BUCK age structure

[backstraps]

I have often wondered how a mature buck within a small teritory reacts with many "lesser" bucks in the area?

A few years ago, I was keeping tabs on a hoss of a buck. When he was in the bachelor group
there were 5 deer that were 3.5 years old and 2 that were 2.5 The old guys was 4.5-5.5 I have pics somewhere
in my pc memory of them all together on trail cam (COOL PICTURE)


Once the season began, I seen many of the 3.5 year old bucks. Once RUT came through, the farmer seen the big guy one time, getting hammered by two of the smaller bucks. Said one of the smaller bucks kicked his rear, and when the older deer try to run off, another buck starting locking up with him.... so

is it possible if the age structure is like I mentioned above, could the younger bucks actually relocate the older buck until post rut?

 

[Beardendy88]

I have seen a mature buck relocate only once. He was a 5 year old 160' class monster that I had on trail camera pictures and for some reason he started hanging out at my neighbors farm.

 

[bowriter]

The old buck, providing he is the dominant buck, goes wherever he wants. The other bucks go somewhere else.

However...if the dominant bucks is extremely dominant, he will tolerate lesser bucks in his "territory" as long as they pose no threat to his first pick status. Territory is in "" because I do not believe a buck has a territory. Does have the territory, the bucks go where the girls are not until they decide to go where they are.

As a general rule, the does choose territory based on food and have preference over the bucks. The bucks get the second pick of food availability.

Having said that, in smaller areas as in areas around human habitation, bucks and does are forced to hang together. It is that way in my area. Although the deer are together, they are still seperate in terms of groups divided by sex "For the most part."

AS the picture i ran in another post shows, three bucks aging from .5 to 2.5, a doe and twin fawns and a flock of turkeys are all together in my yard. The picture was taken two weeks before bow season, last year.

 

[BSK]

Once dominance is determined while bucks are in their summer bachelor groups, bucks are perfectly confortable with the other bucks they know, even into the rut. Everybody knows their place on the social ladder. Problems only arise when a "new" buck shifts into the area and dominance level has to be established through threat displays or even physical altercations. And interactions with "new" bucks occur most often at two times: 1) just after bachelor groups break up and bucks spreap out to their normal fall ranges; and 2) just before the rut, when bucks expand their ranges.

 

[backstraps]

And interactions with "new" bucks occur most often at two times 2) just before the rut, when bucks expand their ranges.

This was probably the case with my story. I am thinking it was around Nov 16-17th when the fight took place and ole big boy got it handed to him.

Sure hope he peaks out somewhere in range this year

 

[ROUGH COUNTRY HUNTER]

some good info here