regrouping pairs or groups

[wtnhunt]

What are the chances a bachelor group or pair that survives a season gets back together at least in part the following spring/summer.  

Had a buck we suspected was a 1.5 year old 5 pt with no brows last year that during velvet that was regularly running with the mature buck I posted pics of last fall/winter that had shredded his antlers to nubs by mid October.  I guessed he was a 4.5 year old last year and posted a thread where guesses from that thread agreed that he was mature.  Fast forward to this summer, have a 2.5 year old 6 pt with no brows running with this mature buck we think is most likely the same buck that busted off his antlers early on last fall.   

The only thing that has me stumped is that last year his left side was typical/normal and right side was a beam and a long brow, this year his right side is mostly normal with a split brow and just a bunch of junk on the left.  Some other distinguishing features that have me thinking it is the same buck are an ear notch in the same location on the left ear.  Of course if his antlers are shredded by the middle of October again will be pretty safe to say it is the same deer.  

Hoping he sticks around into season and someone in our family gets a crack at him, even if his antlers are all busted up again this buck being mature will be one to take out.  

[Ravin R10 man]

Why would they not be together? If those backs are comfortable on that land, it must be where they call home in the summer. shed velvet, they may go three miles away, who knows.

[Ravin R10 man]

On the other hand, I have watched bucks grow all summer, shed velvet, and  "POOF" GONE!  only to get an arrow a couple miles away...GO FIGURE

[Rhino]

Hard to answer that question William.  Too me, each deer has a unique personality.  A buck's personality changes as he matures too.  So to answer your question...I don't know.

[elkoholic]

From what I see around my place and over 60 years of watching whitetails, I can guarantee you that the same bucks will buddy up when they are not fighting over the ladies.  Females of any species cause more fighting between males than any other cause (except maybe drugs when it comes to humans).  The surge of testosterone in itself causes a rise in belligerent attitudes and throw a whiff of an estrous loaded female and best buddies are now enemies.  Take all that away and they are best friends again.  Also, bachelor groups are usually made up of related deer, either twins or brothers (half or full) and their pecking order is decided by age/size.  Antler characteristics can vary wildly from year to year making it a little harder to identify individual deer.  So, my guess would be that they are the same duo from last year.

William, good luck on someone in your family putting him in the freezer.

[wtnhunt]

Just thought it was interesting, dominant and subordinate bucks and pecking orders in groups and their core areas.  Would seem reasonable to me that if a dominant buck allowed a subordinate buck to be around, that he might allow the same subordinate buck back around the following year.  

No doubt about the personality, watching deer has shown me a lot on that.  The buck I have so much interest in from last year was just plain intolerant of any other bucks being around by the time October rolled around.  Even with his antlers busted as badly as they were, he remained aggressive.  Hopefully he is still around and someone here will see him or get a shot on him.  I am fairly certain if I see him, I will know pretty quickly whether it is the same buck from last year.  Activity on cams on our property has gone totally dead the past couple weeks, I have seen a few guys coming and going with their side by sides on trailers and their feed bags in the back.