{"id":73,"date":"2016-07-20T13:28:09","date_gmt":"2016-07-20T13:28:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tma65.com\/blog\/?p=73"},"modified":"2026-05-21T11:38:21","modified_gmt":"2026-05-21T11:38:21","slug":"the-summer-patterns-of-whitetail-bucks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-summer-patterns-of-whitetail-bucks\/","title":{"rendered":"The Summer Patterns of Whitetail Bucks"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The word \u201cpattern\u201d suggests that a similar routine is followed day after day. Like as in I rise every morning at six, eat a bowl of Cheerios with my coffee, leave the house at seven to arrive at work just before eight. That, essentially, is a pattern. Believing a wild animal is that consistent with time is somewhat laughable. It could also lead you to <a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/jls-deer-hunting-gear\/\" title=\"JL\u2019s Deer Hunting Gear\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">hunting a deer<\/a> stand for about three weeks in a row with the same empty-handed results. We\u2019ve all been there.<\/p><p><\/p><p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">We\u2019re not setting out to debunk some great myth that a buck doesn\u2019t visit the same food sources or stay true to a certain bedding area. He\u2019ll do both for a little while, longer in the bedding area, before moving on for Lord knows why. We can\u2019t tell you the countless times we\u2019ve caught a fine buck on trail camera for as many as seven days in a row in the same food plot only to have him disappear on day eight. Then, a few days later, we\u2019d spot him walking an adjoining property or feeding in the neighbor\u2019s garden. But why?!<\/p><p><\/p><p><\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_83 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\"><div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p><span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 eztoc-toggle-hide-by-default' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-summer-patterns-of-whitetail-bucks\/#Dont_Overthink_It\" >Don\u2019t Overthink It<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-summer-patterns-of-whitetail-bucks\/#Faithful_to_the_Bedding_Area\" >Faithful to the Bedding Area<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-summer-patterns-of-whitetail-bucks\/#Not_the_Food_Plots\" >Not the Food Plots<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-6' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-6'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-6' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-6'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-6' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-6'><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-6' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-6'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-summer-patterns-of-whitetail-bucks\/#Despite_what_may_seem_like_a_summer_pattern_bucks_will_range_freely_during_the_warm_months\" >Despite what may seem like a summer pattern, bucks will range freely during the warm months.<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/the-summer-patterns-of-whitetail-bucks\/#Acquiring_Stand_Sores\" >Acquiring Stand Sores<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dont_Overthink_It\"><\/span>Don\u2019t Overthink It<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><\/p><p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Deer are driven by just a few desires stemmed from the need to survive. They eat when they get hungry. They also change their diet due to what they feel like eating, ie. soy beans versus acorns. They drink when they\u2019re thirsty. And when the testosterone and estrus levels rise during the rut, well, you know.<\/p><p><\/p><p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A deer\u2019s innate will to simply survive focuses on the three main areas: eating, drinking and breeding. There is fight or flight which is more ancillary &#8211; they provide support to the primary activity (survival). A buck fights to breed and flees to stay alive.<\/p><p><\/p><p><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Faithful_to_the_Bedding_Area\"><\/span>Faithful to the Bedding Area<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><\/p><p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/tractoptics.com\/blog\/properly-aging-a-whitetail-buck-on-the-hoof\/\" title=\"Properly Aging a Whitetail Buck on the Hoof\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Whitetail bucks<\/a> have been known to stay faithful to just a few bedding areas if they aren\u2019t pressured too hard. The old guard don\u2019t get that way by simply getting comfortable in any ol\u2019 spot. Instead they choose areas where there is ample food, water and above all, protection. The latter could be considered by design: Let\u2019s say a good bedding area provides protection from a prevailing wind. However, by catching a slight breeze off of that same consistent wind the buck now has an alarm system to the smells and sounds that signal danger. When he\u2019s laying down, he\u2019s facing the likely approach of any catalysts that might prove bad for his health. A wise buck \u201cposts up\u201d rather than beds down.<\/p><p><\/p><p><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Not_the_Food_Plots\"><\/span>Not the Food Plots<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><\/p><p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whereas a prefered food plot is going to change irregularly. Deer eat what they\u2019re body needs. While a buck is growing his antlers, he\u2019s probably not even thinking that he needs protein, it\u2019s just what he naturally gravitates to. Just as a lactating doe will likely ingest more water and water-rich foods to keep from dehydrating. Deer don\u2019t reason, they are instinctual.<\/p><p><\/p><p><\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter is-resized\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/tma65.com\/wp\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/inner3-1024x576.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-82\" width=\"643\" height=\"361\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner3-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner3-300x169.jpg 300w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner3-768x432.jpg 768w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner3-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner3-2048x1152.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner3-533x300.jpg 533w, https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/4\/2019\/06\/inner3-150x84.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 643px) 100vw, 643px\" \/><\/figure><\/div><p><\/p><p><\/p><h6 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Despite_what_may_seem_like_a_summer_pattern_bucks_will_range_freely_during_the_warm_months\"><\/span><em>Despite what may seem like a summer pattern, bucks will range freely during the warm months.<\/em><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h6><p><\/p><p><\/p><h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Acquiring_Stand_Sores\"><\/span>Acquiring Stand Sores<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2><p><\/p><p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This point, which we alluded to earlier, suggests that no matter how many times we affirm that deer don\u2019t maintain a steady course ever, we\u2019re still going to sit a stand overlooking a bean field that was frequented by a high-horned buck throughout the summer. It\u2019s human <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/tag\/nature\/\">nature<\/a> for us to do so just as the reason they don\u2019t show up is whitetail nature. Try not to limit yourself to one buck in one location. \u201cThey\u2019re many fish in the sea,\u201d they say, though not necessarily pertaining to whitetail bucks. But you get the point.<\/p><p><\/p><p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In an article titled \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/www.qdma.com\/articles\/10-things-we-know-about-mature-buck-movements\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">10 Things We Know About Mature Buck Movements<\/a>,\u201d Matt Ross of the QDMA wrote, \u201cEvery buck is different. Numerous studies have shown that a buck\u2019s home range size is highly variable and is not strongly correlated to age, daily movements or any number of other factors.\u201d<\/p><p><\/p><p><\/p><p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most of us are aware of a buck\u2019s winter range, when the rut is in full swing. While they might not <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/tag\/travel\/\">travel<\/a> as widely during the summer and early fall, an old whitetail with a crown of horns will still walk miles in a day because he feels like eating, drinking or rubbing his velvety horns somewhere else. &nbsp;<\/p><p><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Summer Patterns of Whitetail Bucks | TRACT design and engineer performance-grade optics without the added retail costs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":12284,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[2591,2797],"class_list":["post-73","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-deer-hunting","tag-hunting"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=73"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11570,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/73\/revisions\/11570"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/12284"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=73"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=73"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.tract-optics.co.za\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=73"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}