Last year I had deployed my cameras for inventory during the second week of June. The areas I had placed at what I felt to be a safe distance just outside of bedding areas.
I had a few random does an fawns appear on camera the whole month of June then July came. July 2nd was the first of what would end up being a flurry of buck pics. Pretty much the area ended up being a bachelor groups bedding area.
This year I'm waiting a little bit longer before I deploy the cams back around the same area just with more of a planned access to them. I'm only planning on the deploy date and the pulling date end of August.
Even though this time frame of the winter shift to summer doesn't relate straight to hunting I'd like to know if anyone has noticed a particular time frame of the shift. Wanting to know everything about deer has me thinking about their behavior outside of season. I'm also hoping it will help me back track and figure out where they are after the season to get a head start on any survivors.
Winter to summer home range
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- Hawthorne
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Re: Winter to summer home range
I think there is a shift in spring right around green up then another one happens around fawning time. I've had bucks on cam all thru April and May before. Then when the doe comes in and occupies an area at fawning time the bucks won't be on cam has much.
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Re: Winter to summer home range
Hawthorne wrote:I think there is a shift in spring right around green up then another one happens around fawning time. I've had bucks on cam all thru April and May before. Then when the doe comes in and occupies an area at fawning time the bucks won't be on cam has much.
Makes sense about the fawning. Something Dr. Bronson Strickland had stated about mature bucks and breeding and relating it to humans was when your an old man what's more important breeding or living? For me if I'm an old man I don't know if I'd want to be around a bunch of women with rambunctious newborns either.
- thwack16
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Re: Winter to summer home range
Sounds to me that they may have shifted to a different food source and that bedding was better for it. Maybe a nearby bean field?
Or possibly they prefer that bedding area during the hotter months. Maybe water source nearby or cooler bedding.
Or possibly they prefer that bedding area during the hotter months. Maybe water source nearby or cooler bedding.
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Re: Winter to summer home range
thwack16 wrote:Sounds to me that they may have shifted to a different food source and that bedding was better for it. Maybe a nearby bean field?
Or possibly they prefer that bedding area during the hotter months. Maybe water source nearby or cooler bedding.
Brings up another good point. It does seem like a main reason for shifting around is cover. This time of year this area is baracaded by a few hundred yards of briars and tall grass. Come late fall and winter it's wide open. The period between summer and late fall has 2 different factors in causing the next shift, hunting pressure and testosterone.
So after really giving some thought and just a few short posts it seems like the key for getting late season pics of any survivors on public is those late season bedding areas. Food sources would be great except big woods means browse everywhere. Survival is number 1 IMO and that depends on good cover. I'm going to assume that a major reason for shifting around from bedding to bedding outside of testosterone has to do with cover. From the drop of foliage and the tall grasses laying down to green up and the full foliage.
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Re: Winter to summer home range
Here at home in Virginia bucks change when velvet comes off starting mid to later August. Earliest I seen velvet off last year was August 23. Then the deer again make another change when the leaves and such drop.
Come this past spring the deer this year changed mid April as foliage started coming on and making back previous summers bedding. Most didn't drop sheds Tim around 13 march. I see the most change in deer when leaves and floor cover comes and goes.
Come this past spring the deer this year changed mid April as foliage started coming on and making back previous summers bedding. Most didn't drop sheds Tim around 13 march. I see the most change in deer when leaves and floor cover comes and goes.
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