Mature Bucks disappear

[ppbets]

So all summer I have a lot of pics from big bucks cruising treestands, blids on diferent places in San Diego I have 4 trailcams I have a friend with 3 and other guy with 2 all we have big bucks on cameras all summer , and we stop to see bucks when season start no more bucks just a few does and big fork.
So they move for food ? for pressuere ? or is just an habit before rut starts , this is happen to me always and frustrating.

Can see fresh tracks and scat all the way to my treestand but nothing on camera, mock scrapes worked ,with fresh urine but nothing else.
We all tree see less pics from Lions too, they move to another areas ? no idea.
We talk with other hunters and all have same problem finding bucks.

Is like they change habits before season starts , anything else having same trouble ??

 

[iupa1]

Lets see some pics of those Old Bucks.........

 

[longbowhunter2]

Yeppers, hunting pressure and they feel it. And they can pattern hunters to. They change during the hunting season. To much human scent on the ground. Hunters stalking to much. Hunters pushing them out of their beds. Then deer vanish poof.
Best
Longbow

 

[longbowhunter2]

Hypothetical scenario:
If you lived in an area where aliens would land every week end and would hunt humans would you
Stay there?

 

[ppbets]

not for sure !!

 

[Hiker of the Woods]

.

 

[DanSanDiego]

They’ll be back on Monday and then disappear again Oct 27th (except for the A22 Bucks, they will be gone till January).

 

[ppbets]

I saw a 4x3 and 3x3 a week before opening , I saw last weekend a 2x3 50 yds into brush when i go down 15 min before night .
Small fork that dont shoot because was at 60 yds, also 1 friend he miss twice big bucks 3 miles fron where trail cams was, so maybe they move into quiet areas , they back they need the acorns carbs for breading season.

 

[longbowhunter2]

I saw a 4x3 and 3x3 a week before opening , I saw last weekend a 2x3 50 yds into brush when i go down 15 min before night .
Small fork that dont shoot because was at 60 yds, also 1 friend he miss twice big bucks 3 miles fron where trail cams was, so maybe they move into quiet areas , they back they need the acorns carbs for breading season.

Yes except at night and during the week

 

[longbowhunter2]

The bucks will hunker down in the thickest roughest terrain until the rut. Then it's game on they become
Basically in love and stupid.
If you don't pressure the does
And they hang around, wait for it.
Game on
Longbow

 

[msailor]

I agree that pressure make the old smart bucks hunker down during the day and then become more nocturnal as well.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[stikbrandon]

Pics?

 

[SurfNHuntSD]

If you send me the GPS coordinates of their last known whereabouts, I'll find them for you...

Sent from my SM-G965U using Tapatalk

 

[The Deer Guy]

Ppbets,
From my experience deer are very patternable in the summer for many reason. First and foremost there are no hunting seasons that is time of year so very few people are in the woods. Secondly in the summer the bucks are in velvet and in bachelor groups. During this phase their life only consists of eating, drinking and bedding so they’re easy to pattern with trail cams. As it gets closer to season it gets closer to rut. As rut approaches the bucks start to spar and the more dominant bucks kick out the smaller bucks. Once they become hard horned they disperse from their bachelor groups and start moving. They can move a long ways from their summer range. Once the rut starts a buck can be pulled any direction for miles by a hot doe and other bucks will move in. Just my theory based on experience, lots of cams, and reading books.

Josh

 

[ppbets]

Ppbets,
From my experience deer are very patternable in the summer for many reason. First and foremost there are no hunting seasons that is time of year so very few people are in the woods. Secondly in the summer the bucks are in velvet and in bachelor groups. During this phase their life only consists of eating, drinking and bedding so they’re easy to pattern with trail cams. As it gets closer to season it gets closer to rut. As rut approaches the bucks start to spar and the more dominant bucks kick out the smaller bucks. Once they become hard horned they disperse from their bachelor groups and start moving. They can move a long ways from their summer range. Once the rut starts a buck can be pulled any direction for miles by a hot doe and other bucks will move in. Just my theory based on experience, lots of cams, and reading books.

Josh

Agree with you , but with a lot does around big ones keep for sure.

 

[Lungpopper]

Agree with you , but with a lot does around big ones keep for sure.

Bucks will leave if they pick up the sent of a hot doe from another area. Even if you have does in your area.

 

[The Deer Guy]

Bucks will leave if they pick up the sent of a hot doe from another area. Even if you have does in your area.

Lungpopper,

You hit the nail on the head with that one. It all depends on when the does go in heat. You can have a million does in your area and if a doe goes into heat early a mile away they'll leave. That being said once your does go in to heat the same bucks or other bucks may come back to chase those does. It's all about timing. You have a small window of time where the does in your area are in heat and the more days you're in the field, the more likely you are to be there when it goes down.

Josh

 

[longbowhunter2]

Lungpopper,

You hit the nail on the head with that one. It all depends on when the does go in heat. You can have a million does in your area and if a doe goes into heat early a mile away they'll leave. That being said once your does go in to heat the same bucks or other bucks may come back to chase those does. It's all about timing. You have a small window of time where the does in your area are in heat and the more days you're in the field, the more likely you are to be there when it goes down.

Josh

Valuable info guys, thanks for pointing that out. @LP & @TDG
Little skill and lots of luck.
Timing is everything.
LB