Establishing Patterns

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DaveT1963
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Establishing Patterns

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 5:45 am

With all the recent posts about summer patterns, ag patterns, etc.... I am curious what most think or have observed on how long does the average mature buck stay on a "pattern"

IMO/IME, very few bucks stay on a daily repeatable pattern longer than 3-5 days. They will shift it up and then may or may not return a couple days, etc..... I have never witnesses a repeatable pattern for longer than 4 days outside the fact that a buck will use the same core area and they might have a preferred destination food source.... but how they travel to and from (when and how they show up) is not all that consistent. I do believe in annual repeatable patterns provided there are not big significant changes in environmental factors.

To me this is why in-seasons scouting and hitting it while it is hot is so important. The patterns just do not last as long as most believe they do. IME Most big mature bucks just are not that patternable in repetitive daily movements... just general trends with bedding areas being the more consistent variable.


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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby Jdw » Wed Jun 26, 2019 8:41 am

I have seen late summer patterns last 3-4 weeks.

Most of the time in season pattern are less than a week in my area.
But I killed a big buck 3 years ago that was in a small area and on a predictable pattern for more than 3 weeks, before I had the opportunity to kill him. To my knowledge I was the only one hunting him and I was careful not to let him know I was hunting him.
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 9:13 am

Jdw wrote:I have seen late summer patterns last 3-4 weeks.

Most of the time in season pattern are less than a week in my area.
But I killed a big buck 3 years ago that was in a small area and on a predictable pattern for more than 3 weeks, before I had the opportunity to kill him. To my knowledge I was the only one hunting him and I was careful not to let him know I was hunting him.


you've seen a buck or group of bucks hit the same food course, same time, same entry for weeks? That awesome that's got to be a killable buck. I've hunted corn, beans alfalfa, food plots and I've never seen that personally. I seldom saw a mature buck do the same thing three evenings in a row. might have been due to wind conditions/changes.
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby Dewey » Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:26 am

DaveT1963 wrote:
Jdw wrote:I have seen late summer patterns last 3-4 weeks.

Most of the time in season pattern are less than a week in my area.
But I killed a big buck 3 years ago that was in a small area and on a predictable pattern for more than 3 weeks, before I had the opportunity to kill him. To my knowledge I was the only one hunting him and I was careful not to let him know I was hunting him.


you've seen a buck or group of bucks hit the same food course, same time, same entry for weeks? That awesome that's got to be a killable buck. I've hunted corn, beans alfalfa, food plots and I've never seen that personally. I seldom saw a mature buck do the same thing three evenings in a row. might have been due to wind conditions/changes.

Or moon phase. ;)
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 12:24 pm

Dewey wrote:
DaveT1963 wrote:
Jdw wrote:I have seen late summer patterns last 3-4 weeks.

Most of the time in season pattern are less than a week in my area.
But I killed a big buck 3 years ago that was in a small area and on a predictable pattern for more than 3 weeks, before I had the opportunity to kill him. To my knowledge I was the only one hunting him and I was careful not to let him know I was hunting him.


you've seen a buck or group of bucks hit the same food course, same time, same entry for weeks? That awesome that's got to be a killable buck. I've hunted corn, beans alfalfa, food plots and I've never seen that personally. I seldom saw a mature buck do the same thing three evenings in a row. might have been due to wind conditions/changes.

Or moon phase. ;)


Stop it Dewey lol
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby hoyt31786 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:35 pm

DaveT1963 wrote:With all the recent posts about summer patterns, ag patterns, etc.... I am curious what most think or have observed on how long does the average mature buck stay on a "pattern"

IMO/IME, very few bucks stay on a daily repeatable pattern longer than 3-5 days. They will shift it up and then may or may not return a couple days, etc..... I have never witnesses a repeatable pattern for longer than 4 days outside the fact that a buck will use the same core area and they might have a preferred destination food source.... but how they travel to and from (when and how they show up) is not all that consistent. I do believe in annual repeatable patterns provided there are not big significant changes in environmental factors.

To me this is why in-seasons scouting and hitting it while it is hot is so important. The patterns just do not last as long as most believe they do. IME Most big mature bucks just are not that patternable in repetitive daily movements... just general trends with bedding areas being the more consistent variable.



I agree Dave i dont see bucks doing the same thing over and over very often other than annual patterns! Everyonce and awhile you might see one on the same food source in summer over and over but like u said the entry and approach often varies. Im speaking for Mature bucks 4 1/2 or older of course. Im starting to really see the annual pattern theory play out seeing mature bucks in the same general areas same time period often times yr after yr. Don higgins has a good podcast on this and i have heard Dan talk about it in podcasts as well!
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby hoyt31786 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:42 pm

This buck was on a summer pattern hitting a bean field consistently most the summer. Opening day early season buck! They key was monitor from a distance give him his freedom and just wait till wind was right slip in easy access unpressured area! Image
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby Bogle » Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:50 pm

I agree as well DaveT. I see some "good young" bucks do repeatable patterns, especially early season when they haven't been pressured, but I very rarely see a mature deer do something several times in a row outside of checking does. However, If I do see a good buck early season there is a good chance I will see him again some other time throughout the year in the general area.
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:30 pm

hoyt31786 wrote:This buck was on a summer pattern hitting a bean field consistently most the summer. Opening day early season buck! They key was monitor from a distance give him his freedom and just wait till wind was right slip in easy access unpressured area! Image

That, sir, is a heckuva buck.
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby hoyt31786 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:43 pm

greenhorndave wrote:
hoyt31786 wrote:This buck was on a summer pattern hitting a bean field consistently most the summer. Opening day early season buck! They key was monitor from a distance give him his freedom and just wait till wind was right slip in easy access unpressured area! Image

That, sir, is a heckuva buck.


Yea he was a stud wish i could say i got to release the arrow on him but it was a client thru our outfitter but was just as good seeing someonelse get him! You can actually watch the hunt on whitetailedge youtube.
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby Jdw » Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:55 pm

DaveT1963 wrote:
Jdw wrote:I have seen late summer patterns last 3-4 weeks.

Most of the time in season pattern are less than a week in my area.
But I killed a big buck 3 years ago that was in a small area and on a predictable pattern for more than 3 weeks, before I had the opportunity to kill him. To my knowledge I was the only one hunting him and I was careful not to let him know I was hunting him.


you've seen a buck or group of bucks hit the same food course, same time, same entry for weeks? That awesome that's got to be a killable buck. I've hunted corn, beans alfalfa, food plots and I've never seen that personally. I seldom saw a mature buck do the same thing three evenings in a row. might have been due to wind conditions/changes.


I think pressure has a lot to do with it.

Late summer is when I am most likely to see bucks doing the same thing over and over.

During hunting season I occasionally find an older buck with a small range and if I play my cards right I can pattern and kill him before I educate him.
All bucks are different but the buck from 3 years ago moved in a small area but was there around dusk most evenings.
It took the right conditions to hunt it so I couldn’t jump right in and hunt the spot but his movement was consistent from mid October when I first observed him in that area until November 8th. When I killed him.
In that time I had suitable conditions for several hunts in the area and killed him the 3rd time I saw him from the stand.
I think the reason it worked is I was within sight of the 2 points he was bedding on. I waded the creek for access and slipped up the bank on the opposite side from most of the deer traffic. So I was inside his zone but not in a place he was likely to pick up my ground scent.

He was certainly killable. Someone who is more aggressive might have killed him a lot quicker than I did but I killed him eventually and didn’t mess the pattern up in the process.
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 4:30 pm

I'm not sure how it is in your part of the state Dave but in my area summer scouting/glassing fields has proven to be a complete waste of time. Doesn't matter if you can set your watch to a nice buck. Come Sept 1 the dove hunters are out in full force. Couple that with 95% of the hunters around me decide it's time to scout the weekend b4 the opener and find "magic mountain" where all there whitetail dreams come true.

Only once I can recall that I had a real shot on a early season patterned buck. Every farmer in the county planted Milo (which dove hunters hammered) except one farmer who had 200 acres of alfalpha and no bird hunters. The deer flocked to that field like the salmon of Capistrana! I mean the best bucks in the county where there on the regular. Had a tree in a low corner that looked like God placed it there just for me. It was as close to a slam dunk as u can get. Had the buck of a lifetime broadside at 15 yards in the open and managed to not even get a shot off :doh: But that's a sad story for a diff day lol
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed Jun 26, 2019 9:32 pm

been saying that for years about dove season in south, we never get a chance at unpressurized deer.

But I've hunted a lot of states, for decades, and while I have seen mature bucks show up in large ag fields, very seldom was there any pattern to how they did it. I dont consider knowing bedding areas and knowing their destination food source a pattern but locations..... a pattern has repeatable observable habits done the same way/time. That is where I say I've seldom seen a mature buck patternable for days on end. If I see a buck do the same thing 3 days in a row I would expect him to die the 4th time. Truth is, I've seldom seen a mature buck do the same thing 3 days in a row. Especially come Oct. And I have hunted low pressure ag and still didnt see them consistently repeat patterns.

I was just curious if others do, and apparently some do.
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Wed Jun 26, 2019 11:35 pm

I think some bucks get into a routine due to food and weather during summer. Not much changes during July and August.

A week of consistent south winds during the first week of October can put them on their "summer" pattern but with the change of food sources that repeatability has been lost.
A simplified example would be Hill country where only one point is preferred for summer winds. Will they be on a pattern, yes and no. Bed may be predicted but the browse can be the X Factor on leaving that bedding.

Adding human disturbances makes random deer activities more randomer!
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Re: Establishing Patterns

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Thu Jun 27, 2019 12:35 am

Until rut (breeding cycle) hits the only pattern I can produce is food - pretty simple, find the right food at the right time and yahtzee you may have a wina!
They will always find water...

Hundreds of foods to pay attention to unless you have beans & corn (AG), then you can help isolate a large area of food to your benefit...
Apples and akurns and beechnuts are a favorites around me - I call it needle in the haystack hunting...

Deer browse so the North East/big-woods hunting is delicate at best (no real AG)...
You just need to differentiate night feeding vs. 1 or 2 hours before and after sunset - simple right :? :whistle: :violin:

Also my deer don't really have a pattern map to go by... ;)
They are efficient browsers / meanderers / schizophrenics...
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