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"Cruising" Bucks

Spurhunter

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I don't claim to be a great hunter, so I need some ejumacation. I've seen this term cruising a million times on TNDeer. The only way I would know a buck is cruising is if I saw him on the strip driving a 69 Chevelle with a big block and 4 in the floor. When I see a buck moving through the woods I can make a SWAG if he's going to bed, going to water, or going to food, but I have no idea if he's cruising. I saw a post earlier where someone said they saw 3 bucks cruising and one of them was chasing a doe. Was he cruising or chasing a doe? Can they do both at the same time? I've seen bucks check a food plot or field from the cover of the woods and I assume he's checking for does, but I don't know if he's cruising. How do I know if that buck I'm watching traveling through the woods is cruising or just going where he wants to go?
 
Cruising (or seeking) behavior is referring to bucks walking alone with purpose through the woods or field edges looking and smelling for does at all hours of the day if the temps are cool enough. They will often walk downwind of fields and known bedding areas (i.e. thickets). Chasing is seeing a buck or parade of bucks following and chasing a doe through the woods... literally within 10-20 yards of her if they can keep up.
 
Most of the time when I see a mature buck he is steady moving. I figure they don't like being out where they can be seen during the day. However, his head is usually up. Maybe I should consider the head down as my clue that he is cruising. As far as "moving with a purpose" anytime I see a mature buck in the daylight he seems to be moving with a purpose. I rarely see them lollygagging around outside a thicket. I guess I don't have the perception about deer that some hunters possess.
 
My description of "cruising" would be when they are steady moving like they have a mission. Steady walking, mind on one thing, and covering ground. To me, at no other time of year do they move like that other than when "cruising."

I'd hesitate to say that they are throwing caution to the wind, but they are exposing themselves by covering a lot of ground. I wish I knew a better way to describe it. Yes, I think they can do both (chase and cruise) if they check a doe out and give chase for a few seconds.
 
I describe cruising when a buck is actively looking for a doe. He is typically moving with a purpose not associated with going to a food source. Additionally, he has the scent of a doe, trying to pick one up on a does scent, check a scrap or headed to a place that does frequent.
 
Often times a buck will remind you of a dog when he is cruising. You can tell they are trying to pick up scent and will work the area like a dog will.

One of my stands is uphill, and often upwind, from a great bedding area. Many times a buck will cruise in then stop and put his nose up trying to pick up scent from the bedding area. On more than one occasion I've had a buck cruise in, pick up a scent, head into the bedding area, and chase a doe through 10 minutes later.
 
Imagine you've lost your keys and if you don't find em quick your gonna be late for work. That's what it looks like.
 
Typically when you see a lone deer walking through, more times than not, it's a buck. I get much more excited when I first lay eyes on a lone deer walking through rather than a group of deer. Typically nose to the ground and stopping occasionally just to listen and look. They tend to move at a somewhat fast walking pace, but in not too much of a hurry. Once they get in a "zone" where they can smell winds going in all directions, you'll see them stop and take their time. In these, "zones", they are catching the thermals and wind working against each other and can catch scent from essentially 360 degrees. These zones are typically off the sides of ridges and in bowls and bottoms. They like to bed in those zones as well. But from there, they can see, hear and also smell everything around them.
 

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