Bucks-where do they go?..And come from

[Bowhunt]

Here is my question. The area I hunt is roughly 400 acres about 1/3 of which is woods. I have had 2 different cameras out in the woods over the last 4 years. Every year I see new bucks from 1.5's to mature deer.

1. I see alot of the mature deer leave around the 15th of sept, and new ones move in the same time every year.

2. I see alot of 3.5 or so deer all through the season until the first part of Nov, then they are gone. Then I also see some really good bucks show up for a few days at a time and never to be seen again.

What typical whitetail behavior will make them move like this? I have the trails on the property down to a science almost with all these pictures. I can tell you almost to the day when the bucks show up every year, and where to find the nice bucks and where the scrubs will be. Almost all of my best buck pictures are around 11 at night and 2 in the morning on one spot over 4 years they are all within minutes every year with different bucks. Also with a side note i have one buck on tape every year but this year I had his as a 2.5, 3.5, and a 5.5, and he grew from 115 to 140 to 155, and has yet to show himself this year, but I know he is there from the sign I have seen. Just a neat proof that if you let him go he will grow.

Thanks for any advice, I am in kinda a hurry so if anything that I did or did not say. Sorry, just wanted to put this post on. Thanks ahead of time.

 

[wisco kid]

If you can figure it out, you'll have yourself some trophies.

This is why taking a big buck is such a challenge, and such a feat when you can do it. They are very elusive.

 

[Bowhunt]

Well I am starting to get this system of hunting down. Last year I shot at p&y deer there so did a good friend of mine out of the same stand 2 days later. I also saw 3 bucks larger that the ones we shot. This year I am going to set my standards just a little bit higher. I have a couple of bucks picked out, we'll see what happens.

I think that the reason the bucks leave around sept 15th is because the bachelor groups start to break up.

I also have a suspicion that the bucks that come through are coming from a sancturary about 2 miles away, but are just on a wandering trip, but I am not sure.

Also I have noticed that the 3.5 plus age deer only show themselves in the day in areas that you can not get into without spooking them. I have seen this the last few years. They always come out of the small bedding areas near dark and feed into the wind up fencerows or else come off a small ridge in the woods and come through a deep gulley that the wind is always swirling. I have hunted these areas with ridiculous scent control and always get busted. The only thing that I can think of now is a scent lok suit, that is the only thing that I have not tried.

Hunting these big boys is so much of a RUSH!!

 

[flatlander]

HEY BOWHUNTER! It sound's like you got your area pretty well fiqured out. It also sound's like the deer are maybe ok too!?
But if you want a second opinion,I'm sure i can
make 3-4 days available around the 10th
of NOV.!!!!!!!!!!

just let know
flatlander

 

[moosehunter]

hey bowhunt......sometimes i think people make too much of trying to out wit, out smell, and out think deer. i suggest backing up and starting over. pick out a couple of funnel spots for your stands and play the wind. in my opinion it doesn't matter how much cover scent anyone uses or what kind it is, the deer are still gonna know something is different. it's better if they don't sniff you out at all rather than trying to cover it up. sounds like you have a hell of a good place though. good luck and shoot straight....................

 

[Cornfed]

It sounds to me like you are hunting primarily a piece of property that is a summer and early fall hangout...... as the prerut and rut approach the bucks are heading to areas with higher doe concentrations...... the few nice stray bucks that you see are from outside the area cruising through in search of does...... figure out a way (ie food plots) to keep more does around and this should change things during November....... just my 2 cents worth. Good luck this fall.......

 

[tineseeker]

Deer are very good at paterning people and avoiding danger. Especialy old deer.

Are you checking your cameras on a regular basis? Are you over hunting a perticular area or stand locations?

I wonder how much the cameras effect deer behavior and movement.

Good luck!

If the answers were always easy it wouldn't be so much fun.

I'm still lookng for my wall hanger.

 

[Bowhunt]

The areas I hunt are usually about 6 different stands. The area I hunt has few places that the wind is not in the deer's advantage.

My cameras fill up on a weekly basis, and I also try to move them every 2 weeks whether I move them 20 yards or a mile I move them quite often. I also rarely hunt the same stand 2 times in a row, except if it is undistrubed or if it is during the rut.

 

[horst]

Heres my idea on it, dont know if its right or wrong.As the bachelor groups start breaking up there can only be one dominant buck in an area that can do the majority of the breeding.The other bucks get run out of the area and go on to a place where they can be more dominant.The smaller bucks come in and are pretty much ignored by the dominant buck unless they are trying to mess with his does.Other than that changing weather, food sources, and the amount of hunting pressure they experience can make them leave to.But on the bright side that still leaves the biggest buck in the area, all you gotta do is catch him moving in the daylight now

 

[wisco kid]

tineseeker -

You make some good points. I actually don't put my camtrakker in my sensitive areas. My scouting tells me there are big bucks in there and this time of year I just walk through them quickly checking out trails for big tracks. I've found that when putting camtrakkers in those areas that my repeated trips seem to reduce deer sightings. I think that's one reason why I don't have any huge buck pics is because I'm not willing to sacrifice possibly messing up a hunting area for a picture.