There might be survival advantages to bucks forming bachelor groups.
QUESTION: I’ve been observing and getting trail camera shots of several bucks together on my food plots this summer. I know that it is common for bucks to form bachelor herds, but I’ve always wondered why they do this. — Dan S.
ANSWER: Much is known and much has been written about how whitetail bucks form bachelor groups. These loose aggregations of different-aged males typically form in summer and break up in fall. Most of their time spent together is amicable, and individuals may even groom one another. However, they are establishing a dominance hierarchy or pecking order through relatively non-aggressive interaction.
As for why they do this, one of the best explanations I’ve found comes from Matt Ross of the QDMA. He says: “There are several potential survival advantages of forming bachelor groups. Forming groups may aid in predator avoidance at a time when bucks are relatively defenseless because they do not have antlers, or when antlers are growing and vulnerable to damage. Also, bachelor groups may allow local bucks to establish a basic dominance hierarchy through mild forms of aggression, which may reduce the amount of serious fighting necessary later when bucks can be injured critically or killed.”
— Recent Ask the Biologist Question:The Answer My Friend: Geography plays a role in how whitetails react to wind.
Find Out The Answer!