Bachelor Groups

As I pulled into my office parking lot last evening, I noticed a bachelor group of 5 bucks hanging out in the adjacent bean field that I will be hunting near in the coming months.

Heres my question though…in your experience do you notice bachelor groups tend to hold bucks around the same age class?? All of these guys were 1 1/2-2 1/2 year olds, and I did not see any of the 3 1/2-5 1/2 year olds I know frequent the area…

I’ve kinda noticed the same thing. I have two groups that seem to come through on alternating days. One with 3 smaller 6’s and 4’s, the other with 4 nice 8+’s

I have noticed mainly the opposite with a mix of ages, but I do see a lil’ of everything. The big boys often depend on the smaller ones to lead the way why he/they lags behind letting them clear the way. Often resulting him with his guard half down, that is why real early season is a good time at a big one. He is still somewhat still grouped up and relying on younger bucks to sniff and navigate their way. ________________________________________

Thanks for the input guys!

I should mention that these deer hit the field about an hour before dark, so the possiblity of one of those big boys showing up could have been there…I just figured I couldnt park on the shoulder of the highway any longer and glass the field without getting a ticket

I’m gonna set the trail cam out this weekend, and hopefully I can post pics of what im after!

i usually notice the smaller one’s grouped up… the 1.5’s & 2.5’s running together. then i notice the 2.5 & 3.5’s running together. only 2 times in my life have i seen “the big boys running together”. Otherwise it seems like the 4.5’s and older are by themselves. when i see them

From what Ive seen they hang in age groups. There aren’t as many big guys around so thier harder to see. I have seen a couple big ones with smaller bucks but in the middle of summer or this time of year and never with the smaller bucks during the rut, thier loners then and by themselves. Did see a fawn the other day with a 100″ buck out standing in a 3 acre field, no does around that I could see driving by, that was a pretty sight. The fawn was busy eating with its head to the ground and naturally the buck was winding the air and looking around. Ive often thought and have tried hunting the bigger bucks by not hunting the middle areas of where the younger ones are seen. I just started hunting the edges of these areas last year and the fencelines leading to those areas searching for a bigger bucks. I think the bigger bucks will travel weeded and over grown fencelines more then the younger ones will, I think the younger ones just go where they want and fencelines don’t mean much because they don’t know yet and the big guys do.

I think another question would be even more of a wonder, how long are you watching the bachelor group?? Two seasons ago, i watched two nice 8’s about 110″ come into a field about 5 minutes before dark on opening day. Obviously you can’t see deer with the naked eye at dark unless you have a light. The bigger ones 3 1/2+ y/o deer are probably going to wait until it is completely dark to enter the field, either by themselves or together. Most people stop watching a field when they can’t see anymore. But more times than not, if you come back like 30 minutes later, there will be another deer that you didn’t see before

Im sure it all depends on the day and what time of year but Ive seen more shooter bucks in the early morning stand then later in the day, the biggest one I’ve even seen was in early moring tending a doe. I think they use more caution during late afternoon and while doing thier late night habits they relax and caution isn’t as high as during lateday. I think they are more relaxed and are using less caution during early morning but everybody knows this isn’t written in stone. I know as the rut gets closer the smaller bucks don’t hang around the bigger guys as much and then not at all during the rut.

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I think another question would be even more of a wonder, how long are you watching the bachelor group??

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I watch this field fairly consistently..I live only a few miles from it, so I’m able to watch this field almost every evening. I know for a fact that there is a couple of 4 1/2+ year old deer hanging around, but the problem is that the location I am able to hunt is very small, around 5 acres in size.

I am really just trying to determine if these specific deer are hitting the adjacent field in the early season…If they are, than that gives me a great chance to intercept them, and take them early. If i’m unable to determine they are using it early, I’m gonna have to wait until the rut nears and they start cruising, so I dont burn up the spot.

Trail cam is up, hopefully that will give me the info i need!