Blacktail Bachelor Group Question

[BUCKJR]

A question to the more knowledgeable blacktail hunters. The area my partner and have hunted and scouted the past few seasons holds some decent deer. We often see bachelor groups of bucks with lots of potential during the early season and while bear hunting. From what i understand these bucks will travel up to higher ground during the late summer and early fall, then move there way back down as the rut comes closer. Will the same bucks we saw early in the season be generally in the same area later in the fall? Will they be within 1km, 2km, 5km or is there no way to tell?


Thanks for the help in advance, any comments would be appreciated.

[Bow Walker]

IMO it depends primarily on the available food source(s). Here on the Island deer generally range in about a 2 km area and visit each food source area about every 14 to 28 days, gives the browse a chance to recover and grow.

I think that as the season progresses the area gets bigger and the intervals get longer because the growth takes longer to recover. When the rut is on all bets are off, of course. They rarely eat until they've had their jollies.

Just my opinions of course. Good luck out there.

[kennyj]

I think Bow Walker about nailed it. The bucks follow the best feed. Maybe up the mountain, maybe down. They use ALL their area throughout the year. If there's good feed where you saw them earlier that's where I'd look for them now. I've watched the same bucks from May to Sept in the same general area.
Look hard!
kenny

[Bow Walker]

Don't rush it, take your time and use your Vortex binos...

[BUCKJR]

Thanks for the help, definately appreciate it! No vortex's yet, but they are the next purchase.

[Gateholio]

SOme blacktails migrate....and some don't. Some will live int he valley bottoms all year. But the majority go higher up (if they can) during the summer.

[muledeercrazy]

Thanks for the help, definately appreciate it! No vortex's yet, but they are the next purchase.


why vortex? If you want nice binos spend the money and get some zeiss or swaro's...if you want to know where your bucks are in september look for where they have rubbed off their velvet. make sure you keep the lenses clean so you can really apreciate the boone and crocket reticle in your scope. good luck!