August 2010 Secret buck movement revealed

[Jeffhoyt82886]

Hi everyone, I am a new member and was reading an article in Deer and Deer hunting magazines, August issue. There was a study conducted on the eastern shore of my home state in Maryland. I really enjoyed the article, although I did disagree wih a few points. Basically, the article was about bucks home and core ranges. It said that during the rut a buck will leave their home range, only to return within 4-32 hours after breeding or attempting to breed a doe. This study was conducted by telemetry collars placed on mature whitetais(over 4 1/2 years old) during the rut on a 3200 acre farm in Maryland. I was trying to find the authors email Scott Bestul's email address, but had no luck. I would of liked to ask him if there was any hunting pressure on the farm during this 2 year study. I think this will highly impact the time of return of a buck during the rut. I really believe that I am right and there was little to no hunting pressure and I think that the bucks may have used the farm as a safe haven to avoid hunters in a heavely hunted area. Second point: he said that the study found out that when the bucks did return that did so more often then not during during daylight hours. Again, I think if they were heavely hunted it may cause the bucks to return under the cover of darkness. Dont get me wrong, we all know that bucks become more vulnerable during our favorite time of year, but I really do think that hunting pressure still impacts bucks movement during the rut. Please provide feedback...thanks



-Jeff



Also, 2 maryland bucks I took in Maryland. One with bow and one with shotgun in 09.

[KYdeer88]

I read the article and thought it was interesting. I too would be curious to know what the hunting pressure was like on the study property. From my own experience I love to hunt the rut because you never know what you will see. There have been many times when we have watched deer on trail cams all year just to have them shot by a hunter on one of the surrounding properties. I have shot bucks that I know for a fact came from properties that were some distance away; and in south east KY moving any distance through those mountains is quite a task for any animal. Its always fun standing over a big deer and wondering where he came from. I think that one of the things that has brought us success is the fact that on the particular property I hunt we have a higher concentration of does than the surrounding properties. Deer density numbers in that area tend to run around 12 per square mile, but on that particular property they are much higher. I can only think this makes it look really good to a cruising buck.

Oh, nice bucks. those are some good ones..

[Dan Schmidt]

Dear Jeff,

I asked Scott Bestul about your question this morning, and he indicated that the study area did indeed receive annual hunting pressure during the shotgun season before, during and after the course of the study.

Hope this helps.

Best,

[Gulfcapt]

Thats alittle over 2.25 square miles of property.. I would like to know Exactly how many bucks were taged? Dominete bucks, scrub bucks, did any of the taged bucks get harvested in that 2yr study? How many people
,and who didDupont acually let on the property? Just the upper managment?I imagine that a piece of property like that, is set up with shooting houses that look like condo's on the beach, Food plots that are greener then my burmuda grass at home lol.. I think you do the same kinda of study on public mannaged land you'll find alittle different response to the deer behavior! I say that because the people preasure on public land is much greater, and People tend to do alot of stupid thing in the course of the season on that same property.

ORIGINAL: Dan Schmidt

Dear Jeff,

I asked Scott Bestul about your question this morning, and he indicated that the study area did indeed receive annual hunting pressure during the shotgun season before, during and after the course of the study.

Hope this helps.

Best,

[Jeffhoyt82886]

Thanks Dan,
 
I appreciate your responses. That does make it a little more interesting that there was hunting pressure on the land. In response to Gulfcapt, I have actually had the oppurtunity to hunt a dupont farm on the eastern shore and it was exactly how you desribe it...beautiful, monster bucks, unbelievable food plots, and an overall great hunting farm. In response to Kydeer88, i actually hunted Northeast Kentucky. It was considered to be the top county in Kentucky for trophy bucks, but I had trouble  patterning the deer. The deer we did see were usually nice bucks, but like you said it was all mountains/woods. In Maryland, there are thickets, agriculture, and woods, which makes it a lot easier to follow a deer and predict where he is going to be. In kentucky, I saw bucks with crazy genetics and huge racks, but it is a lot of luck involved in killing one. The article in Augusts issue was very interesting, and thanks Dan for asking Scott about the article.
 
-Please check out my video of some bucks I have video tapped this year at my farm  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvBVFbWFHOc

[Jeffhoyt82886]

Also, I am not sure if this is the same farm I hunted on the eastern shore, but It sounds very similar to what Scott described. In the article, it said that the bucks were over 4 1/2 years old which meant they were mature. It did not indicate whether they were dominate or scrub. They said one of the collared bucks was hit by a car, but it wasnt said whether anyonr harveested the bucks. If it is the same farm which it very well could be, the only people they allow on the property now are upper management. The farm I hunted use to let about 30 selected hunters a year for a two day period during the beginning of shotgun season. Majority of the hunters have been hunting there for 20 plus years. The rules where 130 or better to harvest a buck and a doe must be taken first.  In the last 5 years they have kicked everyone out and it is now completely private. By the way, the farm is called Antelot or Andelot, i forget the spelling.

[Gulfcapt]

Jeff I watched your video those are very nice deer!!!! I see what im doing wrong... Im wearing to much camo when I go to the woods!! I need to get a white t-shirt like you had on lolol.. Seems to work for you. Good luck this year with those deer

[Jeffhoyt82886]

haha thanks. camo is too hot this time of year. Thanks everyone for the responses.

[Dave P.]

Nice Bucks..