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Some of you may have seen trail cam pics (in the trail cam sub-forum) of a big buck in one of my hunting areas. I have 3 cameras distributed in the area and the buck has been to all three. Apparently a bucks home range can exceed a square mile, which coincides with what I’ve observed. Here’s a google image of the area and camera sites. The distance between camera 1 & 2 is about 850m, between 2 & 3 is 1.5km, and 1 & 3 is 1.2km.
Attachment 42408
Sounds about right. And there's definitely a shift in that home range come fall. There's a 7 1/2 year old deer I have been getting photos since he was recognizable in 2016. All these years, i've NEVER seen him in velvet. But every year, come mid-October, he suddenly appears and sticks around into the winter. In the fall, i've gotten pics of this particular deer on trailcams 1.75kms apart.
i wonder if northern deer travel further than southern deer. most studies maybe being done in AG country rather than the big woods? just a wondering...
In the area four of us hunt is a sprawling parcel of land that is quite large, roughly 35 square kilometers. Now, we're not the only ones that hunt this area but from stand to stand it's our coverage.
In our trail cam photos over the years we have outlined several "ranges" of bucks and they always seem to stay in their zone year after year. We have had a few oddball though. Last year for instance we had two different bucks that were on all 4 cameras in a rotation, thats a heck of alot of travel. The buck I was lucky enough to harvest was traveling between my area and the area of another group that was 11km away as the crow flies, 11km!
To sum it up, non ag deer move more as the ladies and food are more spread out but really, a deer do what a deer do.
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Very interesting thread, I would also like to know how far moose and bear roam in their home ranges, there seems to be very little studies done at least in Canada.
My mother used to work with the tagging crew in the park years ago. The data coming back considered a cows home range about 5 square miles and 25 square mile for that of a bull most of the year. During the rut bulls would expand their ranges to over 60 square miles.Quote:
Originally Posted by Gilroy
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That’s a lot of walking!Quote:
Originally Posted by oaknut
Sounds right. A few years back I shot a buck on a neighbors property that was a regular on my camera 1 1/2 miles away.
When I was working in the bush it wasn't uncommon to have an ornery bull run down the road ahead of you for 10 kicks. They would take their lane and should you try and pass the stink eye would make you think twice.Quote:
Originally Posted by Sam Menard
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Hmm this is interesting. I set up camera 1 on September 18th and I got images of the big buck there for a few days. Then, on October 12th, he shows up at camera #2. Then on the 20th, I have an image of him at camera 3. Then yesterday, I got several images of him at midday then in the early evening back at camera 1. The deer chow there has been gone there for a month. Must still be a lingering odour. At any rate, I may have found one of his favourite haunts which is a funnel with a swamp on one side and a rock ridge on the other side. I shot a 6-pointer there last year, maybe I’ll get another there this year.