Mature buck preference for darker travel routes??

[mheichelbech]

Has anyone ever observed if mature bucks tend to use travel routes that are in the darker or shaded part of the woods versus trails that may be more exposed to sunlight?

Or... if they tend to hang back to stage in the shaded areas in the evenings?

[Dewey]

Has anyone ever observed if mature bucks tend to use travel routes that are in the darker or shaded part of the woods versus trails that may be more exposed to sunlight?

Or... if they tend to hang back to stage in the shaded areas in the evenings?

Outside the rut pretty much any older buck I have seen was in the thicker and darked shaded areas. They don’t get old by making themselves visible. They are masters at blending in and observe way more than they move. Each step is done with a purpose. You can always tell and old deer by how slow they pick their way through an area fully alert and scrutinizing everything. Young deer carelessly scurry along and aren’t afraid to walk in the open.

[Boogieman1]

I agree with Dewey. There's lots of reasons for lurking in the shadows. Better cover, not casting a shadow, air currents act diff, cooler temps, less wind etc... Although I don't hunt severe cold I wonder if they might remove themselves from the shadows during this time to get the warmth of the sun?

Also, notice mature bucks (hate to use the word always, but I've never seen one not do it) stop at the light break of thick cover and give it a good long look over b4 stepping out in the more open woods. These are often great places to set up shop.

[Bowhunter4life]

Yeah they will hug cover most of the time. When I go into open woodlots or open timber one thing I tend to look for is a thicker area with some under brush. Just looking around you can often find those in that open timber. A good majority of the time I can go and check them and see rubs from either the past season or if the buck is in the area from this year, fresh sign. It’s a great starting place when scouting.

[ghoasthunter]

another thing to take note of is antler color darker antlers are exposed too less uv rays so if you are on a buck with lighter color antlers he very well could spend more time bedded in sunny areas. i agree with everyone else on travel and everything else above.

[bowfreak8]

Idk about hanging out more in shady areas but they absolutely spend the majority of their time in thick cover. Even when they travel they tend to do so in cover if possible.

[DaveT1963]

I think it really depends on the terrain. What I see a lot of mature bucks doing is sticking to edges where there are few trees if any. In the deep south some of those cypress swamps are dark and bucks will use them. Pine forest not so much. So I would stay shy of thinking along terms of darkest/shadiest and replace with where would be the hardest place to kill a buck - then go there. I love setting up in the edges of our thick plum/blackberry thickets..... down here these can easily be several acres in size. You cannot walk through these. The hogs beat paths through them and that is where I find a lot of bucks walking - that then along there edge where 6 foot Johnson grass and plum thickets meet. it is tough hunting, you won't see a ton of deer like you do in the oak thickets - but its where bucks can grow old. Same with those nasty cut overs where they leave the tree tops..... sometimes you ask yourself how the heck did that buck walk so effortlessly through that nightmare.