Bucks that escape predators, including hunters, for five or six years become extremely challenging to locate.  Here’s ways to increase your odds.

Story and photography by Bob Zaiglin

October is a disruptive time period for South Texas whitetails, with the whirring of helicopters overhead occupied by deer managers conducting population surveys, and the sudden influx of hunters entering the brush to perform preseason scouting activities.  Suddenly the serenity deer enjoyed since the end of the 2023 hunting season dissipates like fog on a windy morning.

When disturbed by man, whitetailed deer, particularly mature bucks, react by becoming more reclusive.  The abrupt interruptions in October force them to become more alert, with some becoming nocturnal in their attempt to evade their number one predator — man.

Deer behavior changes proportionately with the number of interactions they encounter with man, thus it’s important to conduct scouting activities without impacting the animals one intends to pursue during the hunting season.  This is particularly important when pursuing trophy caliber bucks that are five years of age or older, as they are inherently reclusive and evasive, even when left undisturbed.  After all, man is not a deer’s sole concern in the wild, as a variety of predators, particularly coyotes, must be evaded on a daily basis.  Bucks that escape predators, including hunters, for five or six years become extremely challenging to locate, especially when temperatures during the hunting season remain high, suppressing their daily movements even more.

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