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First 2019 Hitlister on Public

beermedean

beermedean

Member
Joined
Sep 24, 2019
Messages
67
Location
Western WI
First card pull in 6 weeks...not many pics but this guy. Think if I got a pic it's safe to say I'm in his core area?

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What a beast. I don't know if that's one pic over 6 weeks, but a single pic at 3 am in Sept I wouldn't take away the thought that I was in this guys core area. Did your season start yet?
 
Kurt said:
What a beast. I don't know if that's one pic over 6 weeks, but a single pic at 3 am in Sept I wouldn't take away the thought that I was in this guys core area. Did your season start yet?
Click to expand...

The important point to remember is this: When you're chasing a mature buck, you need to understand that his home range is going to be about 640 acres (a square mile) during all times outside the rut. During the rut, he could be roaming as much as 5,000 acres. His core area is going to be his safety zone.

I think I'm within his square mile...safe to say that IMHO.


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beermedean said:
The important point to remember is this: When you're chasing a mature buck, you need to understand that his home range is going to be about 640 acres (a square mile) during all times outside the rut. During the rut, he could be roaming as much as 5,000 acres. His core area is going to be his safety zone.

I think I'm within his square mile...safe to say that IMHO.


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Click to expand...
Being within this square mile still doesn’t mean you’re in the core area. A buck spends the majority of his time in the core area, so if you were actually in it you would have more than just the one picture over that period of time. At that time of night, and it being only one picture, it’s more likely that you are on the fringe of his territory. It’s also possible he was just passing through. Either way, he’s still a great deer. Good luck!
 
That’s about the time batchelor groups split up around here. He could be bedding 200 yards from your camera or 3 miles away. It’s good to know he’s in the area but it’s hard to put a plan together based on one middle of the night picture. You could get lucky and have him come cruising by during the rut but I’m not that lucky.
 
You could be, best to start locating the best bedding in the area! But it's also good to keep in mind that he could have been passing through to a wintering/rutting area. A single picture over 6 weeks isnt something to hang your hat on, so I'd be scout hunting the best bedding areas around if hes there hell be sure to leave some kinda sign!
 
I would say be cautiously optimistic. This is where the fun begins of trying to pattern and locate bedding etc. Not sure what else is allowed on your public area but that could have an influence on him being there. I know the ones I hunt are sadly frequented by young boozers on the fringes having fires etc. at night and guys ripping around on quads making it difficult to get a pattern on deer.

Best of luck. He's a beaut.
 
You have his direction of travel, if their is a known bedding area in that direction, that could be a clue. what food sources are nearby? is he coming or going to a hot food source. Figure he'll be going to bed just before first light if there is no pressure on him. Is that a crop field you got his pic on?
 
A picture at 3 am just lets you know he's a decent ways from his bed. I would be more excited at something within a half-hour or hour of daylight. I consider a buck's core area to be very small, they all differ. Home ranges are much larger for sure.
 
So the field (that you see in the OP) to the west is oats that were planted mid summer. The camera is hung on the field edge marked on this map. He is headed toward being which is marked as well. Across the river is all corn. The north side of the road is beans. I know there are a few nice bucks up on the north hill but that is private.

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