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Instinct or coincidence ?

On a recent mule deer hunt with my dad I seen the craziest thing I have ever seen. Hopefully I can tell this where everyone can follow. Dad and I were hunting plains type mule deer last weekend. We spotted a buck and doe bedded in a little wash that grown up in big weeds. We figured out a plan for dad to get in on them. I sat back about 200yds and was going to watch it all happen. Dad had to make a big loop to get around them so I had some time to just look around. While waiting on dad I spotted another buck and doe bedded 400yds from the other buck and doe. So from where I was I could see 2 pairs.

Dad finally came into my view and was guessing he was 75yds from the bedded buck and doe. Over the next 20 minutes he got worked to 50yds from them. He was out of cover and just decided to sit it out and wait to see if a shot presented itself, but was hoping to get within 30yds. Dad got settled in and about 45 minutes later I see a 3rd buck, which looked like a mature dominant buck. His rack wasn't huge but you could just tell he was the boss. The 3rd buck was walking straight towards where the buck and doe that dad was waiting on. He was coming in upwind so he was going on visual and not scent I was guessing. The doe was bedded in the thick of the weed patch and the buck 1st buck was just standing in the weed patch.

When the 3rd buck got to around 50yds from the 1st buck and doe, the 1st buck seen him coming. The 1st buck pinned his ears back and walked out to meet the 3rd buck. When the 3rd buck got out to the 1st one they both just stood about 5yds apart ears pinned back and hair all stood up. I was thinking a fight was going to break out at any time. Then the 1st buck just turned around and started slowly walking away and the 3rd buck followed him. The 1st buck walked straight towards where the 2nd buck and doe were bedded. I was sitting on a hill so I could see all of this happening. The 1st buck kept the 3rd bucks attention and got him to follow him the 400yds all the way to the 2nd buck and doe.

When the 3rd buck to the 2nd buck and doe he went straight to the doe chased the 2nd buck away. The whole time the 1st buck just stood back about 50yds watching this happen. When the 3rd buck had claimed the 2nd doe as his. The 1st buck turned around and RAN back to his doe that he left in the weed patch. BUT, what he didn't know is that while he was gone with the 3rd buck. His doe got up and walked off to another weed patch a couple hundred yards in the opposite direction of all the other deer. When the 1st buck got where is doe was supposed to be and she wasn't where he left her. He starting running around frantically trying to find her. He never did figure out where she went to.

I was wondering if the 1st buck knew that he could lead the 3rd buck over to the 2nd buck and doe and get them hooked up so he could keep his doe to himself? Or was this whole thing just plain dumb luck?

That was an awesome experience! I think #2 knew what he was doing...

I bet number two doe was his sister and he did not like the 2nd buck fooling around with his sister soon he led number 3 over there to kick number 2’s ass for messing around with his sister.

Buck #1 knows how to play the game...absolutely pre-planned !

Maybe not so good at bird-dogging his doe, though...

Just deer stuff. No magic.

Cool to see though

But what about your Dad?

2nd dm/ wolfskin.. did dad unleash the mystical death stick?

About ol'dad. He couldn't see the 1st and 3rd buck after they left him. There was a hill they went over. He decided to stay put thinking a buck would come back to the doe. When the doe got up and walked away he decided to walk over and see where the two bucks went. He made it about 150yds and was about to crest the hill they went over. And he could see the 1st buck running right at him so he dropped to a knee a got ready. The buck ran by him at 30yds on his way back to where he left his doe. So dad just got sit back 150yds and watch the buck run all over the area he had just left. No deer were harmed on this outing

Dang, that's an awesome story. I'm sure there's lots more deer herd "dynamics" that we never know about or get to see. Really cool that you got to witness it, and too bad your dad didn't tag out.

What you saw was amazing.

I'd say number 1 buck followed number 3 buck, hoping the dominant number 3 buck wouldn't catch wind of his doe. He obviously had intentions of returning to "his" doe, that will likely become buck number 4's doe, now that number 1 cannot find her lol.

Pretty cool experience!

maybe a little of both? I'd say good instincts make for few coincidences.

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