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Feb 7th, 2025
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 How far will deer travel?
#409833
08/20/08 06:11 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 140
IBFishing
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 140 |
A friend of mine is telling me that a deer will not travel more than 2-3 miles from place of birth. Well maybe but im not real convinced.I understand the surrounding will play a role in this ,such as urban or commercial developement. But as far normal hunting/gun fire conditions what do yall think.
IBFishing
Big Fish Cliff
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: IBFishing]
#409834
08/20/08 06:18 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 973
NathanaelGreene
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 973 |
I read something just the other day that deer will starve rather than move more than a mile or so from where they're born.
I don't believe it. They may prefer to stay in one place, but they're definitely in areas where there hadn't been any at all, so they must move at least a little, eh?
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: NathanaelGreene]
#409835
08/20/08 06:24 PM
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 883
TX_Hoghunter
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 883 |
It depends on the deer. Yearling bucks will ofter travel 7 or 8 miles from the place of their birth. Once they establish a home range they will normally stay in that general area for the rest of their lives. The size of that home range will be determined by food, water, and competition for does. Does generally stay pretty close to their place of birth.
-john
Time to catch a hog..........
A friend of Ken's
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: TX_Hoghunter]
#409836
08/20/08 06:26 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 37,484
Big Orn
great white gorilla
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great white gorilla
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 37,484 |
I'd say your friend is pretty close, but it does depend on food sources and population.
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: TX_Hoghunter]
#409837
08/20/08 06:26 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,220
PHishTX
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,220 |
'til they hit a high fence. 
"If age structure is deemed to be valuable to management,...What percentage change in age structure or condition does TPWD recognize that it needs to detect in order to trigger a regulatory change?  TPWD
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: PHishTX]
#409838
08/20/08 06:38 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,068
jdickey
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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Posts: 4,068 |
Bucks may travel up to a 10 mile radius of their birth area, but that would under unusual circumstances; however most does will stay within a 3-4 mile radius.
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: TX_Hoghunter]
#409839
08/20/08 08:37 PM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,474
Crazyhorse
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 16,474 |
I go along with Tx-hoghunter on this one.
Young deer will move around until they find a place where they can establish their own teritory.
Once they get their teritory established, they will normally stay in it until they die. JMO.
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: Crazyhorse]
#409840
08/20/08 08:48 PM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 63,144
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 63,144 |
Most deer's core range is with in 1.5 miles of thier birth place and as far as thier core range I've seen any where from 200 acres to 840 acres, from what I've read. I think thier core range really depends on the enviorment, deer density and herd age structure.
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, b/c they know not victory nor defeat"- #26 TR
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: BOBO the Clown]
#409841
08/20/08 08:57 PM
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Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 883
TX_Hoghunter
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 883 |
The latest research from Dr. James Kroll indicates that about 2/3 of your yearling bucks travel at least 5 miles from their birthplace.
-john
Time to catch a hog..........
A friend of Ken's
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: IBFishing]
#409842
08/20/08 09:04 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 19,100
dgilbert
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
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Posts: 19,100 |
Hopefully 30 to 40 yards with a arrow through it. 
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: IBFishing]
#409843
08/20/08 09:05 PM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,262
RICK O'SHAY
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,262 |
ALL I CAN TELL YOU IS WE HUNT 1000 ACRES AND WE SEE SOME OF THE BUCKS ALL OVER THE LEASE AND WOULD BET THEY CROSS THE FENCE SOME TOO BUT WE DO SEE THE SAME BUCKS OVER AND OVER SO OUR PLACE MUST BE THEIR HOME TURF. WE ALSO SEE BUCKS THAT WE HAD NOT SEEN BEFORE LIVE OR ON CAMERA, I SUSPECT WE ARE ON THE EDGE OF THEIR HOME TURF.
I GUESS TO ANSWER THE QUESTION YES I BELIEVE DEER STAY IN ABOUT A 5 MILE AREA ALL THEIR LIVES.
DISCLAIMER
ATTENTION: Your decision should NEVER be based SOLELY upon my advice, recomendation, or opinion.
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: IBFishing]
#409844
08/20/08 09:11 PM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,881
Cool_Hand
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,881 |
This is an excert from Whitetails.com.
White-tailed deer have a relatively small home range and cruising radius. Normally, when food conditions are adequate, the deer tend to stay in one locality for long periods. For example, in the Edwards Plateau region, where deer were belled in an experimental study, many of the marked deer remained on an area of 259 ha for at least 3 years. A few of them were found as far away as 8 km.
 Benny Promise Ranch
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: TX_Hoghunter]
#409845
08/20/08 09:19 PM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,614
Texas Dan
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Quote:
It depends on the deer. Yearling bucks will ofter travel 7 or 8 miles from the place of their birth. Once they establish a home range they will normally stay in that general area for the rest of their lives. The size of that home range will be determined by food, water, and competition for does. Does generally stay pretty close to their place of birth.
-john
That's my understanding as well. Dispersing young bucks is Mother Nature's way of strengthening the gene pool.
"When the debate is lost, insults become the tool of the loser."
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: TX_Hoghunter]
#409846
08/20/08 09:19 PM
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Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 26,828
JCB
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 26,828 |
Quote:
It depends on the deer. Yearling bucks will ofter travel 7 or 8 miles from the place of their birth. Once they establish a home range they will normally stay in that general area for the rest of their lives. The size of that home range will be determined by food, water, and competition for does. Does generally stay pretty close to their place of birth.
-john
That pretty much sums it up right there!
I remember a buck named Stickers that Bill Jordan was hunting a few years back! The buck had a very small home range for most of the year, but once the snow hit he could not find the deer agian! Later on during the season David Blanton found stickers hangin out in a Alphala field about 12 miles away! The snow had covered all the food sources at the higher elevations, so the buck had to move down to the fields to find food!
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: dgilbert]
#409847
08/20/08 09:28 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 37,484
Big Orn
great white gorilla
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great white gorilla
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 37,484 |
Quote:
Hopefully 30 to 40 yards with a arrow through it.
Gawdomighty!!! LMAO! A thousand comedians outa work and you're trying to be funny....   
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: Big Orn]
#409848
08/20/08 10:06 PM
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Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 4,054
nuprofessor
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
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Here in Missouri a trap & tag project showed that most Does move less than 1.5 miles from their birthplace. Young bucks were mostly in the 2-4 mile range, but a few moved a whopping 20+ miles.
CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE FOR TOMORROW. INVEST IN TOMORROW BY TAKING A CHILD HUNTING OR FISHING TODAY.
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: nuprofessor]
#409849
08/20/08 10:46 PM
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Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 37,484
Big Orn
great white gorilla
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great white gorilla
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 37,484 |
I remember last year (maybe the year before) there was a link someone posted where a buck was tagged that had traveled over a 30 square mile area during the rut. I can't remember where it was, but it was a credible link. I did a search on here, but can't really remember the title or the poster. 
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: Big Orn]
#409850
08/20/08 11:05 PM
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Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 470
mrbigtexan
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 470 |
mule deer travel long distances
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: mrbigtexan]
#409851
08/20/08 11:34 PM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 41,350
BMD
Silver Spoon
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Silver Spoon
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 41,350 |
We have pictures of a deer taken on game cam 12 miles from where he was shot during the rut.
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: BMD]
#409852
08/20/08 11:40 PM
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Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,068
jdickey
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 4,068 |
Quote:
We have pictures of a deer taken on game cam 12 miles from where he was shot during the rut.
That's not too unusual during rut! The past few years, the drought has caused bucks to extend their range, also.
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: jdickey]
#409853
08/21/08 12:21 AM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 140
IBFishing
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 140 |
Thanks for the reply guys, I never called my friend a unhonest guy just wanted more info. We are hunting a 1000 acre lease for the first time and the last years crew(which are Now Gone told us of a few large deer on camera but never seen during season. So with high hopes of just missing the sight of the biggun's(probably noctornal) we may have a chance at 1 of us taken a decent buck. I would like to think between 1000-2000 acrea could hold what was birthed there would stay there (except during prime rut). But the excitement of a new lease is hopeful it just seems the place has been hunted hard and the old hunters have moved on to greener pastures and we are left with the remains. In any case Im optimistic about time spent in the woods is a better chance. And camp with good food and friends is half of the battle anyway. Im seeing lots of tracks, but no actual live animals, bring on the cold weather to get them spunky 
IBFishing
Big Fish Cliff
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: jdickey]
#409854
08/21/08 12:28 AM
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Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 41,350
BMD
Silver Spoon
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Silver Spoon
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 41,350 |
Quote:
Quote:
We have pictures of a deer taken on game cam 12 miles from where he was shot during the rut.
That's not too unusual during rut! The past few years, the drought has caused bucks to extend their range, also.
True dat but aint been no drought lately where I am hunting!
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: BMD]
#409855
08/21/08 12:55 AM
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Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 63,144
BOBO the Clown
kind of a big deal
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kind of a big deal
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 63,144 |
I think it really depends most on where you hunt. In the Panhandle they probley move a lot more then in the heart of the hill country.
Far better it is to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even though checkered by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer much, b/c they know not victory nor defeat"- #26 TR
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: BOBO the Clown]
#409856
08/21/08 01:36 AM
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Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 44
adrenaline
Light Foot
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Light Foot
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 44 |
I live in the hill country and I believe these deer could live or do live on 20 acres. Set off the feeder and get out of the way because your are about to trampled.
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Re: How far will deer travel?
[Re: TX_Hoghunter]
#409857
08/21/08 01:40 AM
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Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,881
Cool_Hand
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 9,881 |
Quote:
It depends on the deer. Yearling bucks will ofter travel 7 or 8 miles from the place of their birth. Once they establish a home range they will normally stay in that general area for the rest of their lives. The size of that home range will be determined by food, water, and competition for does. Does generally stay pretty close to their place of birth.
-john
John, depends on the deer doesn't hold water, sorry. Why would a deer want to rravel that many miles just to find a home with food? Evidently his/her mom was habitating just fine where she had the fawn.
I have to disagree after being on one lease for a long period of time, twenty five years, and seeing the same deer year after year. Yes, you can drive a deer from its home surroundings but as long as there is food and water it will return. Encroachment and loss of habitat or food are the main reasons deer move. Now, during the rut a buck may travel well beyond his stompping grounds but he'll be back. Game cams have proven this many times seeing bucks that have never been seen before at the feeders and then when the rut isover they're gone. Most bucks just go into seclusion after the rut only to come out in the wee hours of morning and night!! JMO, Benny.
Benny Promise Ranch
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