Rutt activity or hunter pressure ?

[Jeremy K]

I was curious what some other hunters thought about which instinct out weighs the other and to what degree . During archery season my dad and i see a good amount of deer activity ,some nice bucks moving around and groups of 5-8ish doe just cruising through , as shotgun approaches we notice the activity shuts off like a switch . We hunt 90 acres of land that vary from thick pines to a overgrown orchard and a hill side with mature hardwoods . The plot is a lot deeper than it is wide ,we know the deer travel at least 3 different properties during their nightly loop before returning to our hunting land . So my question is ,does hunter pressure trump a deers instinct to breed or is the desire to breed the top priority ? We are under the impression that we need to take our vacation time next year in the first couple weeks of archery before the neighbors get ready for gun season (neighbors don't hunt bow that we know of).

[BUCKANDAQUARTER]

I have found hunting pressure shuts things down in a heart beat. The mature "wise bucks" will stay in a 2-3 acre area if they have everything they need. Food, water, cover, escape routes. Their priority is staying covert. They do make mistakes for the chance to get lucky as we all know. I hunted hard after a big buck this year, well like most years I should say. Once the snow came I was able to see where he was headed to bed down during the day time, which of course was land that wasn't hunted. It was probably next to impossible to get him without getting onto that land. Early bow will be a must next year to cork him.

Edited December 21, 2013 by BUCKANDAQUARTER

[Jeremy K]

It seems a lot of things change all at once during the same time of year , more people in the woods and the corn fields being cut down , just trying to figure out if they moved away or are just hiding ,even the trail cam pics dry up.

[Five Seasons]

I think it's a little bit of both. A buck will take risks he normally wouldn't, but not extreme. Mature bucks will go nocturnal and get their freak on at night.

Edited December 21, 2013 by Belo

[nyantler]

A buck will breed regardless of the pressure if there is a receptive doe... the problem is actually with the increased pressure on the doe population which could keeps the does from traveling as much.. if she doesn't travel, he doesn't travel.. a bucks instinct to breed far out weighs his fear of man... a does instinct to breed does not. 

Edited December 23, 2013 by nyantler