New bucks moving in when dominant buck is killed

[comeback_kid]

The buck I was after was killed by another hunter in farm country. How often do you see other good bucks moving in and taking over the dominant buck's core area when that dominant buck gets shot?

Any tips are appreciated. Pretty sure this 5.5 year-old got shot and then went and died in or very near the bed I found last winter.

[Marshbuster89]

I always wonder how long this takes, also. Will be curious to see the responses.

I can’t imagine it happens over night, but the next-up in the pecking order has got to know when his competition is no longer around.

[Hawthorne]

In my areas I’ve seen one move in almost right away from trail cam pics or sightings. Other times I won’t see one till the next year. Maybe it depends on herd density and how many big bucks are around. This was farm country

[crankn101]

For my area, its instantly. They seem to always be around each other all the time and continuously checking scrapes and does so it just happens.

[stash59]

Would say it depends on deer density, buck age structure and hunting pressure.

The higher the deer population, the higher the odds for it to be used right away. But higher deer densities often mean poorer buck age structure. So the next dominant buck may only be a 1.5 YO. The higher the hunting pressure, if the bedding is a very secure primary bedding area. The sooner it will likely be taken over.

[comeback_kid]

Would say it depends on deer density, buck age structure and hunting pressure.

The higher the deer population, the higher the odds for it to be used right away. But higher deer densities often mean poorer buck age structure. So the next dominant buck may only be a 1.5 YO. The higher the hunting pressure, if the bedding is a very secure primary bedding area. The sooner it will likely be taken over.

Thanks Stash, these are great points. Yes this is a higher deer density area, but not too high on the pressure. From what I can tell this was the 5.5 year-old’s core area and he was the biggest buck by FAR in the area. There might not be another 4 year-old around for a long ways...