MuleyMadness Hunting Forums

OK Guys,
I was out hunting on opener and spotted 2 beauties in velvet. Now they have shed their velvet for sure. I was wondering when most bucks break out of bachlor groups or if you notice what habbits change. Do you guys notice them being more nocturnal or changing areas? It makes me wonder because the basin I hunted on opener had 11 different bucks in it and great size. My cousin went out there and hunted the same basin, didn't see but one buck and mostly just doe. I guess I'm just looking for info on behavior and habits you have noticed once velvet goes and when they break out of bachlor groups. I have limited hunting days this year because of a new job and I think I only have one trip left to go on. Should I wait until the rut or should I pursue this next weekend? THe itch is so bad to go, but I want to make the most of my time.

Thanks for advice in advance, please chirp in veterans!

My experience has been that they still stay in their bachelor herds into the middle of October. Once the velvet comes off they tend to become more nocturnal and you don't seem to see them out in the open as much. I don't know if that is a result of feeling pressure from the other hunts that are earlier in the year or if they just naturally do it.

I am not a veteran by any means. But what i do know is bucks are high in the heat and low in the cold. partially due to rut activity and mainly due to hunting pressure. If you spotted bucks prior to or during archery season (velvet) and there split up and gone now. Either you have had some weather that changed their mind (no idea where your hunting) about staying in that spot or you have had guys with sticks and strings and smoke poles chasing them out of the area. Just last Saturday i was scouting for my wife's hunt and came across a bachelor herd of 7 bucks still hanging together. (Nevada). Which is fairly rare for this time of year here. Usually during the middle to end of muzzy season they break up, find their own way. Also how much do you trust your cousins eyes? he may have been hunting a full moon which would put pressured deer to bed prior to or at sunrise. (I focus alot on moon phases while hunting) once again im not a veteran by any means but hopefully a lil input is helpful. good luck

Here are my thoughts, I am by new means an expert and am learning a lot still but I have had the same issue in my area. When the deer are in velvet their antlers are tender so they avoid areas where they will bump them. Now that they have shed their velvet, hunting pressure has increased, and its starting to cool down their habits are going to change quite a bit. While moon phase might make a small difference I don't think its something to worry too much about... I have seen deer feed into the morning on nights with a full moon and last weekend I went to an area where I have seen multiple bucks over the past few weeks and not one was out in the morning, and there was only a sliver of the moon out that night. From what i've read and seen, later in the year the deer become more nocturnal and may drop a bit in elevation to where it is thicker and they are better protected from all the pressure. Again, i'm not an expert so take this for what its worth. Id love to hear some other thoughts on this as well... Lets hear it!

I hunt in north dakota, The elevation changes we are talking about are 500 feet tops. There are open areas and then there are northern facing hills that are loaded with trees. I do think the tenderness of their antlers has merit. I wonder if the moon phase had an issue. I would also like to hear more people chirp in on this converation. Good luck hunting to all!

I think that there are a couple of things that have changed since you started watching these bucks. one is the tenderness of the antlers in velvet. Two is the need of food while they are growing their antlers. Three is pressure that these bucks feel from people scouting and hunting. Now that the velvet is off and their antlers are done growing they don't need to be out as much feeding they have moved off into the deepest, thickest cover to get away from the pressure of the people. Just my thoughts though.

Thanks,
That makes a lot of sense. Is there anyway to estimate how far they would go to get into the thick cover? Our bow season is still open during the rut... would you advise just waiting for the rut and then hunting a whole week during the rut? This makes the most sense to me, because I think it will be diffucult to get on them if they are bedded in thick cover.
Thanks again for the help guys!

Shedding the velvet has no effect on the deer I watch as far as bachelor groups, at least initially or for the first few weeks. Meaning almost all the bucks I'm watching have no velvet and are still in the same groups for the most part. I do believe they become a bit more nocturnal maybe, but deer are patterns of habit IMO. They like the same areas, draws, feed, water, trails, etc. Doesn't mean they can and won't change, cause they CERTAINLY will. Rut, feed, weather, pressure, predators, etc. will all effect there movement patterns.

But the deer I watch are still in the same general area withing 2 miles usually (no more) all summer long. They move when weather pushes them south for the winter, and pressure.

I'm convinced deer have personalities just like any other species, some prefer solitude more than others and some want to stick with their buddies. As the rut gets close they definitely split up and chase the does anyway/where they can. Just my 2 cents

I agree unless they have had something to completly blast them out of the area they will not have went far for cover. Maybe start watching the cover area close by at first and last light to see if you can spot them. Those animals know that area b etter than anybody so they know how to dissaper with out actualy leaving the area.

I love the advice from everyone. My friend did say he saw a large number of coyotes in the area. I did not see any when I was there. This may have them moving to another area, now my next question is WILL THEY RETURN TO THE PREVIOUS AREA AFTER THE COYOTES MOVE OUT? I will put one more piece of information out there. I had watched these bucks for 2 days. First day was unsuccessful in a stalk (MISS) THe next stalk was also a MISS! but when i went down to see where they were bedded it was crazy! THe beds the bucks were in was a tiny pocket of trees 15 at the most. Inside the trees were 2 beds worn down to the dirt. Now I assume that is where they bed when pressured by predators (me). It was crazy because when i put them to bed they bedded in an area that had their wind coming into their face and not over the hill down into them. Just some information for your guys to ponder at. Both bucks were amazing and very mature.