Penn state deer study

[Divergent]

These boxes represent the areas he visited on the 10/25,10/27,10/30,11/3. All of these days were rain event days. He seemed to seek cover on these days as opposed to more open hardwoods.

[Divergent]

This terrain relates to what most of us probably see. This buck had a tight core area...I’d be interested to know if this buck was an older deer. He actually spent most of his time between the north and south beds and almost always bedded along the military crest with the appropriate wind. He also dropped in elevation with rain events. I don’t know what the satellite imagery looks like. I based the weather data off of central PA because that would give an average for the area.

The photo below shows where the buck bedded on rain event days.

[dan]

I would be more interested in what he did outside the rut. If I were going to look at rut movement, it would be more interesting to look at and compare multiple years. Breeding does has a heavy influence and could disrupt patterns.

I was a little confused by two statements you made that seem to conflict, maybe you can explain:

I compared wind direction with bedding position. I did not find a correlation.

He actually spent most of his time between the north and south beds and almost always bedded along the military crest with the appropriate wind.

[Divergent]

I would be more interested in what he did outside the rut. If I were going to look at rut movement, it would be more interesting to look at and compare multiple years. Breeding does has a heavy influence and could disrupt patterns.

I was a little confused by two statements you made that seem to conflict, maybe you can explain:

I compared wind direction with bedding position. I did not find a correlation.

He actually spent most of his time between the north and south beds and almost always bedded along the military crest with the appropriate wind.

I would be more interested in what he did outside the rut. If I were going to look at rut movement, it would be more interesting to look at and compare multiple years. Breeding does has a heavy influence and could disrupt patterns.

I was a little confused by two statements you made that seem to conflict, maybe you can explain:

I compared wind direction with bedding position. I did not find a correlation.

He actually spent most of his time between the north and south beds and almost always bedded along the military crest with the appropriate wind.

What I’ve looked at has only been what I consider to be outside the rut. I’m only looking at dates up til I see a spike in activity... which I see as the rut starting.

Regarding the first quote: If there’s a NW wind I would expect to see a SE facing bed. I did not see that correlation in the first video. However, I did see bedding based on wind in the second video. The biggest difference was terrain. The terrain in the first video consisted of long ridges running E to W. The second video had ridges dropping in from all directions like I normally see where I hunt.

Regarding the second quote: Two different statements.

He bedded, traveled, and fed between the north bed(north red dot) and south bed(south red dot).

He also bedded how we normally expect...leeward point along the military crest with wind to back.

[Divergent]

Here’s a link to the second video that I was speaking about
https://youtu.be/IMtxnZp7Bwc

https://youtu.be/IMtxnZp7Bwc

[dan]

Ok... Got it, thanks for explaining.

[<DK>]

Its important to note that they said on the open air podcast that bucks really used the 1/3 most after they were pressured but more importantly they never captured "mature bucks". I think the oldest was 3yr old... if that. I posted in the PA scouting thread that someone should go walk these routes and see what is truly going on to full understand what the deer was doing. Also, it would give a better explanation to wind currents in those locations. Whos got the time right...

[rfickes87]

Its important to note that they said on the open air podcast that bucks really used the 1/3 most after they were pressured but more importantly they never captured "mature bucks". I think the oldest was 3yr old... if that. I posted in the PA scouting thread that someone should go walk these routes and see what is truly going on to full understand what the deer was doing. Also, it would give a better explanation to wind currents in those locations. Whos got the time right...

I'm pretty sure some were 6 years old or more. I specifically remember them catching a 2 1/2 and watching him for several years. Its funny that these 6 year olds you see in Iowa are monsters at 200 inches and in PA the one 6 year old they showed that was harvested by s hunter was about 110 inch, lol

[<DK>]

Its important to note that they said on the open air podcast that bucks really used the 1/3 most after they were pressured but more importantly they never captured "mature bucks". I think the oldest was 3yr old... if that. I posted in the PA scouting thread that someone should go walk these routes and see what is truly going on to full understand what the deer was doing. Also, it would give a better explanation to wind currents in those locations. Whos got the time right...

I'm pretty sure some were 6 years old or more. I specifically remember them catching a 2 1/2 and watching him for several years. Its funny that these 6 year olds you see in Iowa are monsters at 200 inches and in PA the one 6 year old they showed that was harvested by s hunter was about 110 inch, lol

That's interesting! I thought they caught them and the following season was what the tracker maps were.

[DaveT1963]

If you follow their bucks consistently over a few years the one thing that becomes very evident is that no two bucks are alike and you simply CAN NOT make ALWAYS and NEVER generalizations. There are however trends -as bucks mature the smaller their core areas tend to be and the mature bucks spend the MAJORITY of their lifetime in their core area. I also think they show what I have personally observed over many years in many hunting areas, bucks do not routinely use the exact same bed as much as they use general bedding areas. They also adapt to pressure during hunting season and their is no one specific time when they move best - every buck is as individual as humans are.

[Divergent]

Its important to note that they said on the open air podcast that bucks really used the 1/3 most after they were pressured but more importantly they never captured "mature bucks". I think the oldest was 3yr old... if that. I posted in the PA scouting thread that someone should go walk these routes and see what is truly going on to full understand what the deer was doing. Also, it would give a better explanation to wind currents in those locations. Whos got the time right...

The buck in the first video really keyed in on a specific area to feed. I’m curious as to what was in this area to eat.

[Divergent]

If you follow their bucks consistently over a few years the one thing that becomes very evident is that no two bucks are alike and you simply CAN NOT make ALWAYS and NEVER generalizations. There are however trends -as bucks mature the smaller their core areas tend to be and the mature bucks spend the MAJORITY of their lifetime in their core area. I also think they show what I have personally observed over many years in many hunting areas, bucks do not routinely use the exact same bed as much as they use general bedding areas. They also adapt to pressure during hunting season and their is no one specific time when they move best - every buck is as individual as humans are.

I think you’re right about this. There’s so many variables too that can affect how a deer moves...personality,age, pressure, cover, food. I’m still intrigued by bucks and movement and I think there’s a lot we just don’t understand yet.