coueshunter Report post Posted September 11, 2004 I seem to see bachelor groups with one or two good bucks and a couple smaller 3x3, forkies and maybe a spike. In this unit when the bucks bed down I notice the bigger bucks move off 20 yards or so to bed down by themselves. Also I notice the bigger bucks seem to get irritated with any kidding around the smaller bucks do. I have seen these two bigger bucks (90plus each) turn around and horn at the smaller bucks like they were telling them to calm down. Anyway I dont tend to see lone big bucks, they are always on the fringe of a group early in the season and hang around with the other bucks......Allen..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Ernesto C Report post Posted September 11, 2004 I went out this morning,what a beatifull sight two does feeding and about 10 or so yards to the left beded down a four point mule deer in full velvet about 24 to 25 inches wide,I watch them for about 30 minutes they were only bout 100 yards from me....Men I love being in the outdors it was around 6:30 in the morning and the experience of smelling the fres air,the threes and grass and seeing those deer...wow thank you Lord for that beatifull sight,that buck look majestic. On exactly same spot last year,around october I saw four bucks together two forkys,one tree pointer about 24 inches wide and a big 4 pointer about 28 inches wide. Take care everybody and God bless you all. Ernesto C. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
trufletch Report post Posted September 12, 2004 Ernesto- the rut in southern Az depends on about a jillion factors-normally sometime in january,even late decemeber, that's why so many people want that late december tag. Like i said in another thread, about the time I think I have em figured out, they make a fool of me, and thats not hard to do, normally don't need any help in that department. These deer are alot like people. all individuals, you got the social ones, not so social and loners. I have seen mature bucks, from the time they grow the horns, till they drop and never with another buck. I think other mature bucks will use the little ones as cannon fodder-suicide missions- send em out and see if they get shot at. We have all seen when the shooting starts, deer we did not even see, tho we glassed the grass off the hill, start running, usually bigger bucks than the one we are shooting at. just my nickels worth. Trufletch Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
coues addict Report post Posted September 12, 2004 trufletch I am not sure that we aren`t both saying roughly the same thing. IMHO the older bucks are just so much more road weary'' if you will '' than the younger bucks are that we just don`t pickup on them as easily! They feed earlier in the morning and get bedded down sooner. They stay bedded longer and feed later in the evening and don`t move around as much so they are not quite as visible as the younger more careless bucks. The rut throws all that theory into the toilet though because at that point they are crazed! Like Allen stated I have also seen older bucks with younger bucks but they almost always seperate themselves when they bed down. I think they just don`t want to hang around with those young guys and they are just way to cautious. I often wonder if they use the little ones to there advantage also or if the little ones just keep gettin the big ones in trouble? I think thats what makes hunting so cool, is that about the time you think you got em figgured out, they do something that you have never seen before! I really like this thread because of all the different things that you pick up on by different people. And I thought I had it all figured out '' Go Figure'' . Good Luck this season Coues Addict Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
galiuro mountain man Report post Posted September 13, 2004 About the bachelor herds: I saw a few of them this year a few times each. There is no real pattern to it. One day you see big ones running with little ones. The next time you see them some of the little ones are gone. Then you run into them again and the big ones are gone, then a few days later they are all together again. This year I ran into 4 different bachelor groups. One was 3 big bucks and 4 small ones. Then there was another one with 12 in it and only 3 were under about 80". The only thing I have figured out about them is that the groups change, one day it is big the next it is small, then the next day they are all together. GMM Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manamal Report post Posted September 13, 2004 I agree with GMM, I have been hunting a few groups of deer and have noticed that they kinda rotate who they are hanging out with. One day there may be a group of three bucks all in the 60-80" range hanging together. The next day there are a couple small 2x2's with them, that I would assume are the same ones that I usually see in the next canyon over. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manamal Report post Posted September 16, 2004 I've been hunting a couple bachelor groups of desert mulies, between coues hunts. As of yesterday the two merged into one. How am I ever gonna get close enough to TWELVE mulie bucks. When it was seven and five, i was able to get within bow range a few times. There are a couple of bucks there that really blow me away, 170ish 4x4's w/ deep forks. I hope before the end of the season they will split again. Too many bucks, what a problem to have!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
CouesSlayer Report post Posted September 20, 2004 Mule deer are like that too aren't they? The only thing different is that maybe the forkies and spikes stay with their mothers. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Manamal Report post Posted September 22, 2004 Since my post on the 16th I have seen the mulies I was referring to two more times. Scared them once because of a swirling wind, but had a chance to reevaulate the two big guys, probably 150 class bucks not 170. Nice bucks, I was probably just really excited and overestimated the score. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
workhorse Report post Posted September 29, 2004 I dont think it matters to the deer.I've seen 2 - 90 inch bucks running with 3 forkies and 2 spikes and only one doe.Other times I've seen just small bucks together and just big bucks together.I think its just a matter of season.During the rut I've seen the big boys dominate over the little guys but have also seen the little guys hanging out with eachother during the rut chasin does. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
.270 Report post Posted September 29, 2004 this is an interesting discussion. lotta theories, probly all of em right. the rut is a wierd deal to try and outguess. like everything else in nature, daylight hours and gestation periods are the driving factor. the fawns and calves, etc. need to be born when the feed is at it's best. therefore, count backwards whatever the gestation period of whatever you're hunting from when the best feed is going to be available, and you can sorta guess. most young of all kinds, in nature are all born in the same few weeks each summer. even tho their gestation periods vary drastically. but then the rut can always be off a couple weeks too. seems like the desert is a lot more difficult to guess than above the rim. elk, mt muleys and pronghorns, all go in the rut at the same time every year. elk and pronghorns in the fall and muleys in the last of december. below the rim, there ain't no tellin'. usually the last of december is great for coues, like it seemed to be last year. the year before, it stunk. desert muleys seem to me to have a real long rut, at least longer than the mt. deer. usually in late january or feb. when a guy gets to hit it right, it is great tho. hope them u1 bulls are in the middle of it this weekend. Lark. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gnoto Report post Posted October 1, 2004 Lark Do you belive or have you considered the rut is set off by a temperature drop change or the shorter day/longer night? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Noel Arnold Report post Posted October 5, 2004 In my thirty-one years of hunting coues. When we are talking about the non-rut. I have seen different size bucks together, although usually the really big ones are in the same class . Years ago when they were not getting a whole lot of hunting pressure, you would sometimes see a 120 class buck with does and small bucks in november. Noel Arnold Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
creed_az_88 Report post Posted October 6, 2004 Well, Most of the bachelor herds i hav seen have contained only a couple of bucks. I usually see bucks in pairs with at least on average-to-good sized buck. just thought i would reply because the topic was pretty interesting. creed Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WHT_MTNMAN Report post Posted October 6, 2004 The only big bucks that I have seen with the batchelor herd at my school, is the ones on this site. The few times I've been able to get out, I have seen all varieties of groups. I have one buck that I follow, that this year everytime I've seen him, he is with a little 2point, even though he may be as high as 110 inches. (with my expert coues judging ability ) probably is closer to 65 inches I had to try out the smile faces this time Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
