Summer buck

[lostinstateforest]

First hello and this a great forum. Next I am an avid public land hunter. I run cameras on large tracts of land, mainly large forest with mountain laurel. I find in late October and November I see lots of bucks, and a few mature deer but I know larger/older ones are there. This year I have about 4 cameras out in one specific loop, which generally hold mature deer in oct and nov. The 2 months that these cameras have been out over mineral site, attractants, and feed I have only 3 1.5 year old on camera 1 time in 1 picture. The food in this area is limited to acorns and other unmentionable browse. Am I to assume these mature bucks spend their summers a good distance away? There really isnt any agricultural area within a few miles, probably 5 miles atleast to the closest farm. I get thousands of pictures of does and plently of healthy fawns, singles, twins and even some triplets. I have also had black bear on every single camera which is relatively new to the area in such high numbers. Again are the bucks there just avoiding my mineral and attractants or are they not there yet?

Ps all cams are black flash.

Thanks lisf

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[dreaming bucks]

it could be that they just are not there yet......

Where I hunt in rural Wisconsin, the deer have been eating heavy on beans, alfalfa, corn...... in about two weeks the beans will be turning yellow, and it seems like the deer hit the oaks for the acorns.......

so, maybe they will be heading towards your area for the acorns coming up shortly, but I'm not sure where you are located, so it could vary.....

[lostinstateforest]

Located in sw pa.

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[Southern Man]

I've seen plenty of times that bucks will summer here and around Oct 1st, they leave. Some will stay. Then in February or so, they'll return if not shot.

[PLB]

Welcome to the Beast!! I agree they obviously are not there yet. It could be an area they are in when all those does start to smell good.. Acorns trump all when they are ripe and falling so that's what the bucks will be eating. Early season I would want to be set up on a big buck bedding area and catch him going to the oaks during shooting hours. One more point if you have lots of does and fawns and a couple dinks on cam in two months you're not in the right area for mature bucks. They are solitary animals. You'll need to study some maps and burn some boot leather to find one. Good luck!!

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[lostinstateforest]

I agree they are not there and getting "dinks" on camera drives me nuts. Here are some topo maps. I am not going to mark where my cameras are but feel free to make suggestions for scouting. I went about 4 or 5 miles this weekend's in this area.







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[Stanley]

I always ask this, how often are you checking the cameras?

[Darin]

I always ask this, how often are you checking the cameras?

I second that question. If you are checking the cams often (every week or bi week), that could be just enough human scent/disruption to move those bucks out of there. You said you had 1 picture of a couple 1.5 year olds? - Sounds like they scented you and started browsing else where. Not to mention if your running mineral sites or baiting, you "Could" also be throwing around a TON of human scent. Not saying that you are scenting it up, just talking scent basics here..

Food sources are also a huge factor. They just might not be there yet like you said. I would keep an eye on the acorns the next few weeks.

[lostinstateforest]

At least a month in between pulls. I also try to place my cell cameras at the more sensitive area and dont really ever goto it unless it is being moved. I placed all cams In a new area sunday and wont even be back to that side of the state for at least a month. My cameras are usually about1.5 - 2 miles from the nearest parking area. Is 1x every 30 to 60 days to much?

As far as baiting or minerals I just carry a jug of stump licker or trophy rock back when I check cams, throw it out and pull the card and leave. I wear rubber boots. The few dinks I did get on camera hung around a little, I forgot I had more pics that were not transmitted but they seemed to be just passing through.
I hadnt been to the camera in 3 weeks and I have not had any animals, coon deer or bear notice the cameras were there, big difference from years prior with white flash or IR
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[Darin]

At least a month in between pulls. I also try to place my cell cameras at the more sensitive area and dont really ever goto it unless it is being moved. I placed all cams In a new area sunday and wont even be back to that side of the state for at least a month. My cameras are usually about1.5 - 2 miles from the nearest parking area. Is 1x every 30 to 60 days to much?

[ Post made via Android ]

That's not too much at all! Once a month is good... I would narrow it down to understanding what the deer are after this time of year...

Did you do any post season scouting this year????

[lostinstateforest]

At least a month in between pulls. I also try to place my cell cameras at the more sensitive area and dont really ever goto it unless it is being moved. I placed all cams In a new area sunday and wont even be back to that side of that state for at least a month. My cameras are usually about1.5 - 2 miles from the nearest parking area. Is 1x every 30 to 60 days to much?

[ Post made via Android ]

That's not too much at all! Once a month is good... I would narrow it down to understanding what the deer are after this time of year...

Did you do any post season scouting this year????

I did and post season scouting and cams produced a lot of bucks that survived. At Christmas time I had at least 3 2.5 that survived and had them on cam together regularly. I also had some older deer that survived. I didn't scout the way I should due to lack Of understnding Its importance and fearing pushing already pressured deer out of the area.

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