What is the reasoning behind grouping behaviour in game's Odocoileus species?

[Sherab86]

Hi there!

I've read some stuff on the internet about deers from Odocoileus genus.

And I've found out that does spend most of the year solitary, or in small family groups of doe and her offspirng plus maybe some "friend" does. Bucks in other hand spend most of the time in bachelor groups, but they start to become more solitary when rut starts.

Taking into consideration that all bucks that we encounter in the game are velvet-free, I assume we hunt always more less in a rut period. So it seems that only Whitetails are represented "properly" in the game.

I wander what is the reasoning behind grouping in Mule Deer and Black Deer on some maps? Is this only for gameplay use, to increase variety, or it is somehow supported by IRL animals behaviour?

[Fletchette]

The reasoning is that whatever you read is untrue....

In my experience, Whitetails buck are a bit more solitary than Mule Deer bucks, but in many areas of the country they do group up quite a bit and are often found with does all year. Mule Deer are usually found in larger groups than Whitetail, and seeing large groups of 20-50 is not uncommon.

I just filled my Mule Deer buck tag in Montana yesterday. My hunting buddy and I each got a buck out of the same group that contained about 20 does/fawns, and 4 bucks. They were all together and the rut doesn't start here for another month or so. In the last week I've seen countless groups of both whitetail and mule deer that numbered 20-50 animals. Of course there are smaller groups too, 2-8 animals, and the occasional single, but that's less common.

Back home in Missouri, that average group of Whitetail I see is 4-8 does/fawns, but there will sometimes be a buck with them well before or after the rut. But it's also common to see a solitary buck during the summer, or perhaps 2-3 in a bachelor group. For some reason here in Montana the whitetail form larger groups than in Missouri, probably because Missouri is forested, and here in Montana it's open plains with much greater visibility. In open terrain, the larger number of eyeballs in a group means safety, and when they do get broken up they can see each other and get back together much easier.

The point being that how large of groups all the deer species form, and if those groups are mixed gender, seems to vary quite a bit depending on the terrain, food availability, cover, and region of the country.

[Sherab86]

I understand.

Thanks for clarification.

Actualy I've found out that it is realy hard to find some reliable information on those animals behaviors a such, social behaviors included.

Thanks again. This is most interesting.

[gas56]

I understand.

Thanks for clarification.

Actualy I've found out that it is realy hard to find some reliable information on those animals behaviors a such, social behaviors included.

Thanks again. This is most interesting.

Deer herds are where you find them, and whatever draws them together may be a combination of things.
A good food source, or a deer yard, or travel routes, can be found almost any place.
I'm from N.E. Ohio, and at a game reserve near by where I live, I've seen in wintertime Whitetail herds of up to 90 animals come out of the woodwork into the cut corn fields like rats sneaking around as darkness arrives just seeing their black silhouettes and their shining eyes.
It's either that or they were all aliens, but I think that mostly only happens down south at the border...........
There are a lot of books on Deer behavior as I can attest to that from all the ones I've read over the years.
Just look for them and you should find quite a few. Even the old Outdoor hunting magazines you can find articles on-line from some reputable writers about stuff like this.
good luck...........................GAS
This link might help you find some good books.
https://www.amazon.com/deer-behavior-Bo ... 20behavior

[Sherab86]

Thanks.

I was reffering only to free-access online sources of course. I'm preety sure there are plenty scientific articles and books on the subject out there. Maybe I will buy some when I will want to study the subject realy in-depth. Thanks.

And to be precise, I was thinking of course about intentional grouping and keeping together for some prolongated time - virtualy creating a smaller or larger herd. I suppose that even solitary animals may gather together in food source place - but each of them will go by own way after that. But I understand now that this can highly vary within one species depending on the conditions. So thanks again for info and clarification, guys.

[baloo.the.dog]

I have always been mad that we have to hunt during Spring/Summer time reserves like Settler's, Logger's, Whitehart, Rougarou Bay, and Redfeather, but get no velvet....
Who the heck hunts whitetails during May???
And why are their mallards in RGB in August.....

[Sherab86]

Yeah, I was wondering about this too.

I suppose this is for some kind of variety. But dosn't feel realistic even a bit. :/