prime" hunting land with high deer populations. I hunt on a 10 acre tract, 200 acre and a 50 acre. All of some deer, but no bucks that are going to score high. You have to know your inventory before you set out to harvest a 170" buck that doesn't even exists on your land. I have a trail cam pic of a decent 115 3yr old on the 10 acre, if I get a crack at him he'll be my trophy.