Bumping bucks

I saw GPS tracker research of a five year old buck that would have been a trophy most anywhere in the US that was amazing. The buck only came out of its preferred bedding area at night. Then traveled widely, several miles. His bedding area was a wood lot behind a middle school along side a four lane highway and a sports complex. A spot about a quarter of an acre. He always came back before daylight, and had a way to sneak in and out without being seen from the roads. Amazing animals, Mature bucks might as well be a different species from other deer.

Rosebud said:

I saw GPS tracker research of a five year old buck that would have been a trophy most anywhere in the US that was amazing. The buck only came out of its preferred bedding area at night. Then traveled widely, several miles. His bedding area was a wood lot behind a middle school along side a four lane highway and a sports complex. A spot about a quarter of an acre. He always came back before daylight, and had a way to sneak in and out without being seen from the roads. Amazing animals, Mature bucks might as well be a different species from other deer.

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I've hunted two bucks that I never laid eyes on in three years of hunting them and I know both spent most of their time in a half section of land because of camera data and information from the renter when they were combining and spraying. The one I got a single daylight camera picture of and the other only night pics. I got tons of pics within an hour of end of legal shooting and early morning before light so they weren't bedded far. They both bedded in cattail sloughs. Not saying they couldn't be killed but they sure didn't make many mistakes. I tried sneaking into their hideouts and getting in early before they bedded and I could not kill them.

Most are not quite that smart but once in awhile they become almost like ghosts.

I have been a "whitetail nut" for about sixty years hunting them in various terrains with bow, muzzleloader, and rifle, from the small wood lots of the Northeast(where I reside), to more desolate area of the Northwest. While their territory make-up may vary, their behavioral traits are consistent and largely dependent their perception of danger….The older the buck, the greater their accumulated knowledge base. The only time you might catch him off-guard is for a short period during the rut when his senses are preoccupied. Otherwise, he WILL know that you are in his territory and determine that you are a danger if he sees, hears, or smells you……….
He possesses the rare trait amongst game of having "no" curiosity, If you are lucky enough bump him, won't stop and look back.
For a couple of decades, one of favorite methods for hunting the whitetail is hunting the Western river beds that connect the farming areas and the foothills. Quite often the whitetails regularly travel theses area. It does require some homework to establish that good bucks have been spotted in the connecting farming areas. Pick areas that tend to "funnel" the deer movements. IMO, this form of hunting is "perfect" for the long range hunter, and can provide an opportunity to harvest a mature buck. While most of the action is early and late in the day, the big guys can be spotted at any time….I'll post at a distance( usually about 500 yards), well concealed on an adjacent hill with binoculars and spotting scope. Out of sight,hearing, and smell. Lots of patience and looking, and, when a shot presents itself…Pick the shot carefully. This method isn't for everybody, and, I rarely see other hunters. But when I do, I can often observe from my position, the skilled evasiveness of the un-detected, mature whitetail at work….
I spotted this buck in a thicket at 1000 yards on a Monday. After several "no shot" sightings of him during the week, I got my shot at 10AM a few days later..
My shooting nest, and double drop-tine buck. After seeing him I passed on a few other nice bucks…Glad I did!

Older mature bucks are definitely a different breed. While does and younger bucks have the herd mentality older bucks don't mind thinking about themselves.
The neighboring property to my hunting area used to always put on deer drives and in some spots you could see the deer coming your way from 5-700 yards. Numerous times I've seen a large buck in with the does at a distance but by the time they reached my location only does and small bucks were seen. They slip away from the herd.
Once a mature buck realizes he's being hunted it's very difficult to get him. Definitely not impossible but you definitely lowered your odds.

In the 60s and 70s I hunted with a friend who owned, along with his family large tracts of land. These people dog hunted. Every Saturday morning during deer season they gathered around and drew for stand sites. Once out at a given time the dogs were released and that block of land was covered. There was a good time had by all. Meat was shared, most everyone had deer seen or shot opportunities. Ok, here's where I'm going with this. The men who released the dogs were the ones who killed the larger bucks. They would lay still and let the dogs run past and try to slip out past the driver's. Took me a couple of hunts with them to figure out why the dog guys brought in the good bucks. I wanted to stay with those guys but thought it bad form to ask sense I was a guest. Funny thing was that we bow hunted the property during the week and killed deer. Running the dogs had no effect on them.

Greyfox said:

I have been a "whitetail nut" for about sixty years hunting them in various terrains with bow, muzzleloader, and rifle, from the small wood lots of the Northeast(where I reside), to more desolate area of the Northwest. While their territory make-up may vary, their behavioral traits are consistent and largely dependent their perception of danger….The older the buck, the greater their accumulated knowledge base. The only time you might catch him off-guard is for a short period during the rut when his senses are preoccupied. Otherwise, he WILL know that you are in his territory and determine that you are a danger if he sees, hears, or smells you……….
He possesses the rare trait amongst game of having "no" curiosity, If you are lucky enough bump him, won't stop and look back.
For a couple of decades, one of favorite methods for hunting the whitetail is hunting the Western river beds that connect the farming areas and the foothills. Quite often the whitetails regularly travel theses area. It does require some homework to establish that good bucks have been spotted in the connecting farming areas. Pick areas that tend to "funnel" the deer movements. IMO, this form of hunting is "perfect" for the long range hunter, and can provide an opportunity to harvest a mature buck. While most of the action is early and late in the day, the big guys can be spotted at any time….I'll post at a distance( usually about 500 yards), well concealed on an adjacent hill with binoculars and spotting scope. Out of sight,hearing, and smell. Lots of patience and looking, and, when a shot presents itself…Pick the shot carefully. This method isn't for everybody, and, I rarely see other hunters. But when I do, I can often observe from my position, the skilled evasiveness of the un-detected, mature whitetail at work….
I spotted this buck in a thicket at 1000 yards on a Monday. After several "no shot" sightings of him during the week, I got my shot at 10AM a few days later..
My shooting nest, and double drop-tine buck. After seeing him I passed on a few other nice bucks…Glad I did!
View attachment 612831View attachment 612832

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This is exactly how I hunt when I have a rifle tag. Beautiful deer.

Jahnny said:

Ok. So I've been having this debate with a couple people. I'd love to here your guys answers.

Bumping a buck out of his bed /bedding area. Will he return? If so how long? Or do you think he will pick up shop to never return to that location.

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Are you talking white tail, black tail, mule deer? As far as white tail. There are many If's. If the area doesn't have much hunting pressure and he wasn't badly spooked ( like he got a good look and smell of you and bounded off tail up, snorting ) then there's a good chance he will be back in a day or two. If he did get a good look and smell of you and went snorting off, then bets are off. He probably won't come back to that bed again. I've bumped them up and they were not sure of what I was but they left slowly, cautiously, I've caught him coming back to the same bedding area a day later, put an arrow in him, then track him to where he died in what I think is the bed that I originally bumped him out of. Depends on the age too Mature white tail bucks can tolerate a lot of annoyance and still hang around home.

I think it depends on the area you are hunting more than anything. Two of the biggest bucks I've ever seen or shot in my life actually went to places you wouldn't expect during the day to bed. One was right by my tree stand less than 75 yards away from it. I had pics of this buck all season for 2 years before I bagged him. Every morning and night I'd get pics of him but never seen him while in the stand. I read an article in field and stream when you actually still got the magazine lol that talked about this exact subject and it mentioned trying to go to your stand from a different direction than normal. Sure as that article was written I went in from the west and then south instead of heading directly north to the stand. I no sooner got seated and banged my gun off the stand drawing it up and something jumped up from the other side of the thicket and it was that huge buck! He walked through the thicket directly to my stand and I had the only misfire I've ever had in my life with a T/C Venture predator in 243. Light primer strike, buck directly under me but still didn't know where I was, second shot he wasn't so lucky. Went to where he got up from and he had bedding spots all on that side of the thicket. Almost like the article said they will get somewhere they can see you coming and get out of there. He must have done just that, watched me walking in and he would walk right out but he always returned hence the pics!!! The 2nd one was bedding right by a house and I mean within 40 yards of the house. I think when they are used to seeing people they come back regularly. The not so populated places I'd say they leave and don't return as fast. But predatory reaction usually always makes them circle back, it throws their scent off for the predators. I've seen this a ton too!!! Hard to say lol! Good luck

INTERESTING!
Most states I have hunted in don't allow for dogs. One thing for sure is I don't really like heavy forest areas. I like to sit and look using my binoculars and spotting scope to do my hunting for me. When I was young I pound the brush for miles. Not really taking much in the way of deer. That was all we had to hunt there. As I progress in hunting bigger game. I learned to carry binoculars, and started using them all the time. My cousins didn't use binoculars, nor rifle scopes. As I learn on how use my binoculars more and spotted more deer. My cousins changed. Especially after one morning when I spotted deer behind us. I had learned to look 360' not just going forward. They couldn't hardly believe what I was seeing and changing our directions. We were taking more deer after that and a lot easier too.
Finally in working with my two sons, I show them that sitting and watch with binoculars did far more good, than pounding the ground. If I found an areas where deer were bedded down and my sons were with me. I would tell them or ask them do they see any deer out there. They would responed NO. I would tell them there are and what's the count was. Let them look more. Then I would start to tie the location down until they would seeing the deer. Than I would ask how many buck there. They would say none. I would tell them there is a buck or bucks in that herd. Then I would have them tell me just how many were there.
I read and learn on my own in the use of binoculars, and spotting scopes. I never go anywhere without at lease binoculars in my pickup or two. I also carry a tripoid to mount my binoculars on and spotting scope on. Far easier to use and hold. Don't loose your spot where the deer are at. Tell others where the deer or whatever out there are and location.
A little info! If you live in country that has Magpies there. Watch them closely. They will help locate bedded deer for you. I have over the years watch them land on deer and pick the bug off them. A fond gave away there location once and got up, then bedder down again. The Magpies would landed on the heads of the mule deer. I wouldn't have ever seen them with out that give-a-way.

Mike Matteson said:

INTERESTING!
Most states I have hunted in don't allow for dogs. One thing for sure is I don't really like heavy forest areas. I like to sit and look using my binoculars and spotting scope to do my hunting for me. When I was young I pound the brush for miles. Not really taking much in the way of deer. That was all we had to hunt there. As I progress in hunting bigger game. I learned to carry binoculars, and started using them all the time. My cousins didn't use binoculars, nor rifle scopes. As I learn on how use my binoculars more and spotted more deer. My cousins changed. Especially after one morning when I spotted deer behind us. I had learned to look 360' not just going forward. They couldn't hardly believe what I was seeing and changing our directions. We were taking more deer after that and a lot easier too.
Finally in working with my two sons, I show them that sitting and watch with binoculars did far more good, than pounding the ground. If I found an areas where deer were bedded down and my sons were with me. I would tell them or ask them do they see any deer out there. They would responed NO. I would tell them there are and what's the count was. Let them look more. Then I would start to tie the location down until they would seeing the deer. Than I would ask how many buck there. They would say none. I would tell them there is a buck or bucks in that herd. Then I would have them tell me just how many were there.
I read and learn on my own in the use of binoculars, and spotting scopes. I never go anywhere without at lease binoculars in my pickup or two. I also carry a tripoid to mount my binoculars on and spotting scope on. Far easier to use and hold. Don't loose your spot where the deer are at. Tell others where the deer or whatever out there are and location.
A little info! If you live in country that has Magpies there. Watch them closely. They will help locate bedded deer for you. I have over the years watch them land on deer and pick the bug off them. A fond gave away there location once and got up, then bedder down again. The Magpies would landed on the heads of the mule deer. I wouldn't have ever seen them with out that give-a-way.

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Alabama has changed the dog hunting laws so that people running dogs has just about died out. But there are still pockets of hunting. Its on private property in the southern countries. Keep in mind that was fifty years ago. Times change and Alabama is crawling with deer now. Its fairly easy to kill one, even on public land. Running dogs was a big social event back then, all in the past. Absolutely no offense ment, but pounding the bush in Alabama is a sure fire way to eat tag soup. You must discover the travel routes, food source. Then set-up according to the wind. Very different ballgame from hunting where you can see three miles. This is the view from one of my pop up blinds. About15 deer have been killed there.

Rosebud said:

Alabama has changed the dog hunting laws so that people running dogs has just about died out. But there are still pockets of hunting. Its on private property in the southern countries. Keep in mind that was fifty years ago. Times change and Alabama is crawling with deer now. Its fairly easy to kill one, even on public land. Running dogs was a big social event back then, all in the past. Absolutely no offense ment, but pounding the bush in Alabama is a sure fire way to eat tag soup. You must discover the travel routes, food source. Then set-up according to the wind. Very different ballgame from hunting where you can see three miles.

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Yeah.... NW Florida where I hunt the brush and trees are so thick you can't see past the end of your nose most of the time. It's daunting hunting and many people that move here from other states either give up hunting deer completely or start hunting elsewhere. I've hunted here on and off for over 40 years and I've hunted Georgia and Alabama leases but I'm not a really a trophy hunter so I just finally gave up and now hunt a 9000 acre lease less than 20 minutes from my house with small deer but fun hunting. We dog hunt and I have a couple of stands.

I generally kill a deer or two per year and that satisfies me. My main interest is returning to long range shooting and I have a couple of power lines I can shoot up to 1,000 yards on but 600 is my sweet spot. Some of the guys are mowing my power lines here now so I'll be getting out and setting up some stuff soon.

My local range only offers 100, 200 and 300 yard rifle ranges but they're very nice.

dfanonymous said:

I want to preface that it depends what "bump" means as well as other factors like, like deers experience and age, pressure and the such.

Depends on the place and what type of deer.

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Back in my younger days I crawled into bedding areas. I can't say it was productive in that thick brush, but the "bumps" were hard. From a few feet at times. I've had black tails leave over the top of me. Whitetails, especially mature deer really don't like being busted point blank. The old making 90 miles an hour and 40 feet a bounce comes to mind. Likely has more than one area, and not coming back this season. Dependent on habitat, population density, and pressure anything can happen. Who knows another pressed buck may show up.

I jumped one that cleared the upper bank, the logging road, and landed bottom of the lower bank. No idea how far he ran after that, but likely a long ways.

That reminds me of a bumping story I had forgotten. I had an invitation to hunt with some buddies in Green Swamp WMA once and one of them said he'd seen from his tree stand a buck sneaking into a really thick palmetto and live oak thicket.

It was a really cold day so I wasn't afraid of rattlesnakes so, being the young and foolish hunter I was, I decided to crawl into that thicket with my 44mag SW 629 and collect me a nice buck. It was going well as I crawled into what felt like a tunnel and I was getting nervous but excited... Well... That's when my foolishness became quite evident... I heard a deep grunt that sounded like a big boar hog and sure enough around a corner appeared a huge, or at least he looked huge in that dark tunnel, boar with pretty long cutters.

Too bad I didn't have a videographer with me because I suspect I set some kind of record for speed crawling backwards with not a thought for my revolver because it felt like a pea shooter in my hand at that time and I didn't want to **** of that big boy at close quarters.

When I got out into fresh air where I could run I made a pretty good sprint to my pickup where I closed the door and tried to calm my heart beat down to somewhere south of 200bpm.... LOL

Anyway at lunch my buddies were ribbing me about how fast I decided to let that boar have some space and one of them handed me his phone and told me to watch a video he'd taken just before I exited that brush in high gear. It was of a Florida panther walking under his tree stand. He would have shot into the ground near him to spook him away for fear of him encountering me but he was headed the opposite direction.

I guess that was my lucky day considering how foolish I'd acted. It could have ended up badly for me and, needless to say I gave up all thoughts of crawling into thickets permanently.

Back on topic... I've jumped some pretty nice bucks here in north Florida and a few of them have literally jumped up almost under my feet giving me a near heart attack. Back in my younger days I was quick enough to kill deer on the jump but these days I just stand and laugh as I try to calm myself down again.

I know a man that is in his late 80's and he's legendary in the woods around here and he was so good at figuring out where bucks were bedded that he'd get some of the young guys to surround the bedding area with shotguns and he'd wade in after them and if he didn't kill them on the jump one of the standers often would.

He never spoke in the woods but in a whisper and when he drove around his pickup was so quiet he could come up right behind you and you'd never hear it. He is a master at reading the wind and it's swirling tendencies. His trophy room is something to behold too. He's slowed down a good bit now but he still manages to bag a couple of nice bucks each year.

Well, this is a good discussion. With whitetails my experience has been that with doe's no problem coming back. Bucks well let's say the mature ones are more cautious and when I have walked up on them did not see them in the exact same spot however, they are still around.

Mule deer are at least in our area in high desert south of Carlsbad NM are pretty cautious and just the nature of the open country and poor conditions really make them that way. I feed my babies on the ranch year-round about 1400lbs a month. Conditions out there are worse than they have been in years, so my water and supplemental feeding are helping. I think that it is not coincidence that the more mature bucks start showing up around this time. My does stay around all year and the young yearling bucks stay with them as well. The mature bucks always start showing up around this time of year.

Took this pic early this morning on the feeder camera. Have not seen this one until this week. Looking for a girlfriend. This is the only picture he is in from last night have about 30 others that have does, fawns, javelinas but no coyotes or badgers last night. The lights in the background are many miles away and are all oilfield related facilities.