Big buck vs little bucks

[Dusty Britches]

So I noticed from the photos on my camera that the little bucks come in early but don't come in at all when the big boys are in the area. I'm wondering if I could pattern the big boys by watching the little ones? In other words, when I don't see the little ones coming in on schedule, get ready for the big boys??

Am I over thinking this?

[MRWHITE87]

Sounds like you have a hypothesis to test.

[Dillakilla]

Well if there are no little bucks, then there can only be no bucks or big bucks so sounds like a 50/50 chance.
Better test it out to see.
But yes your overthinking it. I know cuz I do it daily

[E.TX.BOWHUNTER]

The deer around me don't care. They mingle around together but they have all broken up as of about 2 weeks ago.

[wloftis]

Interesting hypothesis. In my experience; little bucks still show up, but move on when the big boy comes to the feeder. That being said, the little bucks don't clear out unless he runs them off; they just stay out of his way.

[Beargrasstx]

https://thehuntersight.comYou could use this tool as well....$25 a year starting packages to pattern up to 1k of your big buck pictures. This would tell you the frequency of those big bucks and may help...Plus it does more than just this.

Game Trends Intro - YouTube

[Hix]

I see what you did there


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[Dusty Britches]

Yeah, it doesn't do anything to answer my question or address my theory.

[BrandonA]

Originally Posted by Dusty Britches

So I noticed from the photos on my camera that the little bucks come in early but don't come in at all when the big boys are in the area. I'm wondering if I could pattern the big boys by watching the little ones? In other words, when I don't see the little ones coming in on schedule, get ready for the big boys??

Am I over thinking this?

I think there is some merit in this theory. I have noticed that all the deer get nervous and the little bucks will actually leave when the Dominant buck is around.

[Pineywoods]

Originally Posted by BrandonA

I think there is some merit in this theory. I have noticed that all the deer get nervous and the little bucks will actually leave when the Dominant buck is around.

Yep. True at our place

[Johnny Dangerr]

Originally Posted by E.TX.BOWHUNTER

The deer around me don't care. They mingle around together but they have all broken up as of about 2 weeks ago.

Uh no. The hill country is fine. Ask me next week what is up...............

[Dusty Britches]

So yesterday when I was hunting, it was dead quiet. Even the cardinals were not fluttering around me which was highly unusual. As the sun started its evening trek below the horizon, I thought, "the king of the woods must be close. It is way too quiet." Not 5 minutes later, he showed. An upcoming 3 year old cautiously approached the feed pen but deliberately stayed away from the Big Boy.

So, I'm sticking to my theory - when the most dominate buck is close, everyone else gives him the way and it is quiet. Baby bucks stay away.

[Hoss163]

They don’t always stay away but do let the more dominant buck have strait under the feeder.

[Hoss163]

The last couple mornings I hunted when it was dead quiet I didn’t see a thing . It seems if I here birds really chirping right before sun up and here quail calling I see a lot more deer .

[Abcdj]

Originally Posted by Hoss163

The last couple mornings I hunted when it was dead quiet I didn’t see a thing . It seems if I here birds really chirping right before sun up and here quail calling I see a lot more deer .

I heard long ago from the old timers. The big bucks leave before the first bird chirps
It is really hard to hunt with no wind at our place. You can fart and here it a 1/2 mile off.

Our small bucks come in first then leave when the mid size bucks force them out during the rut. That's why we scatter corn with road feeders every time around the pens during the rut.

The biggest bucks could care less if the small bucks were there. They are comforting to the BIG bucks. More of a alert system for them I think. During the rut it gets western when bucks of the same size get close to each other for sure.

Later on they all get along together. But by then the pasture grasses have died out and they are looking for hand outs. They start pounding the wheat fields and get along just fine. I ve seen 100 bucks in a field and none of them bother each other.

[Stuck]

Originally Posted by Dusty Britches

So yesterday when I was hunting, it was, dead quiet. Even the cardinals were not fluttering around me which was highly unusual. As the sun started its evening trek below the horizon, I thought, "the king of the woods must be close. It is way too quiet." Not 5 minutes later, he showed. An upcoming 3 year old cautiously approached the feed pen but deliberately stayed away from the Big Boy.

So, I'm sticking to my theory - when the most dominate buck is close, everyone else gives him the way and it is quiet. Baby bucks stay away.

Well, at least one of them didn’t give mine his way. Dude showed up last week with a couple of broken tines. Oh well, hope he makes it till October 2020.