doe bedding area with big bucks now little bucks

[Geno C]

I have a question any input would be great. I am hunting a doe bedding area where the big ones no where to look for those available does and i was having great encounters with shooter bucks looking for Doe and chasing them in this spot. this past weekend all i had come in were smaller bucks which i elected to pass on and not one single Doe. i also have the same button buck that come in by himself feeding around and walks back off to bed up.

is it a safe guess that the bigger bucks have pushed off into another area with the does and maybe locked down with them? Or maybe the bucks pushed the does off into a breeding area? i had a huge fresh scrape about 4ft around that has been hot for alittle over a week now. when i went in to hunt on Sat morn the scrape looked cold and un attended to for days. i sprayed some doe estrous in the scrape as i exited the woods and the next morning 12 hours later the scrape was completely tore up again. So i was under the impression that a big boy was still in my area i just maybe be hunting 150 yards away from where the action might be unfolding?

Iam just hoping things will pick back up BUT in the same breath this warm southerly winds didnt help much!

thanks

[WNYBuckHunter]

Its a safe bet to assume its the rut and all other bets are off. Id stay on the does, the big boys will probably show up at some point.

[Geno C]

i know the big boys will be behind the does, i just havnt been seeing the does for some reason... nor the bigger bucks i have been seeing

[WNYBuckHunter]

Could have just been an off couple of days. They will be back.

[landtracdeerhunter]

Alot of questions to answer there. I can speculate, but that all it would be. I think it would vary, quite a bit, from one side of the state to the other anyways. From what we have seen here, the bucks aren't following the does as much as other years, gone by. Maybe to large of doe pop..

Edited November 14, 2011 by landtracdeerhunter

[Geno C]

i was just asking in general... maybe it could have been an off couple of days maybe due to the full moon or the warm southerly winds....

[Doewhacker]

i was just asking in general... maybe it could have been an off couple of days maybe due to the full moon or the warm southerly winds....

That for sure and possibly a different food source for the doe's.

[Culvercreek hunt club]

Over the last week or so out here the does are really skiddish. I think the over enthusiastic young bucks have them on their toes. The full moon allows them to feed more easily at night. If they so much as blink the young bucks are harrassing them. They aren't ready and a avoiding their normal areas/times. My thoughts on a possible anyway. I think a mature buck will be checking them but not at the nose to the tail kind of distance right now. When they get heat full blown I think your big guys will show and then the little ones won''t be around for fear of the ass kicking they will get.

Edited November 14, 2011 by Culvercreek hunt club

[Geno C]

yeah i think it was just this week being a few variables with weather and moon. it prob through off the feed habits i have been seeing and also maybe put some rut activity on hold. im sure when i get back from this weekends opener things will pick back up on the island. i got worried because of the great buck activity i have been seeing in this spot with the cooler weather and pre rutting activity it almost seemed like the activity went sour all to quickly. you know how it is when things vary week to week or day to day you try and figure out WHY. But ill get back in it and hopefully things will pan out better within in the next week.