Will he be back

[Andrew12gauge]

Last November, Idaho mountain whitetail, probably 150-160” buck, I saw him on NF land locked down on a doe, unfortunately I did not have a tag. So the question is, will that big buck be back this year in the same general area or am I chasing a ghost that I will likely never see again? Im not even 100% that he lived through the season but I will say there was probably only a week left in the season and no hunting pressure to speak of in the drainage where I saw him. Im far more experienced in mule deer and need expert opinions from whitetail guys


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[Mykolaivka887]

It's hard to say about rutting whitetail bucks. He could of been up to 5 miles from his home range when you saw him "locked on a doe" during last year's rut. If that was the case, he could be anywhere during this year's estrus cycle.

 

[Boarmaster]

I’m not a western hunter. So this is from an eastern perspective. If he isn't dead he might be there. If he isnt its likely there will be another deer there. The place is the same and all the features that drew those deer last year will still be there. I would go with him in mind , but keep an open mind , but go there I would.

 

[Andrew12gauge]

I’m not a western hunter. So this is from an eastern perspective. If he isn't dead he might be there. If he isnt its likely there will be another deer there. The place is the same and all the features that drew those deer last year will still be there. I would go with him in mind , but keep an open mind , but go there I would.

That is pretty much my plan, I just wonder if I should go in there half expecting he will be there or expecting to never see him again. I know there are a lot of factors that go into the outcome but the one factor I can’t control is whether he will be there


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[WoodBow]

Like others said, impossible to say. If that was in his home range, sure. If we has miles away from home looking for does, still maybe. If he found hot does there last year, he will certainly check those areas again this year if he isn't dead.

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[Mykolaivka887]

That is pretty much my plan, I just wonder if I should go in there half expecting he will be there or expecting to never see him again.

Based on what you wrote in the opening post, I would not go in this year expecting to see that particular buck. I wouldn't set myself up with that expectation, at all.

 

[Macintosh]

Locked down, he was there for the doe. As above, he could live several miles away from there. Different mountains, but where I hunt also low deer density and bucks will cruise for literally miles checking doe groups and maybe only bed on the same mountain once every couple days. If youd seen him in january or september Id have more of an expectation in that neighborhood. But you do have a starting point to find where he lives. And he might be back next November if theres does around, but maybe only very occasionally.
Edit—my experience is that in very low deer density areas with essentially endless mtns/forest and no ag, bucks will travel a lot farther than the common wisdom says they do across much of the midwest and east, especially during the rut. I assume thats the case where you are, but you didnt really say, and its across the country so who knows. Ive tracked bucks during the rut for almost 10 miles, up and down mtns, etc, and often those were older tracks where I wasnt pushing the deer. other times they stay closer to home. You just have to go find out.

 

[*zap*]

They say anything is possible.

 

[huntngolf]

I’ve seen many deer go back to specific areas on specific dates year after year. So yes I would be in that same area on the same general dates as you saw him last year. There was a reason he was there in the first place, there’s a reason for him to go back

 

[Ryansven]

If he was as big as you say he was he was likely the dominate buck in the area and likely isn’t traveling very far. Therefore if he lived/lives there is a decent shot he will be in general area. My experience with truly mature whitetails is they really don’t travel very far.

 

[KenLee]

One things for sure, you won't see him if you aren't there.

 

[Boarmaster]

One things for sure, you won't see him if you aren't there.

This right here.….

 

[jacobmaas32]

If you are planning to go back same time of year, follow the doe and the bucks will be there

 

[snowymtnwolf]

Only one way to find out


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[Tmac]

Go.

 

[Erussell01]

I one time saw 2 of the best bucks I've ever seen in northern MN with a doe on November 12th in a clearing in this over grown pasture.

I've hung a camera there every year and never seen those 2 bucks again.

However, there's is always daylight bucks there during the rut cruising through. I just never am in the stand when they are there so I've never killed one there, but I have 6 or 7 years of daylight buck pics on that one spot from Halloween to November 12. None before, none after. There's something about that spot that the bucks move through at that time. Maybe this is the year I spend a whole day there on a cold front with a North wind and finally kill one in there.

Some spots just routinely have good bucks in them. There's the right combo of things and they just draw bucks to them.