Bucks change location after rut?

[apache12]

So some of you may have seen my posting a few weeks back "one of these days I'm going to put an arrow in this"

 

So me and this deer have a connection now. He continually kicks my arse. But I can find him almost every time I go out. I've chased him for two years now. And this Ive gotten better at getting close and finding him.

 

My problem is that I can't hunt him next week because my son has his jr pig hunt so yesterday was my last chance. And again I got to 200 yrds and couldn't move to close so I just watched him until the sun set. Sort saying goodbye til next year

 

I plan to look for his sheds and hunt him in August.

 

My question is do mule deer move to different locations in the summer months? I've seen him pre rut with a small buck and then during rut with his girls but I didn't hunt him in the August hunt

 

I thought about sweeting a camera and a salt out this spring and all summer but I don't want make him an easy mark for rifle season. If that's possible. I find myself nervous he will get killed.

Ok I'm obsessed with this deer. He isn't a monster but he has become my trophy. Never killed a deer with bow and want him to be my first

 

Any advice on staying in contact with this deer for the next 12 months

[firstcoueswas110]

i heard theyll move 20 miles for hot does?

[tjhunt2]

I'm anxious to see what answers you get on this. Sure you can read what the books tell you and I'm sure there is going to be a variety of opinions on what some might think but their are some excellent mule deer hunters on cwt that have no doubt, from a lifetime of hunting and scouting these amazing bucks, the answers you're looking for. I would say in Arizona it depends on which part of the state you're in. We definitely have some awesome guides who know these animals inside out. It's no wonder why they kill big bucks every year for themselves or their clients. Now, I'll step a side and learn from the best myself.

 

TJ

[GhostTracker180]

I think it varies. Late spring and summer months, if dry, are hard on the deer herds. I think they adjust locations for food and water. The big, mature bucks I think are loners and live in romote locations, out in the flats, away from the populations of doe's and younger bucks. Combine that with being mostly nocturnal and they become hard to find most of the year, but not impossible. I know others may question my opinion, but it is just that, my opinion from years of hunting. I think cool weather and the coming rut get them mor active and closer to the doe's around December. And, I am refering to desert mulies. Use your game cams right and you may find his core living area. Good luck!

[idgaf]

I hunted one mule deer buck from Dec 2006 to January 2010 or so. I hunted from December to the end of January and either the first or second rifle season in October or November. I can not comment on all deer but this one in the desert flats would not leave a two mile area. He had his favorite locations depending on time of year but in general he would stay in that two square mile area. I could find him or evidence of him in those areas anytime of year.

[Snapshot]

I have read that big Mulies will travel long distances in search of does to breed, and stay with them until their cycle is completed. The bucks will normally return to their core area, because it will always have food,water,and cover, and they know every inch of their area.

 

Back in the 1980's, when I first started bow hunting, I found a big rutting buck two years in a row. This buck was below Black Mountain in 37B, not far from the radio tower. Both years he had a very large group of does, along with some small bucks. I found him on multiple occasions over 2 years, and missed one 60 yard shot on him. He was smart, and being in a group of 20 deer, very hard to get close too. This particular area really got hammered during the rifle hunts, and I knew dang well he lived somewhere else during the fall. Probably out in the roadless thick stuff in the flats, miles away. I doubt he would survive the rifle season in this area. Not unless he was holed up tight , and only came out at night. Who knows! The second year I hunted him, another archer ended up bagging that buck. He was 32" wide and scored in the 180's.

[firstcoueswas110]

I have read that big Mulies will travel long distances in search of does to breed, and stay with them until their cycle is completed. The bucks will normally return to their core area, because it will always have food,water,and cover, and they know every inch of their area.

 

Back in the 1980's, when I first started bow hunting, I found a big rutting buck two years in a row. This buck was below Black Mountain in 37B, not far from the radio tower. Both years he had a very large group of does, along with some small bucks. I found him on multiple occasions over 2 years, and missed one 60 yard shot on him. He was smart, and being in a group of 20 deer, very hard to get close too. This particular area really got hammered during the rifle hunts, and I knew dang well he lived somewhere else during the fall. Probably out in the roadless thick stuff in the flats, miles away. I doubt he would survive the rifle season in this area. Not unless he was holed up tight , and only came out at night. Who knows! The second year I hunted him, another archer ended up bagging that buck. He was 32" wide and scored in the 180's.

this

[jgraffaz]

They spread out and go into survival mode,they only eat sleep and drink, you can only find them early or late, get away from roads...just my two cents

[308Nut]

In my experience, big desert bucks become inactive during daylight hours after the rut until the next rut. Not that they move very far, just become invisible. They have balls and nerves if steel. Unless you all but step on them, they won't bust out of their hiding hole.

[Big or Bust]

If you can find the giant desert bucks in daylight while they are not rutting, you are doing extremely well. These spots are very hard to find.

[ajohunter]

What I have seen hunting mule deer in the 40 units is that the does have a core area in which they live all year. The larger more mature bucks only move into those areas during the rut. Post rut they move back into the flats and are very difficult to locate. Most of the time if a person hunts the core areas where the does are, during the rifle hunts they will see the yearling bucks still running with mama.

[Adicted]

40's units are the toughest but hold some absloute giants

[apache12]

Ok. So if he moves back to his safer range post rut. That will most likely be where he drops his sheds correct?

 

It also seems like I shouldn't bother with a camera in the area I seem him at during the rut. Yes?

[GreyGhost85]

where i run my cameras i have never seen a mature mule deer outside of the rut. only lots of does and yearlings. when the rut rolls around the area is flooded with mature bucks, but i have no clue where they are for the other 10-11 months of the year. i make my brain hurt from trying to figure them out. i see the same deer every single year in january but have no idea where they are in the august archery hunt or the rifle season

[ajohunter]

i wouldn't put cameras where I see the larger bucks during the rut. Try placing them in the washes and cuts out in the flats. When you get pics of the larger Bucks concentrate your cams/scouting on that area.