HELP!!!!! PUZZLED SEASONED HUNTER..........

[rob128146]

OK 3 TRAIL CAMS, OVER 700 PICS OF DEER. A LOT OF THEM ARE THE SAME DEER. I HAVE SEVERAL SCRAPE LINES BEFORE THE RUT, AND A LOT OF BUCK SIGN BUT....... ONLY HAD 3 DIFFERENT BUCKS ON PICS THIS YR. I SAW 2 OF THE 3 HUNTING THE RUT. NO BIG BUCKS WHAT SO EVER. 100'S OF DOES. I HAVE 12-19 DOES THAT COME IN LIKE CLOCK WORK EVERY EVENING AROUND 4-5 PM. WHY NO BUCKS?? DO I HAVE TO MANY DOES?? I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT IS GOING ON?? PLEASE HELP ME IF YOU CAN. SORRY ABOUT CAPS MY BUTTON IS BROKE TO TURN CAPS LOCK OFF. ANY INFO OR THEORY'S WILL BE MUCH APPRECIATED!! THANKS ROB

[Brooksy]

Hi Rob, first I must ask the question if you do have pictures of big bucks on your trail cams? Secondly, smaller bucks will make allot of rubs and scrapes if there are no larger bucks in the area. Third, I might have to say that big bucks can turn nocturnal in a heartbeat and will stay that way for a long time. If you do have pictures of larger bucks and they are all at night then there is your answer. I can say that it is a good thing to have does in the area, because from my experience where there are does, bucks are normally close by. Good luck and stick to it.

[Robinhood87]

I second the nocturnal comment....Does sound like a few does could be thinned out

[rob128146]

Hi Rob, first I must ask the question if you do have pictures of big bucks on your trail cams? Secondly, smaller bucks will make allot of rubs and scrapes if there are no larger bucks in the area. Third, I might have to say that big bucks can turn nocturnal in a heartbeat and will stay that way for a long time. If you do have pictures of larger bucks and they are all at night then there is your answer. I can say that it is a good thing to have does in the area, because from my experience where there are does, bucks are normally close by. Good luck and stick to it.

THE LAST 2 YRS I HAVE 2 OR 3 BIG BUCKS BUT THIS YR NONE AT ALL. THEY HAVE BEEN SMALL 1ST YR BUCKS. JUST DONT UNDERSTAND WHY NO BIG BUCKS. LOTS OF LAND AND NO PRESSURE. MORE DOES THAN WE KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH. TY VERY MUCH FOR YOUR POST AND ANY MORE ADVISE WILL BE HELPFUL!!

[baysider]

Could be that there is too much competition for food with that many does around. We have thinned the does good for 3 years now killing around 30 per year off our farm and this year we saw more bucks than ive ever seen in one year. The racks are getting like they used to be too.

[rob128146]

Could be that there is too much competition for food with that many does around. We have thinned the does good for 3 years now killing around 30 per year off our farm and this year we saw more bucks than ive ever seen in one year. The racks are getting like they used to be too.

Baysider thanks for your information and that is what i started doing this yr. Killing doe after doe. Killed 3 the other evening. I have 15-19 coming in every evening like clockwork. all r very healthy but just no bucks. It is kinda aggravating but I will get it back to the way it used to be. Again thanks for your input on my post.

[Brooksy]

Thinning the heard will certainly help for sure, the less doe the greater the competition for breeding That might bring the larger boys back around.

[Striker One]

Out here in Western Mass it has been a strange year as well. Less movement, more herding up, a huge acorn crop and a simple lack of active rutting, bucks. Two of the best opportunities I had I didnt pull the trigger on my crossbow in some pretty thick cover, the second I flat murdered the tree that was standing next to a easy eight pointer with my 50 cal Buck Hunter Pro. I'm sure thats like a conundrum or something. I put on some hiking miles this season, and it just felt short and empty out there.

[ironhead]

Def thin out the does! But there is another option that my be causing a problem for bigger bucks,,,There may be something going on pushing them out of the area,,either too many people entering the area or possibly dogs. I have noticed that bigger buck are particularly sensitive to people moving through the area,,more so than does.