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Panhandler80
Posts: 8,923 Moderator
First legitimate trail cam check...
Panhandler80
Posts: 8,923 Moderator
Checked some cameras yesterday for the first time this year after they had a full week to survey. Results were a little dissapointing.
Typically this time of year I have almost all bucks and very few does. In fact, I almost always have my best bucks on film after the first week. Anyway, this year Week 1 had just a few little scrub bucks and a bunch of does.
One camera on a high traffic area over a plot, and the other back in the woods with some scattered corn. Only thing that's changed between this year and the prior two seasons would be the summer plots that I put in this year. Landscape changed big time with cutting three years ago, but that had no real effect on what deer I saw, where or when.
Hopefully somebody worth getting excited about shows up soon. Last year I arrowed a real nice 8 and rifled a big-bodied 7. They were the only two on my hit list. Neighbor shot a pretty 8 that was a frequent flyer for me. He really needed one more year... in fact I passed him during gun and archery, but I don't blame her for popping him. After those three, there really weren't any "decent" bucks. That being the case I had feard that this year maybe being a bit of a re-building year. Looks like I might have been right. A nice one may cruise through come January, but I may be out of luck for the majority of the season. I'm only on 40 acres, so it's pretty easy to figure out what deer I should have a crack at. Guess I'll try to stick a doe during archery, and then start begging for invites. ;-) Should get 2-3 guest trip invites to Alabama (three different properties) and I have a quota hunt here, so that's good news
Like I said... nothing special. Kinda neat pick of the fox squirel. The single buck is the bes one I have on film so far. Like i said, a little disappointing.
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Typically this time of year I have almost all bucks and very few does. In fact, I almost always have my best bucks on film after the first week. Anyway, this year Week 1 had just a few little scrub bucks and a bunch of does.
One camera on a high traffic area over a plot, and the other back in the woods with some scattered corn. Only thing that's changed between this year and the prior two seasons would be the summer plots that I put in this year. Landscape changed big time with cutting three years ago, but that had no real effect on what deer I saw, where or when.
Hopefully somebody worth getting excited about shows up soon. Last year I arrowed a real nice 8 and rifled a big-bodied 7. They were the only two on my hit list. Neighbor shot a pretty 8 that was a frequent flyer for me. He really needed one more year... in fact I passed him during gun and archery, but I don't blame her for popping him. After those three, there really weren't any "decent" bucks. That being the case I had feard that this year maybe being a bit of a re-building year. Looks like I might have been right. A nice one may cruise through come January, but I may be out of luck for the majority of the season. I'm only on 40 acres, so it's pretty easy to figure out what deer I should have a crack at. Guess I'll try to stick a doe during archery, and then start begging for invites. ;-) Should get 2-3 guest trip invites to Alabama (three different properties) and I have a quota hunt here, so that's good news
Like I said... nothing special. Kinda neat pick of the fox squirel. The single buck is the bes one I have on film so far. Like i said, a little disappointing.
.
"Whatcha doin' in my waters?"
Replies
If you have some little ones and plenty of does, I'm sure a more mature deer will show up.
You'd think. But in 12 seasons of hunting here, I've learned that there are very few surprises. Even during peak of chase I'm lucky to get one or two pics of a single random buck on the cruise. It's odd.
I know this to be true, but I've always considered such bucks to be bonus bucks and they aren't particularly common here. Never have been. Maybe an over abundance of does and they don't need to roam far and wide. I much prefer hunting a particular nick early season in his own home range by getting as close as I can while being mindful of conditions and when I hunt.
Much higher odds that way and it's more fun. You can bet your butt I'll be out there hoping for a distant buck to come by looking for love, it's just even father from a guarantee and not as exciting to me.
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Good to know that trail cam reports work as well!
That's a good way to go about it. Sometimes you have to take what the surrounding area gives you. You've been there long enough to have an idea of what to expect. On the other hand last year I witnessed first hand a couple of bucks taken 2 miles away from where I had them on trail cam. I knew in theory they would run that far but it was the first time seeing it with my own eyes.