Assuming you're talking about blacktails based on your location, they morph into a different animal after the velvet comes off. Bucks in the summer are very different in the fall. They are still around but they start in on a more nocturnal lifestyle and start centering behavior around winter survival and mating. The shedding of velvet can be considered the kick-off of the rut, actually. Bucks have their battle gear in tact and will begin sorting out the pecking order and scope out the local doe situation, while continuing to hang together. By mid-September most of the mature bucks will be alone, feeding after dark and straying further from any recognizable pattern. They may choose to feed in the same areas but travel routes will vary greatly. Random is a word you could use to describe their movements. They are there, using the same areas but they are also expanding their movement to cover more of their home range for fall food sources and to monitor doe groups. By mid-October, the are in the pre-rut breeding phase and will be sparring a lot more, making a lot of rubs, and getting dialed in on specific doe groups. They will travel far and wide as November - and peak breeding - closes in.
There are many aspects of blacktails that cause you to find the nearest hard surface to
. Recognizing this now will help you feel OK when they make you look like a fool, as I have so many times over. Just when you think you've figured them out, they pull some new trick. Hope this helps!
