Yes, bucks typically stay in the same area or home range throughout the year unless forced to leave due to limited resources or hunting pressure. Bucks, especially mature ones, establish a home range within which they move around to find food, water, cover, and mates.
They mark their ranges using various scent and visual signals and defend them against intruders. Research shows that buck’s home ranges size and location may vary with the seasons and availability of resources. However, they generally exhibit fidelity to their home range and tend to return to it, even after being displaced. Bucks also tend to avoid areas of high human activity and prefer areas with dense cover and food sources. Bucks usually stay within or close to their home range unless necessary to move to find better resources or escape hunting pressure.
Bucks tend to stay in the same area year-round, with seasonal shifts. Generally, during the winter, they have smaller home ranges compared to summer. However, during the rut, bucks tend to expand their home range as they search for mates.
Bucks may also leave their typical area if resources are scarce or if they detect human presence. Despite these exceptions, bucks tend to return to their home range annually, making it easier for hunters to predict their behavior. It’s important to understand these seasonal changes and exceptions when tracking or hunting bucks.
Conclusion
As a conclusion, bucks typically do stay in the same area, especially if the environment is conducive to their needs. They mark their territories with scrapes and rubs and maintain these areas as their own. Their ability to sense danger in their radius encourages them to keep within their designated area.
However, seasonal weather variations, changing food sources, and other environmental factors may prompt bucks to shift to different locations for short periods. Wildlife biologists have observed that most mature bucks are homebodies with a well-defined range that they patrol regularly.
