Buck location question

[Irrelevant]

So I workout pretty much every morning by either running, rucking, or biking up my canyon from my house, for the last 6 years, both in the morning and evening depending on the day. It's a mix of homes, orchards (valley floor), and open space (hillsides of the canyon). I feel like I know it pretty well. Where the deer, turkeys, elk, and bears all tend to hangout... blah blah blah.

But this morning on a bike ride, two bucks crossed the road in front of me that were hands down the biggest WA bucks I've ever seen, or at least right up there. Maybe 175" if I had to throw a number at them.

My question is, could these bucks have lived here the entire time and I just didn't know it? Or is it possible that they actually moved into the valley in late Aug? IDK why they've move this time of year outside of water but it's just really hard for me to envision them hiding from me for several years in this location.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

Probably moved in from Seattle like everyone else in Wenatchee.

If those deer were local you'd have seen them in the winter by now.

 

[rtraverdavis]

What are the typical movement patterns of the deer in your area? Is there something different in terms of weather or other on-the-ground conditions this year? Are there any large sections of private nearby that these deer could have been holed up on for most of their lives?

And more importantly—did you get any pics of these bucks? Is your area a general tag and will you be able to keep track of them until season? This could be your “Chief” moment!

 

[Irrelevant]

What are the typical movement patterns of the deer in your area? Is there something different in terms of weather or other on-the-ground conditions this year? Are there any large sections of private nearby that these deer could have been holed up on for most of their lives?

And more importantly—did you get any pics of these bucks? Is your area a general tag and will you be able to keep track of them until season? This could be your “Chief” moment!

Generally deer are either local or move in sometime in late Oct/Nov. Nothing is different this year. And while there are big tracks of private land, they're almost all clearcut and still very open. They would have had to have a very small range like <100 ac for them to have been completely out of sight.

No pics, too quick and on my bike. It is an open area, but there's really no where to hunt them, no public land at least.

 

[Schaaf]

“but there's really no where to hunt them, no public land at least”

Sounds like you need to implement the fun form of “secret hunting”

 

[huntnpack]

Deer can definitely "blow up" in size from one year to another. Nutritional conditions change/changing there or anything?

 

[antlerradar]

I have seen older bucks up an move a few miles for the rut, better feed, water and development. The rut is not an option, anything change near by with the other three.

 

[Irrelevant]

Sounds like you need to implement the fun form of “secret hunting”

I'm well versed from my youth, but I need to maintain good neighbors more than I need to kill a buck.

 

[WildWill]

Deer can definitely "blow up" in size from one year to another. Nutritional conditions change/changing there or anything?

Could it be this or was there nothing even close around? I know here at my house I've seen whitetail grow a bunch in just a year normally between 2-3 or 3-4 years old.

 

[Irrelevant]

Could it be this or was there nothing even close around? I know here at my house I've seen whitetail grow a bunch in just a year normally between 2-3 or 3-4 years old.

Deer can definitely "blow up" in size from one year to another. Nutritional conditions change/changing there or anything?

If this is the culprit than this is ridiculous. Because I've never seen any local bucks that would break 90" outside of the ones that move through in the winter.

I have seen older bucks up an move a few miles for the rut, better feed, water and development. The rut is not an option, anything change near by with the other three.

I mean, we have some decent country not that far away like 3-5 miles that could definitely hide big bucks, but there's really no where close for them to have come from. And even 3-5 miles seems odd, because nothing has changed, it's a pretty good but not great year. It's been a bit dry, but we're not that far from normal. I will say, they were skittish as hell. Bolted upon seeing me round the corner. Unlike many of the other valley inhabitants.

 

[MTTW]

About what time was it? Just curious.

 

[Irrelevant]

About what time was it? Just curious.

6:15am

 

[antlerradar]

I will say, they were skittish as hell. Bolted upon seeing me round the corner. Unlike many of the other valley inhabitants.

This tells me that those bucks are not local.

 

[seeth07]

I would bet that wherever their hiding spot was, it was intruded on my a threat and sent them running and you just happen to catch them running through

 

[Brad W]

This is why we love it, right! Those bucks will haunt you forever. Somewhere nearby there are 175” deer wandering around. If you put in the time maybe you will track them down or maybe they will just be legends you never figure out, but now you know there are giants are out there in your neighborhood!

 

[huntnpack]

How hard were these training sessions? Maybe you were hallucinating. Self guided visualization to a whole new level.

 

[Brad W]

 

[Irrelevant]

How hard were these training sessions? Maybe you were hallucinating. Self guided visualization to a whole new level.

Another 30 minutes later and you might onto something but I was just warning up before the big hill

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

So maybe not from Seattle since they'd have hung around for a handout. Possibly rolled in from the high country.