Hello all!
I started hunting white tails last year (FL, GA, and MS). I’m looking for how to effectively scout year round (the SE specifically, but I’m sure there’s stuff that translates across the country). I have a couple of questions to kick it off, but any and all off-season scouting advice regarding deer behavior, habitat throughout seasons, food sources throughout seasons, and bedding throughout seasons would be appreciated.
1) What are deer social behaviors throughout the year? I.e when do bucks group up/go bachelor, when are bucks and does grouped up for extended periods, etc.
2) How does the food source change throughout the year? What I noticed last year was that through October, maybe into November, acorns were a must when picking a spot based on food source. The buck I shot in January was over a clover/grass planted field since all of the acorns had fallen by then. What foods do they eat at each stage of the year? When do acorns start dropping?
3) Do deer bed types change throughout the year? Not specific beds (like if I find a deer bed in April I don’t expect them to necessarily be bedded there in November) but do they bed in similar habitat throughout the year? If I find a bed in April, can I use that habitat as a safe place to look for similar habitat come November? Or do they change bed types depending on the time of year?
I know these seem like novice questions. I’ve googled them a good bit, but results are very very general. I’m targeting what people in the SE have had luck looking for throughout the summer to help them hunt better in the fall.
Thanks!
I started hunting white tails last year (FL, GA, and MS). I’m looking for how to effectively scout year round (the SE specifically, but I’m sure there’s stuff that translates across the country). I have a couple of questions to kick it off, but any and all off-season scouting advice regarding deer behavior, habitat throughout seasons, food sources throughout seasons, and bedding throughout seasons would be appreciated.
1) What are deer social behaviors throughout the year? I.e when do bucks group up/go bachelor, when are bucks and does grouped up for extended periods, etc.
2) How does the food source change throughout the year? What I noticed last year was that through October, maybe into November, acorns were a must when picking a spot based on food source. The buck I shot in January was over a clover/grass planted field since all of the acorns had fallen by then. What foods do they eat at each stage of the year? When do acorns start dropping?
3) Do deer bed types change throughout the year? Not specific beds (like if I find a deer bed in April I don’t expect them to necessarily be bedded there in November) but do they bed in similar habitat throughout the year? If I find a bed in April, can I use that habitat as a safe place to look for similar habitat come November? Or do they change bed types depending on the time of year?
I know these seem like novice questions. I’ve googled them a good bit, but results are very very general. I’m targeting what people in the SE have had luck looking for throughout the summer to help them hunt better in the fall.
Thanks!
