Do larger bucks make more noise?

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Buckbuster28
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Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby Buckbuster28 » Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:18 am

Have a question regarding larger bucks or more mature bucks. Do they make more noise while walking through the woods or swamp? I know it seems like a dumb question considering they are larger then your typical doe or small buck so it would make sense that they would make more noise then them but I always thought in order for them to reach that size they must be really smart and pretty stealthy to avoid hunters. I know the few that I have taken though I knew they were a good deer as soon as I heard them coming just by how heavy they walked and how much noise they made coming through the brush. And one more question do larger bucks hit their horns on brush and saplings on purpose during the rut? I've heard this a few times and seen the buck doing it and it's always been a good buck. It sounds like someone busting through the brush and hitting stuff with a bat. I've never seen the buck actually doing it just them coming out after making all the noise. So I was wondering if they do it on purpose hitting their horns on stuff to let other deer know they are around?

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Re: Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby PK_ » Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:25 am

Yes. I once had a 2 year old come out of a bedding area followed by a big mature buck. The 2 year old was making normal amount of commotion and sounded like a mouse compared to the old buck which sounded like a brush hog.

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Re: Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby JLS » Wed Aug 20, 2014 5:56 am

Yes a larger buck will make more noise while walking through an area than a younger/smaller buck will .

As for the hitting their antlers on limbs/trees , I've always seen that as exercise/shadow boxing . It's not just done by large bucks or just during the rut . They start this as soon as the velvet is shed as a way to get/stay in shape for any battles they might face . With seeing a lot of this during the rut though comes the added benefit of knowing that there are probably other GOOD buck in the area cause usually dominance has been well established .

Will admit that when I first seen the title , my first thought was "young bucks make more noise" as they will walk through the woods as the rut is approaching and do a lot of grunting . Coarse they do that as a way of determining a safe direction of travel and that is also an indication that you are in a big buck rich environment . It's also the reason that I prefer to imitate the sounds of a young buck when I'm calling ..... it's more natural and they all hate young bucks !!
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Re: Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby Stanley » Wed Aug 20, 2014 6:49 am

I have seen big old bucks slip through the timber quiet as a church mouse.
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Re: Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby Buckbuster28 » Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:04 am

Stanley wrote:I have seen big old bucks slip through the timber quiet as a church mouse.


So could it be the case that if they want to or feel the need to be quiet because they sense danger or know that they are in danger they can be quiet, but if they feel relaxed or safe they don't pay much mind to the amount of noise they make?

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Re: Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby dan » Wed Aug 20, 2014 7:23 am

I have had them slip in silent, and I have had them come in making noise on purpose... I had one3 buck come in during pre-rut that was making such a commotion I thought it was another hunter. What he was doing was hitting his antlers against all the brush letting all the other bucks know he thought he was king. I shot that buck, he was a big buck dressed over 200 pounds and scored around mid 140's
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Re: Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby hunter_mike » Wed Aug 20, 2014 8:15 am

JLS wrote:Will admit that when I first seen the title , my first thought was "young bucks make more noise" as they will walk through the woods as the rut is approaching and do a lot of grunting . Coarse they do that as a way of determining a safe direction of travel and [glow=red]that is also an indication that you are in a big buck rich environment[/glow] . It's also the reason that I prefer to imitate the sounds of a young buck when I'm calling ..... it's more natural and they all hate young bucks !!


That right there is interesting. Never thought of that. Care to explain more?

So you say an aggressive crop of young bucks is a sign that a big one(s) live in the area?
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Re: Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby hoyt » Wed Aug 20, 2014 9:25 am

The noisiest deer I've ever heard walking was one of the biggest bucks I've ever seen. It was of all places in Ga. in the early 60's and he was most likely still full blooded Wis. deer that Ga. had stocked parts of the state with a few yrs. earlier.

I was on a white oak flat and I heard him coming from 50 or more yds away. Blue jays were squawking and he was just walking over little saplings. I saw the tops of them shaking and going down from way off.

Missed him broadside at about 18 yds. with my American Archery Cheetah Standard Recurve and a fiberglass microflite arrow. I normally shot aluminum and that microflite fish tailed on the way to him and the back end hit a limb and went right under his chest. He didn't have all that big of a rack, but he was a monster in size.

Many times I've heard that nonchalant steady step and said to myself .."Here comes a buck".
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Re: Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby JLS » Wed Aug 20, 2014 12:35 pm

hunter_mike wrote:
JLS wrote:Will admit that when I first seen the title , my first thought was "young bucks make more noise" as they will walk through the woods as the rut is approaching and do a lot of grunting . Coarse they do that as a way of determining a safe direction of travel and [glow=red]that is also an indication that you are in a big buck rich environment[/glow] . It's also the reason that I prefer to imitate the sounds of a young buck when I'm calling ..... it's more natural and they all hate young bucks !!


That right there is interesting. Never thought of that. Care to explain more?

So you say an aggressive crop of young bucks is a sign that a big one(s) live in the area?





I'm fortunate that I get to hunt a lot of private property and no 2 properties are the same . 3 of the properties that I hunt have an extremely high concentration of deer .

What I have observed is that every young buck 1.5 , 2.5 , and even some 3.5 year old bucks will grunt their way through an area that they think a big buck could be in . If they get a response from the wrong buck , they will skirt the area , if no response , they will continue on their path but will also continue grunting .

Any time I am sitting a stand anywhere as the pre rut is kicking in and here a young buck grunting occasionally , for what used to seem like no reason , as he passes through , I automatically assume that he is doing it for his own safety . He know that he is passing through an area that is known to hold a buck that he just doesn't want to deal with .... again . I can promise you , he's not grunting to hear the sound of his voice .

I even take that to the ground with me . Any time I'm still hunting , I pass through the woods grunting like a 1.5 - 2.5 year old buck ..... nothing better than having the bucks tell you where they're at :)
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Re: Do larger bucks make more noise?

Unread postby JLS » Wed Aug 20, 2014 12:53 pm

To the OP , should have mentioned earlier . If you have a buck passing through your area during the rut or last stages of pre rut , slapping limbs/trees , it's what I call a "prime buck" . That buck is prime for calling and my favorite call for him would be the buck roar . Roar once and if that don't get him headed your way , wait a minute and roar again but this time add a couple of tending grunts on the end of it ..... then get your bow ready :)

Every one I'm sure has heard of the "can" , a hyper estrous doe bleat . The roar is nothing more than the bucks counter version of this . It's a hyper testosterone fueled overly excited grunt ..... most commonly made while a buck is charging out to scent check a doe . If it doesn't work the first time , adding the tending grunts to the second one says "BINGO" just got me a hot doe . That will normally bring them running in and they will not waste the time to circle down wind as they fear that they just don't have the time to waste :lol:


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