Hunting up north...

[ate1cropy]

So about a month ago I set out my trail camera on a heavily used trail near my uncles hunting shack. I checked it over labor day weekend and found almost 500 photos of does, small bucks, coons, and a bear cub, but no mature bucks! Not even close. The biggest buck I got was a small fork horn. Now I know this is the time when bucks are still together and doing the same thing day in and day out so maybe I put the camera in a spot the bigger bucks in the area dont use this time of year. What are the chances they start using this trail come october? I hunt in northern Minnesota where it is hard to pattern deer. Anyone who hunts in the big woods of the north that could help me out I would appreciate it a lot.

[wtnhunt]

Patterns will change, we typically get more deer coming around after the ag crops start coming out around us here and sometimes we will see deer show up that we had no clue were around. I would say if you have does, there is a real good chance that other older bucks will start cruising the area as it gets closer to the rut.

[craig mack]

As long as you have does around, your ok. When the rut comes around the bucks will be looking for those does. I hunt the western U.P. around the time of the rut every year. And when the rut comes the bucks will show up. Good luck

[rad_112176]

I have always learned that good mature bucks don't usually use that same trail that the does use. Most of the bucks that i have shot or have seen tend to cross the trail just to scent check it and if they pick up on one they may follow it then. Your mature bucks will just skirt the edge of the field just inside of the woods checking fields and not always staying on the main path. Maybe that is what is happening here. Come rut time, if the does are still using that path, i would definately be on the trail at that time.