Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
Singing Bridge
500 Club
Posts: 7162
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2010 1:11 pm
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pro ... 1329617473
Location: Logged in - from above
Contact:
Status: Offline

Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Thu Jul 18, 2013 3:03 am

I know a lot of us here on the Beast, and even Dan to a degree, have found that bucks with a few birthdays behind them travel a lot differently than what I have found in my Super Pressure areas (hunting pressure that makes you wonder why you’d bother). Ever watch a buck approach his bed and know he is too late and his life is on the line? As he carefully trots while swinging his head right and left looking for bowhunter blobs up in trees five minutes after first light? But I find it to be an excellent topic and an opportunity for all of us to learn from each other. I am specifically speaking of buck travel in these high pressure areas and the direction of travel versus the wind. Even more specifically, how a buck will use the wind during daytime travel to reach and approach a destination by scent checking and clearing it first. The destination may be a big woods stand of oaks, a crop field edge, a doe family bedding area, a buck bedding area or whatever the buck has in mind.

This isn’t necessarily the staging zone, that short movement before dark that a buck makes from his bed- but rather when a good buck makes a mistake and covers some ground. Even mature bucks show up in some strange places during the rut, for example, and get viewed or shot in super pressure areas. Around here, I see buck movement inside marshes and swamps before dark, but if it isn’t near the rut periods even the two year old bucks (most of the time) hold up inside small pocket cattail marshes and swamps until dark. They won’t leave the heavy cover without a favorable wind. And now to the heart of this post- bucks scent checking and clearing “destination areas” before they will enter them. This may include the travel a buck will undergo between destination areas, say a buck bed and an in-woods food source. In my areas this is during the daytime as well as the middle of the night (we have a lot of trespassers and violators in trees all night long).

A lot of us have posted on here about bucks traveling downwind while using their vision to protect their front. The thought is that the bucks use the wind to protect themselves from predators sneaking up on them from behind (dogs, wolves, etc.). And in fact there is no arguing with these observations from people with the success of Dan or Andrea, for example. Their word is gold with me, in other words. But with that said, perhaps my Super Pressure areas are unique here in Midmichigan and even some areas of the U.P. Plain and simple, the overwhelming danger learned by bucks in my hunting areas is bowhunters in trees. Bucks that have made it to their third birthday have broadheads and bullets and scars already and they learned quickly what the true danger is. They aren’t nearly as worried about predators sneaking up on them from behind as they are us guys in our treestands. Around here they hold their bed until dark or stage out a short distance most of the time, just as Dan always speaks about with his proven techniques.

But again, sometimes these bucks make a mistake and wander during the daylight… maybe only a few days out of the year, but they do screw up on occasion. And when they do, I often observe them or snow track them and see that they scent check and clear travel areas and destination areas before they will move into them. That’s right, if possible they move crosswind of travel areas and scent check what is upwind of them before moving into it and toward a destination a lot of the time. For example, I snow tracked a buck that scent checked a valley by crosswinding it and smelling it before he began moving into it. He then swung upwind into the valley and travelled a mile toward his destination, a doe bedding area. He occasionally swung to the side to watch his backtrail before continuing on into the wind or quartering into the wind. I have observed this multiple times. Bucks do not always do what they are supposed to, and they sure don’t in my Super Pressure areas. Put yourself in the bucks shoes here in MidMichigan- you’ve decided to move toward your girlfriend a mile away despite the danger involved. You know in the open woods (even big woods areas with a lot of pressure) there is going to be a bunch of guys on stand. Is the buck going to use the wind to protect his backside and hope for the best while watching for the hordes of hunters in front of him… because a predator may sneak up behind him? Or is he going to use his number one defense mechanism to defend his travel and scent check and clear the travel area ahead of him for bowhunters first… I know which way I’d go. They rely on their hearing and travel path to provide some protection from behind them- heavy cover that typically doesn’t lend itself well to predators sneaking up on them from behind. And truth be told, this type of travel surely increases their chance of survival. The odds of the buck being killed by predators sneaking up behind him are MUCH LESS than the odds of the hordes of hunters arrowing him or wounding him along his travel route. A lot of bucks around here have learned that their nose is an excellent tool at evading hunters and much more efficient than simply relying on their vision.

I see the same thing in destination areas, we all know that bucks like to swing downwind of doe bedding areas during the rut periods. But I also observe and track them swinging downwind to scent check and clear feeding areas- even in the big woods. Last fall I snow tracked a buck in a conifer swamp that was moving downwind and quartering downwind INSIDE THE SWAMP. I see this a lot in the heavy cover, but not the more open woods we are discussing here in Super Pressure areas. The buck approached the edge of a small ridge that had two mature oaks on it that every critter in the woods was feeding on- squirrels, turkeys, deer etc. The buck swung downwind of the oaks and stopped inside a small thicket directly downwind about 70 yards. He had a ton of tracks in about a ten foot circle as he watched / smelled / listened to the food source upwind of him. His tracks finally moved forward to the oaks, obviously after he was satisfied no danger was present.

Is this scent checking and clearing of areas, especially travel routes, a fluke to my Super Pressure areas? Perhaps, but doubtful. Do the bucks always travel like this? Of course not, but when the overwhelming risk to the bucks is guys in trees, they appear to adapt in ways that differ from what others commonly observe.

What have your observations been, have you ever watched a buck scent check and clear an area before moving into it? Do you believe my findings are way off base or accurate only once in a blue moon? Please share.


cbigbear
Posts: 1790
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 3:52 am
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/mobilehuntinggear/
Location: S Lousiana
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby cbigbear » Thu Jul 18, 2013 3:35 am

SB I have limited to no experience with bedding habits of mature bucks (yet), but I'd agree with your theory on scenting & clearing. I have exclusively hunted feed trees for years. This method just hasn't produced mature bucks. I'm assuming because I always setup downwind of feed trees but within bow range of the tree so any mature buck clearing is busting me. Also down here a mature buck only has one predator - the hunter. The chance of a hunter slipping up on his back trail is slim to none.
User avatar
Stanley
Honorary Moderator
Posts: 18734
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 4:18 am
Facebook: None
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:21 am

Great topic SB. We all talk about heavy pressure areas. I do think everything depends on what type of heavy pressure the bucks have experienced. In the areas I hunt heavy pressured bucks, that pressure comes from shot gunners driving deer. There is not a buck in the woods that has not been pushed, shot at, yelled at, or had some kind of negative disturbance with hunters.

A big buck cannot hide from the throngs of hunters raking through every piece of timber and brush. A buck under this type of pressure does not use its nose for survival. It uses its legs which is the only effective line of defense it has. The big bucks literally ping pong around from timber to timber for survival. I have watched big bucks run for miles over open fields looking for safe haven.

So now a buck does survive a gun season he is fully aware running is his way to stay alive. This kind of pressure differs from a 200 acre timber that has 5 bowhunters in it. In this type of hunting pressure a bucks nose keeps it alive. The bucks see and smell humans but aren't tormented with gun fire, yelling, and chasing. I am 100% sure there is a huge difference in heavy pressured areas.

If you drive the roads in Iowa after the gun season and see a buck in a field 3/4 - a mile away that buck is watching you drive the road. If you slow down or stop that buck will take off running and won't stop until out of sight and who knows how far after that. I have not killed very many big bucks that didn't have a broadhead, shot gun slug, .22 bullet, bird shot, or some kind of projectile in them.

That said a mature buck will adjust to what type of pressure he is confronted with. If a big buck bumps into hunters after the gun season and isn't harassed with gunfire he then gets more docile so to speak. A buck that lives in a large parcel of private ground that is hunted by one guy, the bucks aren't exposed to this type of pressure swing and are much easier to hunt.

I really haven't answered your question but in my observations a buck will use other deer to test the water ahead of him. That is why a buck isn't the first deer in an open field eating on the food source there. There is no reason for a buck to enter an open field unless there is a food source there, or there is a receptive doe out there, or he is running for his life. I also am sure there is no reason for a big buck not to scent check an area before entering it. Survival is a mature bucks #1 objective.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby headgear » Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:30 am

Good post SB and I see where you are coming from. I often find myself in the same spot, kind of disagreeing or on average seeing slightly different traits from mature bucks in my area (bigwoods). Not an easy thing to do when you highly respect a lot of the posters on this site and they have numerous heads to back it up, but I have to hunt based on what I see in my area. I just rarely see bucks traveling with the wind at their backs during shooting hours, and often when I do they were jumped or pushed by other hunters. They older bucks just always seem to use wind or angle the wind in a way so they have some kind of advantage. Just being honest here, if they did travel that way I would have seen more of then during my 30 years in the woods. (Again the important thing here is during shooting hours)

Now I know I don't have the hunting pressure you see but I think the wolves have a lot to do with it in my area. That is pressure most deer in this country don't ever see and it is constant year round pressure. I often see fawns in the wolf range acting like older mature deer on the fringes of the wolf range. These fawns know to fear everything and have to quickly get with the program or turn into a meal.
Brad
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby Brad » Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:36 am

Holy cow SB, that is a major league question I never really thought of. I agree with Stanley though, especially on the gun hunters, it seems like come gun season in the high pressure areas, they stay tight unless absolutely forced to move and then it seems like wind and sight don't matter, its run from point A to Point B as fast as possible and no stops in between. I would think bow hunting deer under the circumstances would be extremely tough because there really is no safe spot for your wind to blow into.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
User avatar
Ridgerunner7
500 Club
Posts: 1486
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 5:34 am
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby Ridgerunner7 » Thu Jul 18, 2013 4:56 am

Accidentally posted this in another thread! oops. In southern Michigan I have to say that the majority of mature deer ..which are few and far between are typically quartering into the wind or using it to safe check the area of some sort during daylight movement...OUTSIDE THE RUT. It's just been my consistent observation over the last 15 years. Not always...just the majority. It's been my experience that if they don't have that wind advantage they will wait much closer to dark to move or even after. During the rut..their needs and instinct is driven by reproduction more so they use the wind different and I'll often see them utilizing the wind to check for does in heat rather than checking for danger. I know Dan and some guys don't necessarily agree with me on that...I'm just sharing my observation. When I hunt in Iowa, Illinois, etc...I don't see that consistency that I've seen here...but the hunting pressure is a whole entirely different level and not comparable. I'm just talking bow pressure here for the most part.

I agree with Stanley though that a buck will test the waters with other deer. In areas of higher density I see more movement from older deer as the younger deer move through the area unmolested.
[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
Last edited by Ridgerunner7 on Thu Jul 18, 2013 6:23 am, edited 1 time in total.
JoeRE
500 Club
Posts: 4576
Joined: Thu Oct 18, 2012 5:26 am
Location: IA
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby JoeRE » Thu Jul 18, 2013 5:48 am

Stanley wrote:Great topic SB. We all talk about heavy pressure areas. I do think everything depends on what type of heavy pressure the bucks have experienced. In the areas I hunt heavy pressured bucks, that pressure comes from shot gunners driving deer. There is not a buck in the woods that has not been pushed, shot at, yelled at, or had some kind of negative disturbance with hunters.

A big buck cannot hide from the throngs of hunters raking through every piece of timber and brush. A buck under this type of pressure does not use its nose for survival. It uses its legs which is the only effective line of defense it has. The big bucks literally ping pong around from timber to timber for survival. I have watched big bucks run for miles over open fields looking for safe haven.

So now a buck does survive a gun season he is fully aware running is his way to stay alive. This kind of pressure differs from a 200 acre timber that has 5 bowhunters in it. In this type of hunting pressure a bucks nose keeps it alive. The bucks see and smell humans but aren't tormented with gun fire, yelling, and chasing. I am 100% sure there is a huge difference in heavy pressured areas.

If you drive the roads in Iowa after the gun season and see a buck in a field 3/4 - a mile away that buck is watching you drive the road. If you slow down or stop that buck will take off running and won't stop until out of sight and who knows how far after that. I have not killed very many big bucks that didn't have a broadhead, shot gun slug, .22 bullet, bird shot, or some kind of projectile in them.

That said a mature buck will adjust to what type of pressure he is confronted with. If a big buck bumps into hunters after the gun season and isn't harassed with gunfire he then gets more docile so to speak. A buck that lives in a large parcel of private ground that is hunted by one guy, the bucks aren't exposed to this type of pressure swing and are much easier to hunt.

I really haven't answered your question but in my observations a buck will use other deer to test the water ahead of him. That is why a buck isn't the first deer in an open field eating on the food source there. There is no reason for a buck to enter an open field unless there is a food source there, or there is a receptive doe out there, or he is running for his life. I also am sure there is no reason for a big buck not to scent check an area before entering it. Survival is a mature bucks #1 objective.


I definitely agree, hunting a lot in Iowa myself. I would add that I have observed a lot of adult deer, both bucks and does, learn to run into the wind when jumped by a human so they can detect blockers. I have used this reaction repeatedly to my advantage in late season by doing small 2 or 3 man nudges in an area where a stander can pick off a buck in a just off wind. When you know almost certainly which direction a deer will run when bumped things get a lot simpler!

I have not witnessed any un-alerted behavior such as scent checking an area for safety. As Stan said thats probably because bowhunting pressure is low-ish around here so deer don't need to...deer drives in gun season where 90% of the pressure comes from. I have not witnessed it hunting in IL or WI either but those were still probably only moderately heavy pressure areas.

I also have noticed the oldest bucks always travel in the back of the pack when they are with other deer...the 6 year old buck I shot last gun season only showed himself after what appeared to be a nice 3 year old passed by me unscathed. He was following him, about 150 yards behind him. I would have never seen him if I had dropped the hammer on the younger 10 point.
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby dan » Thu Jul 18, 2013 10:46 am

Most of the bucks I observe in September and early October seem to move with very little interest in wind direction in the evenings. But certainly use the wind to check and clear beds before entry in the mornings.
As soon as mid october comes that starts to change, and gets more and more prominant as the rut approaches. Wind and travel is huge during the rut... Bucks are like hound dogs trying to wind does as they move, if they move, during daylight. They seem to prefer a cross wind, and scent check fields, valleys, bedding areas, etc... looking for does.

With that said, hunting pressure also picks up in that time frame... But, there is plenty of pressure on some of the properties I hunt in September as well...

I have noticed a field entry situation in farm land that lends some credit to bridge and Ridge's observations though, and thats that mature bucks often enter fields at the lowest point in the evenings... I have heard others comment on this observation as well, however the reason they give differs from mine... Some say they do this because its harder to see them in the low hidden areas of the field, however, drop a milkweed when they enter and you will find the dropping thermal is pulling the scent form every spot in the field down to that low point as soon as the sun goes over the horizon giving deer that thermal advantage... If you look, there will often be a lot of rubs at that low spot entry.

One other wind observation for me has been bucks traveling with wind to back when nervous. Jumping bucks and paying attention to there retreat has taught me that they really like ether the wind in there face, or at there back when retreating. I think the ones who like wind to back are checking to see if they are being followed...
User avatar
Singing Bridge
500 Club
Posts: 7162
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2010 1:11 pm
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pro ... 1329617473
Location: Logged in - from above
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Thu Jul 18, 2013 11:08 am

cbigbear wrote:SB I have limited to no experience with bedding habits of mature bucks (yet), but I'd agree with your theory on scenting & clearing. I have exclusively hunted feed trees for years. This method just hasn't produced mature bucks. I'm assuming because I always setup downwind of feed trees but within bow range of the tree so any mature buck clearing is busting me. Also down here a mature buck only has one predator - the hunter. The chance of a hunter slipping up on his back trail is slim to none.


I have watched bucks and mature doe's swing downwind of in-woods food sources for decades. They typically move 50 - 100 yards downwind and silently watch / smell / listen to the food source upwind. Only when convinced that everything is safe will they cautiously begin moving forward. A few molecules of human scent or the slightest "out of place" noise will have them sneak away with hunters likely never knowing they were even around. Remember that many of my hunting areas have extraordinary hunting pressure.

My favorite example of this is a lone, mature doe that walked up to my tree from the North. This was the first time I sat the stand and I had approached it from the South. I was facing the North on stand, and the wind was from the East - NorthEast. 70 yards from my stand to the East were a couple of mature oaks dropping corns like crazy. The doe approached my tree, faced the oaks and froze in place for over 20 minutes. The only thing that moved hardly at all were her ears. For over 20 minutes she watched, smelled and listened to the oaks 70 yards away. She finally moved up and ate acorns when it appeared all was clear. You can imagine how a mature buck in a super pressure hunting area would respond to this in-woods food source...
User avatar
Singing Bridge
500 Club
Posts: 7162
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2010 1:11 pm
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/?ref=home#!/pro ... 1329617473
Location: Logged in - from above
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:24 am

Stanley wrote: If you drive the roads in Iowa after the gun season and see a buck in a field 3/4 - a mile away that buck is watching you drive the road. If you slow down or stop that buck will take off running and won't stop until out of sight and who knows how far after that.


12 months out of the year, 24/7 and 365 days a year that is how the bucks respond to a vehicle slowing down here. The bucks here in MidMichigan "sneak" out while hauling the mail... they quickly trot with a head-down, tail down slink into the nearest cover and it always amazes how they can completely disappear from a field before I can back up.

That's excellent information from your area Stan, thanks as always.
User avatar
Ridgerunner7
500 Club
Posts: 1486
Joined: Thu Mar 11, 2010 5:34 am
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby Ridgerunner7 » Fri Jul 19, 2013 1:47 am

Singing Bridge wrote:
Stanley wrote: If you drive the roads in Iowa after the gun season and see a buck in a field 3/4 - a mile away that buck is watching you drive the road. If you slow down or stop that buck will take off running and won't stop until out of sight and who knows how far after that.


12 months out of the year, 24/7 and 365 days a year that is how the bucks respond to a vehicle slowing down here. The bucks here in MidMichigan "sneak" out while hauling the mail... they quickly trot with a head-down, tail down slink into the nearest cover and it always amazes how they can completely disappear from a field before I can back up.

That's excellent information from your area Stan, thanks as always.

x2.
Sweet Shot 7
500 Club
Posts: 523
Joined: Wed Apr 04, 2012 6:12 am
Location: O-H-I-O
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby Sweet Shot 7 » Fri Jul 19, 2013 2:05 am

SB, so in your area would you have to hunt where the wind is blowing from the field into the timber? Making the buck feel more comfortable moving into the field since he can scent check it.
User avatar
Stanley
Honorary Moderator
Posts: 18734
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 4:18 am
Facebook: None
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby Stanley » Fri Jul 19, 2013 2:13 am

Singing Bridge wrote:
Stanley wrote: If you drive the roads in Iowa after the gun season and see a buck in a field 3/4 - a mile away that buck is watching you drive the road. If you slow down or stop that buck will take off running and won't stop until out of sight and who knows how far after that.


12 months out of the year, 24/7 and 365 days a year that is how the bucks respond to a vehicle slowing down here. The bucks here in MidMichigan "sneak" out while hauling the mail... they quickly trot with a head-down, tail down slink into the nearest cover and it always amazes how they can completely disappear from a field before I can back up.

That's excellent information from your area Stan, thanks as always.

Wow that is weird. I wonder what has them spooked so bad when there is no hunting going on? I do some glassing in the summer and the bucks are more tolerant. 1/4 mile is usually the break away and run point when I stop to glass. We do have more roads in Iowa than Michigan I wonder if that is a factor?
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
cbigbear
Posts: 1790
Joined: Thu Nov 24, 2011 3:52 am
Facebook: https://m.facebook.com/mobilehuntinggear/
Location: S Lousiana
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby cbigbear » Fri Jul 19, 2013 2:41 am

Possible year around outlaws shooting from the road.
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Bucks Scent Checking And Clearing Areas

Unread postby headgear » Fri Jul 19, 2013 3:02 am

Singing Bridge wrote:12 months out of the year, 24/7 and 365 days a year that is how the bucks respond to a vehicle slowing down here. The bucks here in MidMichigan "sneak" out while hauling the mail... they quickly trot with a head-down, tail down slink into the nearest cover and it always amazes how they can completely disappear from a field before I can back up.


Same here SB, I'd say 99% of the time you slow down they are on high alert and gone a second later. This happens all year long as well.

dan wrote:I have noticed a field entry situation in farm land that lends some credit to bridge and Ridge's observations though, and thats that mature bucks often enter fields at the lowest point in the evenings... I have heard others comment on this observation as well, however the reason they give differs from mine... Some say they do this because its harder to see them in the low hidden areas of the field, however, drop a milkweed when they enter and you will find the dropping thermal is pulling the scent form every spot in the field down to that low point as soon as the sun goes over the horizon giving deer that thermal advantage... If you look, there will often be a lot of rubs at that low spot entry.


I see this as a bedding trait too, the bucks are bedding in the swamp but I am finding more and more they are either near the bottom of an elevation change so they can smell all of the high ground. Or on more pressured public land they are bedded well out in the swamp and often head towards an elevation change when they get up in the evening so they can scent check the high ground when they get there, usually after dark.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 56 guests