Deer Trails:

[loneranger]

Since the subject has been raised on stand sites and deer patterns, I have a question about deer trails. The deer on my property basically travel east and west following my creek. Some of thier trails were obvious when I bought the property, but in some places overgrown and faint. Right away I went about opening the trails up to easier travel. Since deer usually seek the path of easiest or least resistence, I figured the deer would take right to my work. My stands, you might expect, have been placed at pich points along these trails. I have seen the deer use the trails much more since. But I have read more mature animals do not use well worn trails. Prefering less obvious side routes. Is this mostly true. Could my trimming the trails out actually move older bucks away. On the other hand,,more doe use of these lanes might attrack more bucks,,maybe just off to the sides.??

 

[Iowabowtech]

In my experience, your last statment was most true. The buck trails in my mind tend to be fairly close to the main trails, just off to the sides and perhaps in a little thicker cover when available. But...they'll use the main trails during the rut when following does so your plan seems good to me. Best case when trail hunting is if you can find a spot where several trails intersect, then put a cam up there and see what's shaking. Might even see bucks consistently in the background, giving you an idea of what they're doing in relation to the does. Perhaps move your cam once in awhile to get a different perspective of such a spot.

 

[Liv4Rut]

Bucks actually follow trails? I would say a buck by himself outside of the rut or late season, is typically walking randomly through the woods. Usually from the thickest patch, to the next thickest patch. It always amazes me what some deer will walk through. I get a kick out of any buck, young or old, will go out of his way to trudge through a brush pile or the thickest part in the woods when he could just walk around it. I dont notice does doing this.

When I own a farm someday, I am going to cut down every tree on the whole place except for two. One for a North wind and the other for a South wind.... I will let them figure out how to get through it. /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[dominator]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: LIV4RUT</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Bucks actually follow trails? I would say a buck by himself outside of the rut or late season, is typically walking randomly through the woods. Usually from the thickest patch, to the next thickest patch. </div></div>

hahaha I feel the same way. I swear bucks just aimlessly walk around.

 

[dbltree]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Prefering less obvious side routes. </div></div>

That's what I have found...they will circle bedding/feeding areas to check does traveling in and out without wasting time following runways.

This is why they appear to be "wandering" as liv mentions.

I solve that problem to some extent by hunting funnels that eliminate the chance of wandering.

If natural funnels don't exist, then I create them by hinging trees in the right places and plan future funnels by planting trees/shrubs/switchgrass to create a natural, safe hidden funnel.

Give a buck a wide open timbered area and you give yourself a lot of frustrating hunts.... /forum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif