Breaking Summer Patterns

[Twenty Up]

Have y’all experienced summer bachelor groups on a consistent bedding to feeding pattern completely change their location from pressure?

I’m well aware of mature bucks reacting and adapting to pressure, but they seem to be hypersensitive during the summer months as compared to Sept-October. Even late season for that matter. (Not the rut)..

Have y’all had similar experiences regarding bachelor groups during the summer?

[UofLbowhunter]

Hate to tell you most big bucks are extremly paranoid all the time! In the summer they appear to be more relaxed. I watched a group of bucks one night calm and cool as can be didnt pay one bit of attention to passing cars or nothing, a bird flew in the middle of them and tried to land on a bean stalk and they all bolted at the fluttering! Then i can stop my car and just try to get a look at them and there blowing and running everywhere, who knows, but i do know one thing probably is true, the most paranoid bucks on public land are the most extreme nervous nellie’s walking. Thats probably why they get big, if there not they will get shot quick!

Yes they will change there patterns ive seen it happen but i have also seen them really change for no reason. I have alway kinda thought they do make a circuit like around an area! Take to the account of things changing, you can have a field of beans planted in early may be full of deer and they will move to the next field planted in june a half mile down the road. But the will change bedding if pressured as well i seen fist hand!

[Twenty Up]

Hate to tell you most big bucks are extremly paranoid all the time! In the summer they appear to be more relaxed. I watched a group of bucks one night calm and cool as can be didnt pay one bit of attention to passing cars or nothing, a bird flew in the middle of them and tried to land on a bean stalk and they all bolted at the fluttering! Then i can stop my car and just try to get a look at them and there blowing and running everywhere, who knows, but i do know one thing probably is true, the most paranoid bucks on public land are the most extreme nervous nellie’s walking. Thats probably why they get big, if there not they will get shot quick!

Yes they will change there patterns ive seen it happen but i have also seen them really change for no reason. I have alway kinda thought they do make a circuit like around an area! Take to the account of things changing, you can have a field of beans planted in early may be full of deer and they will move to the next field planted in june a half mile down the road. But the will change bedding if pressured as well i seen fist hand!

There’s no AG around here so we don’t have to worry about crop rotations thankfully. But I too have noticed deer getting skittish if I stop the truck, even on paved roads.

My main concern was that I had a bachelor group on cell camera for 2 weeks pushing through a creek bottom at 4:45 PM through 9PM everyday. Spider made a web on my camera so I cleaned the camera up and they all disappeared to not show up again.

This would be the second time hanging/checking a camera blew a bachelor group out of an area.

The realization that I may be too aggressive with my trail camera placement is also a strong possibility ..

[hoyt31786]

Ive always heard they grow brain cells as soon as velvet sheds lol I agree and thing mature bucks are always on edge eith pressure. But often times I think every year there's a shift from summer food sources/patterns to new fall food sources and ranges.

[UofLbowhunter]

Hate to tell you most big bucks are extremly paranoid all the time! In the summer they appear to be more relaxed. I watched a group of bucks one night calm and cool as can be didnt pay one bit of attention to passing cars or nothing, a bird flew in the middle of them and tried to land on a bean stalk and they all bolted at the fluttering! Then i can stop my car and just try to get a look at them and there blowing and running everywhere, who knows, but i do know one thing probably is true, the most paranoid bucks on public land are the most extreme nervous nellie’s walking. Thats probably why they get big, if there not they will get shot quick!

Yes they will change there patterns ive seen it happen but i have also seen them really change for no reason. I have alway kinda thought they do make a circuit like around an area! Take to the account of things changing, you can have a field of beans planted in early may be full of deer and they will move to the next field planted in june a half mile down the road. But the will change bedding if pressured as well i seen fist hand!

There’s no AG around here so we don’t have to worry about crop rotations thankfully. But I too have noticed deer getting skittish if I stop the truck, even on paved roads.

My main concern was that I had a bachelor group on cell camera for 2 weeks pushing through a creek bottom at 4:45 PM through 9PM everyday. Spider made a web on my camera so I cleaned the camera up and they all disappeared to not show up again.

This would be the second time hanging/checking a camera blew a bachelor group out of an area.

The realization that I may be too aggressive with my trail camera placement is also a strong possibility ..

Very possibly a good chance thats the cause. I have done that in summer time too! Do you only check on rainy days? I have done that in the past, but i have gotten almost away from trail cameras now, im starting to like the excitement of not knowing whats there!

[218er]

My opinion is that they notice more people trampling in the woods in September and on which bumps them off their patterns once bear hunting, small game, waterfowl, etc seasons begin. A confirmed fact is that their testosterone levels begin increasing which likely alters their habits.

[UofLbowhunter]

My opinion is that they notice more people trampling in the woods in September and on which bumps them off their patterns once bear hunting, small game, waterfowl, etc seasons begin. A confirmed fact is that their testosterone levels begin increasing which likely alters their habits.

Most cases down south or in my neck of the woods alot of hunters are not in the woods due to bad ticks and mosquito problems , but there are a few crazies like me . For the most part there are not alot of small game hunters till nov., squirrels are the exception but hardly any hunters, plus there are no bears here either so alot of interference is caused by me But you are right about changes it does happen but you can scare the crap out of a big buck in summer and through him off pattern!

[Tennhunter3]

On the public I hunt I honestly don't think the bedding areas change at all. Their is so much pressure from gun and Turkey season. The feeding does shift alot. I think mature bucks on public are paranoid constantly and move very little in daylight no matter the time of year.

[<DK>]

Iv had summer bucks see or smell the cam, then not show up again. Scent trail could be a factor. I general i see them more tolerant this time of year.

As far as stopping the truck I see this in my state as well. Versus a state over can stop and take pictures. Every buck reacts different though. Sometimes we just wont know the answers. Its still summer but you can never rule bait piles out.

[hoyt31786]

Their diet changes, their focus/sex drive ect changes, even their coat of fur changes, so to me there's always gonna be a switch. Pressure will change a deer to a degree all year whether its summer/fall/winter. I do think some people get so antsy for season they go out trample around and don't realize the effect it can play. I see it every year happen usually only a week or 2 before season. So all the sudden you add the influx of human intrusion around alot of the deer's landscape I'm sure it changes some things. But I think mainly the deer are looking for different food sources for various reasons and are just plain doing things different revolving around the rut. Then once the rut passes things change again and their needs change once again. Even in no pressure situations you see deer change their habits based on their needs.

[DaveT1963]

IME big mature bucks, (outside their core area - which I define is the location they spend 90% of daylight hours in - can be from 10 acres to large tracks) don't have as well defined "patterns" as most want to think they do. if and when they do, they should be relatively easy to move in on and kill. I guess it all depends on what you classify as a pattern. I think bucks can use the same food source consistently day after day. I know they use same bedding areas consistently. So if that is what we are talking about then yes they have patterns. How easy they can be broke off that pattern depends. How much other food is available? Do they have other core bedding areas? IS it breeding time?

What i think happens more often is that mature bucks tend to alter travel routes and timing more than to break a pattern. In other words, they might choose a different route, get there hours later, etc. more than to completely change what they are doing. Of course the rut throws everything off and then the does really start to dictate what a buck is doing. And since a doe is only in heat for less than 24 hours (willing to breed) the bucks are constantly changing depending on what ripe does are available.

If you re hunting true wilderness areas, places where deer seldom encounter humans, then yes I think we impact them a lot more. however, most of us hunt in locations where deer encounter humans and predators ALL THE TIME and they would run out of options if they relocated every time. I also do not buy into the whole total nocturnal thesis. What i think happens is that bucks just tighten up or shrink the size of their core area (where they feel comfortable moving during daylight). But if someone is in their bedroom, day after day, then they will probably find a new bedroom that observes/smells that intrusion.... but they probably didn't move far (usually loess than 200-300 yards lets say).

Bottom line: bucks are far more adaptive than most hunters - if you spook them and don't see them anymore, in most cases it is because they adjusted minimally and now are actually keeping tabs on you. Don't think any of this is new to beast members? Some refer to this as watching walk in trails, parking lots, etc..... Look for the cover that would be hard to approach without being busted (by wind or sight, and to some degree noise).

[backstraps]

On the public I hunt I honestly don't think the bedding areas change at all. Their is so much pressure from gun and Turkey season. The feeding does shift alot. I think mature bucks on public are paranoid constantly and move very little in daylight no matter the time of year.

Same on my end of the state, with the exception of the tail end of the rut.

[mheichelbech]

On one of the places I hunt, all deer high tail it from the fields as soon as they even see a vehicle. Bicycle they ignore but any motorized vehicle they are gone at first sight.

[Marcus.smith620]

Hate to tell you most big bucks are extremly paranoid all the time! In the summer they appear to be more relaxed. I watched a group of bucks one night calm and cool as can be didnt pay one bit of attention to passing cars or nothing, a bird flew in the middle of them and tried to land on a bean stalk and they all bolted at the fluttering! Then i can stop my car and just try to get a look at them and there blowing and running everywhere, who knows, but i do know one thing probably is true, the most paranoid bucks on public land are the most extreme nervous nellie’s walking. Thats probably why they get big, if there not they will get shot quick!

Yes they will change there patterns ive seen it happen but i have also seen them really change for no reason. I have alway kinda thought they do make a circuit like around an area! Take to the account of things changing, you can have a field of beans planted in early may be full of deer and they will move to the next field planted in june a half mile down the road. But the will change bedding if pressured as well i seen fist hand!

There’s no AG around here so we don’t have to worry about crop rotations thankfully. But I too have noticed deer getting skittish if I stop the truck, even on paved roads.

My main concern was that I had a bachelor group on cell camera for 2 weeks pushing through a creek bottom at 4:45 PM through 9PM everyday. Spider made a web on my camera so I cleaned the camera up and they all disappeared to not show up again.

This would be the second time hanging/checking a camera blew a bachelor group out of an area.

The realization that I may be too aggressive with my trail camera placement is also a strong possibility ..

Have you seen them come back after a certain amount of time, or just stay inconsistent?

[Twenty Up]

IME big mature bucks, (outside their core area - which I define is the location they spend 90% of daylight hours in - can be from 10 acres to large tracks) don't have as well defined "patterns" as most want to think they do. if and when they do, they should be relatively easy to move in on and kill. I guess it all depends on what you classify as a pattern. I think bucks can use the same food source consistently day after day. I know they use same bedding areas consistently. So if that is what we are talking about then yes they have patterns. How easy they can be broke off that pattern depends. How much other food is available? Do they have other core bedding areas? IS it breeding time?

What i think happens more often is that mature bucks tend to alter travel routes and timing more than to break a pattern. In other words, they might choose a different route, get there hours later, etc. more than to completely change what they are doing. Of course the rut throws everything off and then the does really start to dictate what a buck is doing. And since a doe is only in heat for less than 24 hours (willing to breed) the bucks are constantly changing depending on what ripe does are available.

If you re hunting true wilderness areas, places where deer seldom encounter humans, then yes I think we impact them a lot more. however, most of us hunt in locations where deer encounter humans and predators ALL THE TIME and they would run out of options if they relocated every time. I also do not buy into the whole total nocturnal thesis. What i think happens is that bucks just tighten up or shrink the size of their core area (where they feel comfortable moving during daylight). But if someone is in their bedroom, day after day, then they will probably find a new bedroom that observes/smells that intrusion.... but they probably didn't move far (usually loess than 200-300 yards lets say).

Bottom line: bucks are far more adaptive than most hunters - if you spook them and don't see them anymore, in most cases it is because they adjusted minimally and now are actually keeping tabs on you. Don't think any of this is new to beast members? Some refer to this as watching walk in trails, parking lots, etc..... Look for the cover that would be hard to approach without being busted (by wind or sight, and to some degree noise).

I’ve never been a big summer scouter, but I have a suspicion that bachelor groups of bucks have “low pressure beds” that focus more so on food than safety. Any human intrusion outside the normal tractor, sxs etc seems to really effect them. Enough intrusion and they seem to disappear back to where they would be bedding during hunting season.

That’s my opinion and interpretation after 1.5 seasons of actually summer scouting anyways.. I could be totally wrong