Bucks disappeared.....how to get them back?

[Wolfe]

For the past 2-3 months I have had a 10, 9, & 8 pointers all coming into my corn feeder almost daily (typically all hanging out together). Friday Sept 19th was the last day I have them on camera (attached). The past week and a half they have completely disappeared. The doe are still coming in everyday though. I am trying to figure out if it was caused by the warm snap of weather we have had or if they all split up to begin marking their rut territory? Is there anything I can do to get these guys back onto my property? Any thoughts or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Big_Holla]

Acorns are everywhere this year. I'd say they are gorging themselves somewhere like that. Have you done anything different like visit more often??

[mrbb]

well lets see, hunting season started, farmers are getting ready to start harvest
acorns and other mast crops are falling, apples and such
more human activity, with guys hanging stands and adding pressure to woods that were empty till now more or less< and the velvet came off, and there chemical make up is changing getting ready for the up coming rut, there adding winter fat now, so temps play a big role, leaves are falling, and cover is opeing up, making many bucks go more nocturnal!
and again, food source 's have changed, which, many tmes means deer that ate here, will NOW eat else where?

as the grass is greener over there effect takes place
deer like to eat the best food avaliable at the time its there!
Think I covered it all LOL
thos are my guess's as to why your not seeing them as you were !

[mrbb]

OH I forgot one more
the amount of day light is changing, and that ALWAYS seems to change deer up my way!

[zachc]

I feel ya! I have had a bunch of different bucks on camera and as if last Friday night, they have ALL disappeared! Bucks and does!

[Wolfe]

I am hoping it is a combination of the heat and acorns in the woods. I haven't done anything different. I sat in my stand on Saturday but that was a week after they disappeared. I did have a doe and two button bucks come right under me that morning. I have had a little fork buck on the camera since those big ones left which surprised me a bit.

[Buckeye360]

I am 0/2 on 2 bucks I had on camera last week at 730pm every night. It was Supposed to be a sure thing! I feel your pain!

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[00buck]

I too haven't seen a buck on camera in the last 3 weeks

[deerguy10]

Yep, same here. bucks on camera regularly until 3 or so weeks ago. nothing new. Bucks always change things up about now. imo it has to do with everything mrbb mentioned.

[Buckeye360]

Poor entrance and exit strategies probably account for alot of our problems. I wish I had an outfitter quad come and get me at base of tree every night.

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[ManOfTheFall]

I wouldn't worry too much about this. It happens to nearly everyone every year. As long as you still have the does coming in your area it's just a matter of time before you start seeing bucks again. Probably even a few new ones.

[Wolfe]

I appreciate everyone's comments. Make me feel a little better and gives me some ideas.

[mrbb]

I AGREE, as long as you have doe's, bucks will visit your lands
and it one reason food plots work so well
they hold deer/doe
and also why IF you have food plots, its why having different types of plots, to keep deer interested as time goes by, a spring and fall plot contain different foods that appeal to them at different times
thus helping hold em on your lands better

hang in there and good luck

[Toke2]

Same situation - BIG 8 all summer - hundred or more pics of him and medium 7 pointer. I think their disappearance has to do with a resident squirrel hunter who suddenly showed up on my cams. The drama of hunting public land. To add insult to injury, had one of my trail cameras walk away ( first time in four years ). Had a great opening day hunt nonetheless.... Drew on a beefy doe, but never let it go because of a branch that may or may not have impacted the shot. One of my camp mates got a nice doe. Cant wait to go back ( already trimmed that branch - valuable lesson learned).

[Buckeye360]

0/3 now. I hated to burn out a stand but couldn't resist with cold front and rain. Sure enough I had 3 bucks doing fight club under me. My heart was pounding as each one appeared. But no big boys:-(

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[Wolfe]

Can't beat that feeling of adrenaline when you have deer come into your range, especially bucks. I wanted to get out in my stand last night but had too much to do. The deer were moving though. I had half a dozen of doe cutting through my yard as the sun was setting. I will have to check out my camera to see if that cold snap brought the bucks back.

[BUCKHUNTER30-06]

I would start making mock scrapes to get the bucks to think other bucks are in there area. has worked for me. here is a buck I shot after making a mock scrape. he came in to it and shot him at 15yds. I use Jackies licking branch lure and Tinks power scrape but there are many other products to use just my choice on these.

[MICH]

acorns,acorns & a ton of acorns this year...was down near otway this week end,, alot of feed out there this year, alot of doe's in my woods in 3 days i was there, small bucks on the camera's,BUT ALOT OF FEED...

[Wolfe]

I think last night I solved my mystery on why the couple of bucks I was getting consistently on my camera disappeared. I got into my stand at about 4:45pm and around 6:15pm about 150yds to my left out walked one of the biggest bucks I have seen. (I attached a few picks but my cell phone at 150yds isn't perfect.) He walked out and proceeded to go down in my pond and drink for a good 20mins. This is a buck I have never seen on my camera at my feeder and that caught me completely off guard. From my crossbow scope I counted 11 points. I think he clearly told the other bucks I had on camera that this was his territory. Anyway after 20mins of drinking he started wandering toward me. It was setting up to be an unbelievable opportunity. As he approched he stopped about every 10yds and ate some grass and did some major looking around. Best part was he was down wind of me with 10 mph winds and didn't bust me. Definately helps confirm that the scent free soaps and sprays make a difference. Finally he got about 25-30yds off of my left facing me and stopped directly behind two branches that provide some cover to my buddy stand. I could have puked that I didn't have a clear shot. He marked his territory a couple of times by peeing, continued to look around and then without any care in the world turned back and slowly headed back to where he came out of the woods. I sat there the next hour or so until dark replaying what I could have done differently but I don't think I could have done anything beyond standing up to clear the branches which with him facing me he would have busted me in a second. I figured I have at least kept my cover and lived to suprise him another day. I am in full out buck fever mode now. I can't wait to get out in that stand again.1072210723

[BUCKHUNTER30-06]

I never go in the woods without my grunt call. many only use it when the pre-rut or so called rut starts, big mistake. deer are vocal all year round more so in the rut. a deer that dominant would have either just blown your grunt call off or, would of came in closer to see who was in his territory. try a soft grunt call next time you have nothing to lose. if he ignores it so what you end up where you were before, but if he responds to the call you may be looking at back straps and a deer on the wall.

[Wolfe]

I never go in the woods without my grunt call. many only use it when the pre-rut or so called rut starts, big mistake. deer are vocal all year round more so in the rut. a deer that dominant would have either just blown your grunt call off or, would of came in closer to see who was in his territory. try a soft grunt call next time you have nothing to lose. if he ignores it so what you end up where you were before, but if he responds to the call you may be looking at back straps and a deer on the wall.


Thank you BUCKHUNTER30-06 for the suggestion. I just bought a grunt call a week ago but thought I should only use it during the rut time. You make a good point that I am no worse off if he ignores it.

Last night I got into the stand late and as I was walking in I saw him again. He was out a whole hour earlier than Sunday standing in my pond drinking. When he saw me from about 200yds away he slowly walked out of the water and into the woods the exact same place as Sunday night. I figure I will give him a rest tonight because of the weather then get back out real early tomorrow night. I will for sure bring that grunt call this time.

[zachc]

He looks like a giant! I would agree with setting up mock scrapes, but make sure you do it right.
I would recommend spending a little extra money and getting a good quality urine, not some knock-off fake stuff, a mature Buck will catch on to that real quick and you may blow your chance. Make sure you wear rubber/latex gloves when you go out to set them up and do it early afternoon when the buck should be bedded. I would recommend setting up 3 scrapes around your stand; 1 to the left, 1 straight in front of you, and 1 to your right, all about 15-20 yards out. And don't pour a gallon of urine into the scrape you only need a few drops and then place a few drops onto a licking branch directly above the scrape. When that bucks comes in to hit those scrapes he should hit all 3 of them and no matter what order he hits
them in he should present you a shot. Also I wouldn't think that he ran all of the other bucks off on your property, maybe just in his core area. How big of a piece of land are you hunting? On top of him hitting up those scrapes the scent will draw in other bucks who are cruising around. And in my opinion as far as the grunt call goes, I like to use mine as well but if you grunt at him and he starts to act wearry or funny, stop. You don't want to scare him off cuz he light not return for a couple days or maybe even weeks. But anyways best of luck to you harvesting him and keep us posted!

[Wolfe]

I posted on Tues that the big buck was in my pond drinking again. Sure enough on Wed he was right back in there. The pond is about 150yds from my tree stand and he seems to only come near my stand at night to eat out of my feeder. Every time I have seen him he is in the pond and eating from the weeds by it then back into the woods. My question to everyone is do I hold my ground and hope he comes over to eat or do I risk the chance of scaring him and set up my spare tree stand in a tree closer to the pond?

[zachc]

What time of day are you seeing him? Obviously in daylight? If you know where he is coming out of the woods and where he is going back into the woods, you might be able to pull it off. But I would be VERY careful setting up a new stand in his core area this late in the game. Think about it if you got home from work and someone put a lawn chair in your front yard, woudn't you notice it? If it were me I would try the scarpes first, this time of year you can bring him where you want him by using them. With the right wind he will be able to smell those scrapes from 150 yards out and whether its in the day or at night he will come in to check them out. I forgot to mention, freshin your scrapes about every 10 days and make sure you're scent free when you do. Once deer start using them they will continue to throughout the season and this will just fire him up thinking other deer are in his territory. And he will eventually make the mistake of checking them while you're perched in the tree waiting! A deer that big I wouldn't take the chance of moving in on him, make him move in on you! Just my 2 cents...

[Wolfe]

What time of day are you seeing him? Obviously in daylight? If you know where he is coming out of the woods and where he is going back into the woods, you might be able to pull it off. But I would be VERY careful setting up a new stand in his core area this late in the game. Think about it if you got home from work and someone put a lawn chair in your front yard, woudn't you notice it? If it were me I would try the scarpes first, this time of year you can bring him where you want him by using them. With the right wind he will be able to smell those scrapes from 150 yards out and whether its in the day or at night he will come in to check them out. I forgot to mention, freshin your scrapes about every 10 days and make sure you're scent free when you do. Once deer start using them they will continue to throughout the season and this will just fire him up thinking other deer are in his territory. And he will eventually make the mistake of checking them while you're perched in the tree waiting! A deer that big I wouldn't take the chance of moving in on him, make him move in on you! Just my 2 cents...


zachc that was my thinking too on putting up stands. I wanted to bounce it off someone in here to see what they thought as well. I would have hung a stand weeks ago in the location but it wasn't until the second sitting in my current stand that I first saw this buck. How he was 150 yds from my feeder and never once got on camera is beyond me. I looked at my camera last night and he was in the feeder on Thursday morning at 1230am. Only thing I can think is the dry spell we went on drew him out to drink out of my pond and now has him hanging around.

On Wednesday I made a mock scrap about 15yds from my feeder with Blue Code's Grave Digger. It was vacum packed dirt. I followed the directions and put it down under what looked like a perfect licking branch and in an area where I know the deer travel. It didn't seem to have had any activity as of last night but I am hoping that will draw him in.

[zachc]

Should be a good move. I wouldn't be concerned
about him not hitting up your scrape yet, only been a day and a half. Did you put any scent of the licking branch? As long as you keep it scent free and he doesn't bust you in the stand you should be good. Also you said you got pics of him...let's see em, lol

[zachc]

Went out just a little bit ago and made my mock scrapes! Only planned putting 3 out but found another spot that was so perfect i had to throw an extra one out. So I'll go out in a week or so and see what happens... very confident though!

[Wolfe]

Should be a good move. I wouldn't be concerned
about him not hitting up your scrape yet, only been a day and a half. Did you put any scent of the licking branch? As long as you keep it scent free and he doesn't bust you in the stand you should be good. Also you said you got pics of him...let's see em, lol

zachc - I was wrong. I pulled my memory card to look at it on my computer this weekend instead of the small LCD monitor on my trail camera. What I thought was the monster was the 10 pointer I have had on camera since August. So the monster still hasn't come the 150yards from its bedding area to eat the free corn in my feeder which still surprises me. The 10 pointer is still a great deer and is my back up plan (which I am greatful to have such a back up plan and hope he sticks around).

I checked on my mock scrape and no luck yet after almost a week. I am thinking either the lack of any scent on the licking branch (since it was just the prepackaged dirt) or I left my scent at the scrape is causing it to be inactive. When I sat in my stand Saturday I could smell the dirt 15ft up in a tree.

[zachc]

Damn I was hoping to see that monster up close, lol. But its all good. Would say stick with the scrapes and freshen them up every 7-10 days and something should happen. As far as you leaving scent behind that's obviously all up to you. Keep on the scrapes and I would put out a couple more close to your stand, its just a matter of time before that big boy starts cruising for a hot doe and to see who's in his house. Keep us posted...