Interesting Doe activity

[backstraps]

Yesterday was the gun opener in TN. With the winds I had, my choices were limited as to where I could hunt. So I decided to grab the rifle and hunt from a distance.

I climbed on a ridge that I could observe the leeward side of a bedding area one ridge over (within rifle range). This particular bedding area is a spot that I took pics of a buck bed back in the spring. He had total seclusion in his bed, and I was amazed at the fallen trees etc he had to cross to get to his bed. I did a post on it....well anywho, here is what I seen happen yesterday.

The ridge I was hunting had two does make there way from "my ridge" down into the valley and they climbed directly up the tip of the point where I suspected a buck to be at. Once the does were a little over half way up the hill, I watched the lead doe start acting like a young puppy! She was bouncing around, hopping, kind of jumping to the side etc...the second doe made her way to the same elevation, and then they looked like they were just milling around. About 15 minutes later, they both came straight off the point back into the valley and over to "my ridge" again. Less than 5 minutes after they came off the point, a 3.5 year old buck with little head gear came off their exact trail following behind.

SO, my thoughts are the does went into the buck bedding area seeking his attention....OR did the buck just happen to cut the trail of the does and follow their trail?

I somewhat almost think the lead doe was seeking the attention of a buck, and she may have just not been "in" yet??

Have yall seen this type of rutting action before?

[JV NC]

Have I seen them act crazy? Yes.

But, I don't try to read too much into it. I'm an Ockham's Razor kind of guy. The most logical explanation is, the buck simply cut their trail. That's what I would think.