Think that rattling horns work only in Texas, or on private lands with heavy buck populations? Don’t you believe it: The tactic works anywhere. Photo by Gerald Almy.

The store of knowledge about the intriguing white-tailed deer is increasing dramatically. One Web site, I’m told, even gives you a deer’s-eye view, 24 hours a day, of a buck’s activity via a camera mounted on the animal. Analyses of moon cycles, involved genetic theories and grad theses on the intricacies of the whitetail buck’s behavior abound.

But amid this avalanche of information, many misconceptions about deer behavior -- downright fables, in fact -- persist. Though some who cling to these mistaken beliefs will never be convinced that they’re not gospel, here’s my attempt to clarify a few of the most commonly held myths about whitetails.

Why is it important to know that these “truths” aren’t true? Well, for starters, most people simply want to recognize the reality of the situation. And the ability to distinguish fact from fiction can help to make for better deer hunters and deer managers.

• Myth No. 1: If you see a rub on a small tree, a small buck, probably a yearling, is sure to have made it.

That’s just not so. I’ve made a study of rubs over the years and watched 5-year-old bucks rub trees as small around as your thumb.

Now, that isn’t the norm, especially early in the year. Larger bucks mostly rub large-diameter trees, and smaller bucks tend to rub smaller trees. But no hard and fast rules govern rubs. Most particularly during the rut, a testosterone-crazed buck will rub any tree that happens to be near as it tries to vent excess energy waiting for a doe to be ready to be mounted.

• Myth No. 2: Hunting in the wind is a waste of time.

First off, a breeze is normal in many hunting areas. A strong wind doesn’t make for the best hunting, but bucks can’t just stop their lives because it’s breezy. In fact, a wind can actually help you bag your quarry by concentrating it for you in areas protected from the wind, thus eliminating large swaths of territory that you don’t need to hunt.

A moderate wind doesn’t affect deer movement much, but during strong breezes, bucks tend to drop down to lower elevations, draws, hollows and valleys or protected bowls and basins within which they can move about freely while escaping the harshest winds.

Deer dislike strong winds, which render the cold more penetrating. Even more critical, high wind makes it hard for them to detect predators amid the noise and motion of branches whipping around. It also affects their ability to smell out potential problems and detect their source.

By hunting the right spots, you still can score on windy days.

• Myth No. 3: Width of spread is the most important element for a high-scoring rack.

Actually, spread may be the least important element in that assessment. The most telling part of a score can vary with the conformation of the deer’s antlers. But only one inside spread measurement is taken, so that’s not that big of a deal in the final score. The two main-beam measurements are quite significant, as are the four mass measurements on each side -- often the tipoff as to a buck’s age -- that are included.

The numerous tine measurements made on each antler are perhaps the ultimate determinants of a deer’s score; a trophy buck can have a single tine measurement almost equal to the rack’s inside spread. If you still think spread’s so important, just look at the buck Wayne Stewart killed in Minnesota: Its net score 201, second-highest ever in that state, it ranks among the top dozen typicals ever killed. Its inside spread? Only 15 5/8 inches!