Do mature bucks have thinking capacity?

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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mainebowhunter
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Re: Do mature bucks have thinking capacity?

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Tue Dec 20, 2016 3:36 pm

mheichelbech wrote:Good point about very few coincidences in mature buck movement but it is not easy, for me at least, to discern why they are doing what they are doing when I see them (except running away!). Obviously the rut is not difficult but otherwise I seldom see much of a pattern to buck movement in hunting season. I just don't see them enough to really establish much. It could easily be my fault I don't see them that much but for the most part the bucks I have known about seem to be more random in their movements. I can't even get trail cam pics of mature bucks on a regular basis in hunting season. And I am taking all possible precautions with the trail cam.

A good example would be a cam I have on plot watcher mode. Every few days it gets a pic of the buck I'm after but I have yet to see any recurring pattern (wind, moon, etc) as to why he appears in the field one day and not the next. The camera is 75 yards or so from where the buck appears and he is not exhibiting any awareness of the camera. One day he shows and two days later he shows again then a week and nothing and then he is back.

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See a lot of same behaviors in bigger woods deer. But its all realaTed to how mucH you know about their bedding. Low pressure deer with plenty of cover options ...sometimes makes them bed multiple places and super hard to pin down. Very random. Especially when you lose where they are bedding from year to year. It makes the deer appear smart...when in reality...not many of them and lots places to hide.

But in midwest, pinning down bedding areas especially in farm country becomes bit higher percentage. Higher numbers and less cover options. However.. it becomes much tougher if deer are not bedding on your ground. Bed hunting on limited private ground is going to be tough.

It's why lots of guys are drawn to big public. You have the access to chase the bedding down.

Persistence and patience is more important than one and done in some of these spots.

If deer could reason...as others have said...you would never kill them. And if they could reason they could figure out not to cross roads in front of vehicles. We as humans can reason ...and we always want to try to come up with logical reasons why animals behave like they do.

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mheichelbech
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Re: Do mature bucks have thinking capacity?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:09 am

Excellent point about the public land advantage. As long as it's not too close to unpressured private I guess.

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"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
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Re: Do mature bucks have thinking capacity?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Wed Dec 21, 2016 11:21 am

Well Rudolph knew he had to stay away from the abominable snow man!

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mainebowhunter
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Re: Do mature bucks have thinking capacity?

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Wed Dec 21, 2016 2:47 pm

mheichelbech wrote:Excellent point about the public land advantage. As long as it's not too close to unpressured private I guess.

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Its the advantage I have where I live. There really is no "public" land or very little but private land is open to hunting as long as its not posted. And the success rate on gain access permission runs in the 80-90% range. So the amount of ground to scout is unlimited.
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DeerDylan
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Re: Do mature bucks have thinking capacity?

Unread postby DeerDylan » Tue Dec 27, 2016 1:58 am

mainebowhunter wrote:
mheichelbech wrote:Good point about very few coincidences in mature buck movement but it is not easy, for me at least, to discern why they are doing what they are doing when I see them (except running away!). Obviously the rut is not difficult but otherwise I seldom see much of a pattern to buck movement in hunting season. I just don't see them enough to really establish much. It could easily be my fault I don't see them that much but for the most part the bucks I have known about seem to be more random in their movements. I can't even get trail cam pics of mature bucks on a regular basis in hunting season. And I am taking all possible precautions with the trail cam.

A good example would be a cam I have on plot watcher mode. Every few days it gets a pic of the buck I'm after but I have yet to see any recurring pattern (wind, moon, etc) as to why he appears in the field one day and not the next. The camera is 75 yards or so from where the buck appears and he is not exhibiting any awareness of the camera. One day he shows and two days later he shows again then a week and nothing and then he is back.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


See a lot of same behaviors in bigger woods deer. But its all realaTed to how mucH you know about their bedding. Low pressure deer with plenty of cover options ...sometimes makes them bed multiple places and super hard to pin down. Very random. Especially when you lose where they are bedding from year to year. It makes the deer appear smart...when in reality...not many of them and lots places to hide.

But in midwest, pinning down bedding areas especially in farm country becomes bit higher percentage. Higher numbers and less cover options. However.. it becomes much tougher if deer are not bedding on your ground. Bed hunting on limited private ground is going to be tough.

It's why lots of guys are drawn to big public. You have the access to chase the bedding down.

Persistence and patience is more important than one and done in some of these spots.

If deer could reason...as others have said...you would never kill them. And if they could reason they could figure out not to cross roads in front of vehicles. We as humans can reason ...and we always want to try to come up with logical reasons why animals behave like they do.

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Very true. I catch myself doing this sometimes. Mature deer sure are good at making humans look like idiots, though. :lol:
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Re: Do mature bucks have thinking capacity?

Unread postby Bubbles » Tue Dec 27, 2016 3:34 am

People get hit by vehicles too, and we can reason. :D
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Re: Do mature bucks have thinking capacity?

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Tue Dec 27, 2016 3:39 am

Bubbles wrote:People get hit by vehicles too, and we can reason. :D


True...but thats usually when their thinking capacity is blurred by drugs, alcohol or age. And many are hit by people who are blurred by drugs, alcohol or age.

Had a dog that never could figure out, cars are bad. He got hit, broke his pelvis. Healed. 2yrs later, got hit again, this one killed him.
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Re: Do mature bucks have thinking capacity?

Unread postby mheichelbech » Tue Dec 27, 2016 12:41 pm

I call a story about a guy running around and playing in traffic as being much like an alcoholic who refuses to accept help.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893


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