Buck trails, doe trails or everyone's trail?

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

HB Store


Double Draw
Posts: 194
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2017 12:17 pm
Status: Offline

Buck trails, doe trails or everyone's trail?

Unread postby Double Draw » Tue May 28, 2019 2:39 pm

I have been running some cameras on some public for the first time and am surprised that many of the trails I have set a camera over I am seeing does, young bucks and fawns. Lots of fishers, bears and coyotes, too! But no big bucks. These properties have many mature bucks that I have seen with my own eyes. I get that mature bucks bed differently than the rest of the herd and thus the trails close to their beds may not be highly travelled except for them but I assumed once they got out of their bedroom they would travel the 'main routes' even though it may be after dark. That's not what my cameras show. Maybe the bachelor groups have just missed my cameras. What's your experience observing the trails that does/fawns/young bucks use vs mature bucks? Outside of the rut do you notice any trends? I guess what I am wondering is do mature bucks often travel their own unique highways?
Btw, my cameras are up high and a deer has never busted them both in years past when I ran a few on my farm and now on public.


DougM
Posts: 27
Joined: Mon Apr 01, 2019 12:17 am
Facebook: moseley152@gmail.com
Status: Offline

Re: Buck trails, doe trails or everyone's trail?

Unread postby DougM » Tue May 28, 2019 5:13 pm

I've always noticed that they travel different trails
User avatar
brancher147
500 Club
Posts: 1414
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:46 am
Location: West Virginia
Status: Offline

Re: Buck trails, doe trails or everyone's trail?

Unread postby brancher147 » Tue May 28, 2019 11:22 pm

I have never gotten mature bucks on well used obvious trails outside of the rut on public.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
User avatar
DaveT1963
500 Club
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:27 am
Location: South
Status: Offline

Re: Buck trails, doe trails or everyone's trail?

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed May 29, 2019 1:04 am

It really depends. Typically, mature bucks are in different areas then does in spring/summer/early fall. A lot of people think it is because the bucks are smarter - not true. mature bucks are probably mature because they tend to be more of a loner and the does wont tolerate them while they have fawns. Running cameras for many years here is what I have observed.
1) Mature bucks typically have their own travel routes during spring/summer/early fall - they are not very consistent most of the year with the exception of early morning entry to bedding.
2) When they do use the same trail as younger bucks/does, they will lag behind others in the evening and usually pass through first in the AM
3) They will use the same trails as any other deer in many funnel situations
4) Does prefer open cover/ease of walking most of the time
5) Bucks almost always want thicker cover/more security (exception = above average windy days) - I find they prefer more open routes under these conditions - my assumption is they cannot trust their nose as much and thus want visual as well
6) Buck mourning trails are usually more consistent with using the wind (into the wind or quartering cross wind) near bedding. Does pretty much take the same routes regardless of wind every day as long as the food source remains viable.

None of this is 100% or written in stone. Hills, swamps, mountains, farm land all have their own peculiarities. Add pressure and everything can change.
Double Draw
Posts: 194
Joined: Wed Aug 30, 2017 12:17 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Buck trails, doe trails or everyone's trail?

Unread postby Double Draw » Wed May 29, 2019 6:52 am

DaveT1963 wrote:It really depends. Typically, mature bucks are in different areas then does in spring/summer/early fall. A lot of people think it is because the bucks are smarter - not true. mature bucks are probably mature because they tend to be more of a loner and the does wont tolerate them while they have fawns. Running cameras for many years here is what I have observed.
1) Mature bucks typically have their own travel routes during spring/summer/early fall - they are not very consistent most of the year with the exception of early morning entry to bedding.
2) When they do use the same trail as younger bucks/does, they will lag behind others in the evening and usually pass through first in the AM
3) They will use the same trails as any other deer in many funnel situations
4) Does prefer open cover/ease of walking most of the time
5) Bucks almost always want thicker cover/more security (exception = above average windy days) - I find they prefer more open routes under these conditions - my assumption is they cannot trust their nose as much and thus want visual as well
6) Buck mourning trails are usually more consistent with using the wind (into the wind or quartering cross wind) near bedding. Does pretty much take the same routes regardless of wind every day as long as the food source remains viable.

None of this is 100% or written in stone. Hills, swamps, mountains, farm land all have their own peculiarities. Add pressure and everything can change.


This is very insightful. Thanks for the information!
User avatar
hoyt31786
Posts: 157
Joined: Fri Nov 16, 2018 1:20 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Buck trails, doe trails or everyone's trail?

Unread postby hoyt31786 » Thu May 30, 2019 11:39 pm

Like Dan always says Big mature bucks are a totally different animal. Hunt them like just any deer expect any deer. Things that work on any deer dont always work on mature bucks. I see mature bucks parallel trails or just plain travel no trails. Often times they do things way different then other deer .


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 65 guests