No mature bucks pics in the summer,
Wisconsin
Just curious if anyone else has the "problem" of no mature buck pics on their land in the summer? This doesn't bother me at all as I don't really care where they are in the summer. I always have at least a few mature deer on the property during bow season. It has been this way on this property for 20 plus years. There are mature bucks in the neighborhood. They do spend the majority of time in the fall on our land.
I typically don't get pics of the big boys until Oct. I think they are lazy and don't want to walk the hills until cooler temps. Our plots are designed to attract when we can kill them.
Some properties get them in the summer some don't. There's many reasons why. Most of the time, summer buck movement doesn't matter. But I've seen more than enough deer stay during the fall shift. One of my favorite early season spots "alway" hold a mature buck or two. Not this year though. Just a single doe and fawn. Although I haven't checked my cams in a month. If it remains the same I'm not to worried. I enjoy the shift just as much as the next guy who is out in the summer trying to find them.
I really enjoy not placing trail cams out any longer. My hunt has been far more enjoyable knowing I'll need to decide, when the time arrives, instead of knowing what's there according to the cameras. I just feel like I'm not infringing on the deer, and if last year was the gauge to measure by, it has helped my deer encounters grow by a decent margin. If you don't get a picture of a buck you'd be willing to shoot, it can ruin the hunt a bit. Now I just pretend that anytime there might be a mature deer at any moment. Last year, there were 3 deer I would have been proud to take, that showed themselves, and I didn't get a photo of them. This year I saw two beautiful deer from the road, that would be just perfect. Best of luck!
Pete-pec, I was actually of the same thought camera wise not long ago. But I kind of missed it so went back to them. I only check mine once a month to month and a half. I really think checking cams too often is what hurts a lot of hunters.
Nice buck green, I'm looking forward to seeing you behind him with a big grin on your face.
I'm on Petes side of the fence on this subject. No cameras for me in either of my spots. I'll know the deer I want to kill when he walks by me and fits my maturity/size restrictions. It's fun not knowing what will show up and I don't have the disappointment of not seeing the big ones on a camera.
I also agree with noc8 in respect to what's there now might not be there later and vice versa. I see that with my Fairchild spot. Early season there are a ton of deer around and the later it gets in the year the more they move across the highway into the bluffs for winter.
I don't want to hijack this thread talking about trail cams, but there are a lot of information to learn when using them. Sure they can do more damage than good, but that's up to how the person uses them. you don't need them, but you guys are missing out on a lot of knowledge that can be gained
I use them. I have a few does that make my place home. One doe in particular has raised her fawns on my ridge the last three or four years. Last year she had twins (doe/buck). This year she also had twins and they are both bucks.
This year in June/July I got an unexpected visitor on cam. It was a bear about 200# (Im in NE Crawford Co.). It was sure nice knowing he was walking my trails.
As is typical, I don't see many bucks in the summer/early bow season, either on cam or in season from my stand. I do get a glimpse in July of roaming bachelor groups and had a few bucks again, but they always move on and then come back mid Oct early Nov. I have an idea where they go, corn I guess.
This year we had a late frost. Never saw one like that. Anyhow, no apples on any of my trees (probably have 50 trees) and no acorns either. That is crazy to me. So, I am using my cams to help me see what is around. I have eliminated a couple stands totally because of no apples or acorns and what the cams show me back it all up.
My guess is your bucks do what mine do and that is feed some place easy close by. Corn gives them cover and food.
Bill
Penn State did an awesome study where they tracked a buck 24/7 for two years. Check out a summary here: http://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/projects/deer/news/2015/the-life-and-times-of-buck-8917
They have a presentation of the study with discussion from the biologists as well. It really helped me better understand the huge differences in movement patterns over different times of the year.
A recorded webinar from Penn State on deer movement is here: http://extension.psu.edu/natural-resources/forests/courses/pa-forests-web-seminar-center/archive/forestry-series/2015/tracking-movements-of-white-tailed-deer-in-pennsylvania-forests
We have just the opposite, several good bucks on camera all summer. Soon after velvet is shed and bachelor groups break up, poof gone. May get an occasional picture during the rut. But on the flip side, we also get pics and see bucks we have not seen before during the rut.
Bill - thank you for sharing that link. Very interesting.
It's always nice to get a pic of big deer on a camera, but if you are fortunate enough to have multiple properties to hunt, the biggest mistake I think a lot of guys make, is discounting an area just because they didn't get a pic of a big one.
Too many times I have gotten only 1 pic of a big buck that either I or one of my sons ended up getting so my question is how many good bucks have gotten through without being able to get a pic of?
I'm sure it's happened to many of you as well, you shoot a big buck and the first time you ever laid eyes on him was when you shot him!
It really doesn't bother me too much. It helps that I see at least one buck over 3.5 and above 140 on our land every year. They are there in the hunting season, and that's all I really care about.
Rut--do you have bedding areas on your property? If not then I suggest that you try and make some to hold those big boys. By planting some trees and hinge cutting you will definitely make a difference and make your area more attractive.
If your neighbors are holding them,there is a reason. What makes a big buck feel safe and secluded? Thick areas where they can't be seen. Also if you don't have water, I would get some in there. Big bucks love a small water hole in the thick stuff. If you give em what they need, they will come. Good luck!
"Rut--do you have bedding areas on your property? If not then I suggest that you try and make some to hold those big boys. By planting some trees and hinge cutting you will definitely make a difference and make your area more attractive."
Yes we do. In fact I have been hinge cutting on the ridge bedding areas for 4 years now. I also have a 15 acre sanctuary that is thick and nasty that they bed in heavily. I did have a small water tank dug into the top of a valley cut. It is at the best funnel on the land. Unfortunately, the heavy rain this summer washed it out. I will put a better water source in next spring. They still have a 5'x5' clay lined hole in that spot that they use as a water source as it holds water most of the year.
Another option...I went to Farm and fleet and bought some 155 gallon pond tanks. Very hard plastic and durable.
I dug them into the ground and fill em with 55 gallon drums. I empty and clean them each spring. Best thing I did for our property. I have 2 and this is where I get most of the action on my cams. Big bucks using them in daylight a lot.
