Frustrating

[WNY-Hunter]

I have had my trail cams out for a couple months now, and Im not getting much for pictures of Bucks. I get 25-50 pics of Doe every day though. I think that the bucks in the area are about half mile away in the Corn and Soybean fields feeding. I actually see them there in the evening when scouting so I know there are alot of good bucks hitting the fields.

Trouble I have is convincing my two boys ages 14+15 to leave our stands where they. I tell them come rut we will be sitting pretty.  I sure hope Im right.......   What do you think ?

 

[phade]

I never rely solely on the rut. That's my #1 rule. The rut is a back-up plan. Dismissing anything before or after that is shooting yourself in the foot.

 

Hopefully you either get lucky with a core area shift in the next week or so, or you do something about your situation if you feel they are not around you for October.

[beachpeaz]

I agree.  Preseason camera pics really mean absolutely nothing other than knowing whats out there.  If you already know whats there, then a picture is just a keepsake.  The deer paterns change drastically from now, til hardhorn then again for the rut.  I put my cameras up in areas I know the deer are at now, just to get pictures, but they are not by where my stand will be in a few weeks!  Now, if it were mid-october through mid-November and you had cameras up by where you were hunting and not getting any pictures, then obviously you would have some issues...lol

[phade]

I agree.  Preseason camera pics really mean absolutely nothing other than knowing whats out there.  If you already know whats there, then a picture is just a keepsake.  The deer paterns change drastically from now, til hardhorn then again for the rut.  I put my cameras up in areas I know the deer are at now, just to get pictures, but they are not by where my stand will be in a few weeks!  Now, if it were mid-october through mid-November and you had cameras up by where you were hunting and not getting any pictures, then obviously you would have some issues...lol

 

 

That's not always the case. Some deer don't shift very far. Some do. To generalize is shooting yourself in the foot.

 

 

Edited August 30, 2013 by phade

[beachpeaz]

a drastic shift could be a matter of 100 yards.  In hunting world, that is a lot.   It also makes a big difference with a camera obviously.  It doesn't have to be a mile like hunting in IA where there are thousands of acres.  I also said that if you KNOW there are deer in the area via watching them (as he said), then you now they are there.  You have to trust your previous years experience in that stand placement.  Worst case scenario is you move your stand mid-day during the hunt if you see deer out of shooting range consistently.

[phade]

a drastic shift could be a matter of 100 yards.  In hunting world, that is a lot.   It also makes a big difference with a camera obviously.  It doesn't have to be a mile like hunting in IA where there are thousands of acres.  I also said that if you KNOW there are deer in the area via watching them (as he said), then you now they are there.  You have to trust your previous years experience in that stand placement.  Worst case scenario is you move your stand mid-day during the hunt if you see deer out of shooting range consistently.

 

He's talking about being 1/2 mile away from the action at the moment. Some deer will shift, some won't. To say deer always shift is incorrect. Some do, some won't, due to a variety of factors/decisions. Some bucks are roamers, some are homebodies. Simple as that.

 

I'm not sitting content on stands that were good for the rut and not being confident in having stands in place for the season to start at the moment. Sure sounds like he's knowingly banking on the rut, but not the early season, or late season. My advice is to take advantage of all stages of the season. Chances are the majority of those bucks are going to still be feeding on the beans in October (til they turn) and other green fields and mast sources.

 

We agree on alot of what is said, however.

Edited August 30, 2013 by phade

[skully]

A few years back I did not have a single  buck on camera on a 2000 acre property until Nov 2.  I shot 2 120 class 8s that year and sough some bigger ones, so I do not panic anymore when I am only getting pictures of does like I am right now..............

Edited August 30, 2013 by skully

[letinmfly]

I, for one, like seeing the does.  Chances are that is their "home" area and eventually the bucks will be in the same area looking for receptive does.  In my years of bow hunting I've always "hunted" the does and have had good success taking bucks in the doe areas.

I wouldn't worry about not seeing bucks on film. 

[WNY-Hunter]

Im just going to stick it out. I have hunted this area for 25 years and have taken bucks from this area all but 1 year. Including a couple 140s and many 120s. We are on the edge of a 40 acre clear cut that is 8 years into growing back. Very thick, lots and lots of deer hole up in there when the shooting starts on the neighboring state land. The tough part is getting my kids to understand that it takes patience .

[phade]

Best of luck. Hopefully you and your kids can wait it out until November.

[NFA-ADK]

Sounds like the bucks have a nice hide away in that old clear cut.  Your history is proof, it sounds like you have a great core area for doe, as in previous years noted by your success, the bucks will come...  Try calling them in with light antler ticking and a doe call if they are close to that clear cut, I swear by the adult doe bleet in heat call!  Good luck, hope your kids both score a monster!!! 

 

 

PS:  I think you are 100% right. 

[fasteddie]

Suggestion ---- Move one of the stands where the bucks are . Have the boys alternate using the stands on each outing . Give us a report during the season .

[gjs4]

Less cams-more glassing.Cams and checking them pressure deer

 

Right now is horn porn inventory time- hard horned in two weeks matters way more. Harvest pics matter the most.

 

When you see where theyre moving the last week of sept- come in midday the first similar wind at the start of October and a spot that wouldve killed them ....hunt mobile; permanent stands and paralyzation have more incommon than the letter P

[WNY-Hunter]

Less cams-more glassing.Cams and checking them pressure deer

 

 

While I don't disagree with this, keeping my boys interested and pumped up about the upcoming deer season is more important. Getting our youth involved should be more important than anything. My cams that are out, are not setting on top of our hunting stands, they are anywhere from 100-300 yards away covering areas near by that we know the deer pass through on their way to us.  We do use scent control always, and we don't  check the cams every day, we go in every two weeks to pull the cards and get out, no pissing around in there.

[WNY-Hunter]

Here are a couple taken with the bow from these DOE locations, taken 2 and 3 years ago. Last year I had back surgery and didn't get in the stand during bow.

[phade]

Let me guess...november? Nice deer.

Do you not hunt october?

[WNY-Hunter]

actually both of these deer were taken October 31st. I hunt start to finish any time I can.

I usually take my doe early October if I get a crack at a nice one. I have taken many decent bucks in mid october.