toddyboman Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 What is everyone's thoughts on bucks that just randomly show up. No not during the rut but NOW when it is snowy and cold. EVERY year I have good bucks show up on my property this time of year and it drives me crazy...... I run my trail cameras almost all year long. Spring/summer they are either on food plots or mineral sites. As the hunting season comes along and mineral activity stops I will move my cameras to scrapes and still on food plots. AFTER all seasons are over I start dumping corn. To help determine what deer/bucks are still around and when bucks start shedding. Our seasons have ended and I now have started feeding/dumping corn. And so far just like the last few years I have nice/good bucks start to appear. Why is it that as soon as I start dumping corn these better bucks show up but I DO NOT get a single picture of them during the previous 10 months....... Is my property their LATE winter home range? Do deer travel miles this time of year in search for food and that brings them by? Have they just avoided my cameras all year until now? But seems to happens EVERY year for the past 5 years or so........ What is everyone's thoughts on this? I know it is driving me crazy each year. ??????????????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohiobucks Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I would say it's food source in combination with winter yarding.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted January 26, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 Here is the buck that just showed up this year.... Little buck with him has been around ALL season.....but this is the first I have ever saw of the bigger buck...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
92xj Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 I have no idea, but that is a freakin' stud of an 8 with a split brow. Thats about my dream whitetail, IF he would hit the 170" mark. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin R10 man Posted January 26, 2011 Report Share Posted January 26, 2011 thats why they get to be big OLD bucks...they lay low all year and go nocturnal with the hint of the first human scent....snow & cold come they gotta eat...gonna go where the pickins are easy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruttinbuc Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 (edited) Deer are getting killed over bait here and some of them are decent bucks. They are just taking advantage of the handout and getting in trouble for it. When the baiters stop baiting their spots the deer have no choice but to look for a fix... Edited January 27, 2011 by ruttinbuc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
danthehuntinman Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Ive been getting bucks that I didn't know that were around too. Have to be looking for food for sure with all the snow and everything. Thats a monster hope he sticks around for you next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Second rut, probably out just looking for love. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckee Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Deer tend to wonder far from home for 2 main reasons. Love and food. In the rut we always get a few nice surprises showing up and it's the same in the winter if you put out food, or have a food source of some kind. It always amazes me when I see a brute that I've never seen before, and may never see again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wtnhunt Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Don't know Todd. Some deer just seem to know how to evade the cameras. I have seen bucks on our property that never got their picture made. At one time I was running 5 cameras along our small property at key places and would have bucks show up never to be seen again, some never show up on cams that I saw either hunting or when I was out, and some show up only at certain times and then disappear and show up again months later. With bucks older than 2.5 it seems more common here that they have no set pattern and don't show regularly like the younger bucks do at places like mineral sites. Think this time of the year for the most part deer in places where food is short that they would be searching for food. Guessing the secondary rut in your area probably hits in early December, guess it could be possible there could still be a late doe or two in the area, but think it more likely the deer are looking for food and finding your corn. Talked with my oldest the other day about maybe putting out some corn out in front of a cam here to see if we might get a few more to come around the cams, just hate to do that because it seems to bring in mostly raccoons and I hate the idea of feeding them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zambo Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Seems like most of the question has been answered. I can add that I put out corn and a camera two years ago in view of my office window. A large buck I had never seen or captured on camera was coming in for some corn. He spotted the camera and froze. I never did see him again or got his picture. You would think a free meal is a free meal, however not so with all big bucks. I think the key to every answer is big bucks. You just can't depend on them to do what you think they should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ohiobucks Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Second rut, probably out just looking for love. Why is he with another buck if he is looking for love?? :cowboy::cowboy: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted January 27, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 Thanks for all the input......... I completely agree and understand that this time of year deer are in search of food. And with all the snow we have now they really are looking. But it really boggles or maybe frustrates me that every year this time of year (after season) I get pictures of better bucks than I have all year........I would like to think they have been here all year and simple just have been avoiding the cameras.......but I don't know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buckbuster11 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 I'm seeing a couple bucks recently I haven't seen all year too. If he was there all year you would have a picture of him. I think deer..bucks especially..shift home ranges at different times of the year. Right after the summer and before the rut being the most common time you see this shift. This time of the year you see the shifts also because of the changes in weather/food patterns. I have the ability to keep a pretty close eye on many properties all within a few miles and its really interesting the subtle changes in patterns of some bucks throughout the year. I think thats what you are seeing now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
msman825 Posted January 27, 2011 Report Share Posted January 27, 2011 good point buck buster, thats gonna be a whooper next season todd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DropTine49 Posted January 28, 2011 Report Share Posted January 28, 2011 That's a good deer. I know around here I fed corn all summer around the food plots, and got several pictures of a decent 8 point traveling the property but nothing consistant. As it got closer he became more consistant and had a rub line going through the middle of our property. I personally believe that the food source kept him close so when he finally decided to choose a home for the winter he stayed there even after the corn was gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elkoholic Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 If you feed them, they will come. They will stay as long as there is food and they do not feel threatened and then, when the new green growth of spring begins, they will leave. Next winter, should they survive til then, they will remember and return for more easy grub. You need to find their home turf and hunt them there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jorden Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 We have this happen a lot too. Our land always holds more deer in the winter than during season because we have the only food around. I also think too that those old deer are good at avoiding the cameras. Somehow it seems, they just know. The biggest buck that we had around here spent time on our property and our neighbors about a mile away. In four years, he only showed up on camera six times and only twice during the season, every other time after season or before. Even with all the cameras we run, it still seems like they know how to avoid being seen. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Kid Posted January 30, 2011 Report Share Posted January 30, 2011 time to go shed hunting soon dang hes nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted January 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 time to go shed hunting soon dang hes nice I am hoping I do!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbHunterNY Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 I'd say it's mostly food. It could be cruising for doe coming back into cycle, because they both still have their racks. I'd say the rutting action is probably dead by now though. if you've been doing that same pattern of putting out feed for half a decade, then different deer will catch on here and there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fly Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 I've discussed this with friends of mine that have the same thing happen. I personally believe that these smart mature bucks are not where my friends cameras are during the summer/fall because my friends are in the woods checking frequently, scouting, or putting up stands. The deer get bumped out (and stay out). They find those places where no one hunts and stay there until the food is gone in that area forcing them to move to other locations they avoided in the summer/fall due to human scent and presence. Generally this occurs in January. I shot the biggest and oldest whitetail I've ever seen on January 17th as he was following does into a field at dark. It was the first time that deer had been seen. He was run down from the rut and weighed only 175 lbs. I don't think he was interested in love, but following the does to the food. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tominator Posted January 31, 2011 Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 I shot the biggest and oldest whitetail I've ever seen on January 17th as he was following does into a field at dark. It was the first time that deer had been seen. He was run down from the rut and weighed only 175 lbs. I don't think he was interested in love, but following the does to the food. That's a cool theory fly. Holds a lot of merit IMHO. I shot the 2nd biggest of my life on December 28th. He came right into a Tinks wick, kind of always figured he was out looking for does that hadn't been bred yet...maybe I was wrong all along. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toddyboman Posted January 31, 2011 Author Report Share Posted January 31, 2011 I've discussed this with friends of mine that have the same thing happen. I personally believe that these smart mature bucks are not where my friends cameras are during the summer/fall because my friends are in the woods checking frequently, scouting, or putting up stands. The deer get bumped out (and stay out). They find those places where no one hunts and stay there until the food is gone in that area forcing them to move to other locations they avoided in the summer/fall due to human scent and presence. Generally this occurs in January. . That does make sense......I have tried to place my cameras on the "edge" or somewhat near my stands so I don't have as much disturbance.....but you have an interesting point... And I usually leave them in the same areas just because I am afraid if I move them around ALOT then I will spook more and more deer on my property by consistently checking them in different areas..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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