GMMAT

I saw several (10-12) 1.5 yr olds, last year in my core hunting area.

My questions are:

1) At what point do these bucks establish their own home range (i.e. will any or all of them seek to move outside this area)?

2) What's the percentage of predation? Isn't a 1.5 yr old a pretty safe animal from predators in MY parts? (NC)

3) What's the average on disease/etc...taking numbers of these deer?

I just can't help but think I can pretty much write my own ticket for bucks in the future......IF they're going to remain in this area. I'd like to learn more about this.

Thanks.

GR8atta2d

Here is a pretty good study..and eye-opening to non-Pa Hunters. It covers most of your questions.

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/lib/pgc/deer/pdf/Management__Plan6-03.pdf

GMMAT

2 Things that stood out in that report, to me......

1) SEVENTY-EIGHT PERCENT of buck deer are killed each year by hunters???

I don't see how 78% are LEGAL (when you enter in AR's)?????

2) 20% of all deer not taken during hunting season.....die from non-hunter-related causes before the next season rolls around.

I honestly had NO IDEA that nature was this cruel. It's a wonder hunters take as many mature animals as they do.

rybohunter

GMMAT
That 78% number confused me too. I think it may be that of all the bucks killed in a year, 78% are killed because of hunting. In theory AR are supposed to protect 50% of our 1st year bucks. But I do think that in some areas, you could reach where 75% of the bucks are legal.

We have lots of hunters, cars and poachers, yet we still manage have lots of deer(in some places).

HuntingBry

I read that 78% to be of the bucks killed in PA 78% of that number is through hunting as well. Not that 78% of the bucks are killed through hunting each year.

I by no means consider myself a buck expert, but having had my minor in wildlife and fisheries science I can probably answer some of these questions.

1. At 2.5-3.5 years of age bucks establish their home range usually. Considering that most deer will move a few miles from their birth range and have rutting ranges that cover a few miles there is a good chance that many of those bucks will at least cross into your area during the rut. There was a very interesting article on this very subject in the Pennsylvania Game News a few years ago that showed how radio collared deer dispursed from birth by county. In the study all but 1 deer that was collared in the center of the county stay within that county and the core were within 10 miles of their birthing range.

2. To answer this I would have to know the predators in your area. If it is anything like my area there is not much threat to a healthy 1.5 old buck. Coyotes may try, but they prey more on young or sick deer. The biggest non-hunting threat for the deer you describe usually comes from Detroit and frequents the blacktop.

3.Again a wildlife biologist in your area could answer this better for you. NC does not suffer from CWD, so most mortality will be due to infection from injury. This percentage is usually fairly low and in the sub 10% and in many cases below 5% range.

For your purposes, I would say if you saw 10-12 1.5 year old bucks last year you stand a chance of seeing at least 7-8 of them again at some point in time assuming other hunters don't see them first.

GR8atta2d

Also I believe Junior and Senior hunters along with the Disabled are able to take bucks with a s ingle 3" spike (like the old days) without adhereing to AR.

So yes I believe the 78% number is close..plus there are many folks who still don't follow AR...trust me, old Pa deer hunting habits die hard. I know of a couple camps of locals that would have the deer cut up and in the freezer before a normal hunter would be done with pictures.

GMMAT

OK.....so the 10-12 1.5 yr olds will leave my area.....and go elsewhere. I guess I'm either:

a) a good breeding ground for OTHER areas.....

or

b)I might get some 1.5 yr olds from other areas to make MY area THEIR home range.

GMMAT

Predators that are capable of taking down a 1.5 (now 2) yr old whitetail deer?????

Only hunters and cars in my area, I guess. We have a healthy coyote population.....but MY understanding is a whitetail deer can outrun these animals at 4 days (give or take). I understand stamina is on the side of the yotes......but I've NEVER seen a yote in (OK......only 2) any area populated by homes. And....A deer can't run 5 minutes full-out without getting to a home in my range.

Interesting stuff.......

HuntingBry

Precisely! I should have mentioned that in my post. This is nature's way of avoiding too much inbreeding in the herd. Granted, your area may be supplying more bucks to the surrounding areas than you receive in the short term, but there will always be bucks that move into your area as long as you have does present.

GMMAT

Then I will ALWAYS be "fine". I've always said I hunt over the ULTIMATE "bait" .