Deer have vanished..............

[MUSKY18]

Went out and sat yesterday afternoon once the rain quit. Beautiful night in the woods. Didn't see anything and on the way out decided to take a peek at how many pics were on my trail cams. Boy was I disappointed. Seems that the deer have become non existent. The area I am hunting is woods with CRP on both sides. On the south end of the property is a big green alfalfa field, with another right across the road. There is also beans and corn across the road from the alfalfa field. Got down early since I was not seeing anything to do a little scouting. Not a single deer in any of those fields that I could see with my binos. Notta.....normally there have always been at least does/fawns out in the fields. Only thing I can think of is that they are back in the woods to my north hammering away on acorns. Could that be the case? They haven't even been in my food plots in the last week.

[DonBo]

Yep, the oaks are hot right now.

[Siwulat]

That seems plausible. The white oaks in my areas have been dropping acorns like crazy so it wouldn't suprise me if they are getting into those. Beans have pretty much dried up so they will be switching to another source anyways. I'm guessing they are just hitting a different, hot food source.

[Scoot]

Exact same situation for me too. I'm struggling a bunch with finding deer right now near my place. Went from seeing nothing early in the Summer to seeing a decent number late Summer to them all seeming to disappear in the last week or two. They're around somewhere, just have to find 'em!

[Lunker]

You are likely correct. In my area Oaks are dropping. When the beans yellowed the last couple weeks they stopped hitting them, haven't started hitting the corn yet but will shortly.

[RayG]

Curious as to how much of a factor disturbance from hunting an area causes deer to move to slightly different locals. I'm guessing that even when a person tries to minimize it leaving some scent behind has an effect. What do others think?

[leech~~]

Curious as to how much of a factor disturbance from hunting an area causes deer to move to slightly different locals. I'm guessing that even when a person tries to minimize it leaving some scent behind has an effect. What do others think?

I think it's better that they get use to you a bit.

[archerystud]

I think it depends on the disturbance and what you are chasing.

I've seen big bucks desert a core area completely from too much pressure. They may wander back through to check for does during the rut but they no longer consider it their home turf. I think doe family units will pretty much stay in the same area. All deer may become more nocturnal from too much pressure.

Food sources definitely will move whitetails all around though. But I'm no different..... if one restaurant is offering a 2 for 1 steak dinner I'm probably going out there instead!!!

If the acorns are dropping now I'm kind of glad I couldn't make it out this weekend. My best spots probably won't have too many deer in them. They'll be back in a little while!!!

[harvey lee]

Food, pressure play the largest role. I try to never hunt a stand with a bad wind. I also never hunt one spot too many times in a week, great way to push the deer to another area, we all try to do what we can with scent but no matter what you do, you still leave scent. Does not matter how careful you are walking in and out of the stand, they know you are there most times.

Acorns, beans, corn, hay and whatever else in the area will move deer from one food source to another.

I always try to find the local herd of does a few weeks before the rut, the bucks will be back if you have the does.

[HunterLee]

"I think it's better that they get use to you a bit.

[leech~~]

"I think it's better that they get use to you a bit.[/quote

For hunting mature bucks I think that is the worst idea ever.

Thanks for your thoughts. See Avatar!

A little better picture!

[BLACKJACK]

Pressure, pressure, pressure!!! I think we're our own worst enemies, we over hunt our spots, every time you go up and down that tree and walk to/from your stand you are leaving scent. Multiply that by multiple hunters and it doesn't take long to drive deer nocturnal.

I think there is also a difference between hunting pressure and recreational pressure, they figure it out that they're being hunted vs. the normal routine of coming thru with a tractor mowing or walking your dog.

I NEVER put my cameras by my stands!!! More than once I've caught a picture of a buck scared by the flash - never to be seen again. Yet others are real hams and will just sit there, tongue out, licking the salt block and getting multiple mug shots taken.

I love steak but I couldn't eat it every night. Same with deer, they're going to eat a variety. Three weeks ago they were really attacking the acorns on my driveway, lately I've seen them start on the corn in my food plots, but I've also seen them in soybeans and the alfalfa field across the road.

Play the wind and hunt funnels, edges, tree lines, they'll come thru their regardless of what they're eating.

[harvey lee]

Wanna kick the mature bucks away from your area, just pressure them with noise, scent and walking in and out 2-3 days in a row, that will do it for sure.

I try to never hunt the same stand in a weekend or during the week if I am after a nice buck. Multiple stand locations are your best bet for not alerting those mature bucks and they may already know you are there after one day of hunting.

Lot's of deer movement last night, hit a mature doe and heard her drop, waited for a bit, then went in to get her and I jumped her. I walked out and went back this am. She left a lot of good blood when she went down last night. This am, I followed her blood for about 300 yards and she ended up in a swamp with no blood trail. Last 100 yards the blood was next to nothing. I searched that area for close to 2 hours and came out without any blood on my hands. I thought I was going to see her dead with all the blood she left.

Been a long time since I lost a deer so I guess it was time and I thought I hit her very well.

[HunterLee]

First off did you shoot both of them with your bow???

Secondly if you had a fool proof plan you should have a wall full of decent bucks.

I will stand by what I said regardless. There may be a few good bucks that tolerate or be half brain dead and get used to pressure but 9 out of 10 won't. Granted they may make a mistake that costs them, or during rifle season someone bumps them and they just happen to cross your path, but without the rut or a stroke of luck, pressure will not be your friend.

Two decent bucks on the wall may or may not be luck. When you kill a 4-5 yr old buck every year then I may change my tune. I got 5 on the wall as of now with my ND buck from this year at the taxidermist now, but I don't need to have them on my profile picture. I am only 30 so I plan on hanging plenty more.

Luck only gets you so far with a mature deer, the rest is up to you.

[leech~~]

First off did you shoot both of them with your bow???

Secondly if you had a fool proof plan you should have a wall full of decent bucks.

I will stand by what I said regardless. There may be a few good bucks that tolerate or be half brain dead and get used to pressure but 9 out of 10 won't. Granted they may make a mistake that costs them, or during rifle season someone bumps them and they just happen to cross your path, but without the rut or a stroke of luck, pressure will not be your friend.

Two decent bucks on the wall may or may not be luck. When you kill a 4-5 yr old buck every year then I may change my tune. I got 5 on the wall as of now with my ND buck from this year at the taxidermist now, but I don't need to have them on my profile picture. I am only 30 so I plan on hanging plenty more.

Luck only gets you so far with a mature deer, the rest is up to you.

You the man! Glad we can all share our thoughts and experiences!

[ANYFISH2]

Arrogant, much?

Why are so many large bucks seen in daylight in the metro? There is sign of humans or human scent there, is there?

If your activity is regular and not just in Aug-Nov, they become accustomed to it and it no longer feels threatening.

Same reason a nieghbor farmer can shoot large bucks in his diesel stained coveralls, the smells are not out of the ordinary so it is not as alarming.

Now this wouldn't hold true in any of my properties is it would be so different to the deer, they would leave fast enough.

[deerminator]

There are so many variables IMHO. Early to mid-season, I think hunting the same stand 3 days in a row is crazy but will do it no problem come the pre-rut and rut at the start of November. Like Harvey said, I think you have to keep them guessing. Changing spots every time out early to mid-season but come November, it its a hot stand, the hottest, not sitting there several days in a row could burn you bad. This time of the year, I check my trail cams once a week at Noon and I get in and out fast and hope for rain. I have not hunted yet this year either. Only scouted, hung my stands and placed my blinds. I only have two properties and with one tag, I'm not looking to burn either out. I could probably tag out on a nice doe easily but am looking for a buck if possible so not looking to shake them up yet. Just keep tabs on them and watch for when the bucks start showing up. So far, only lots of does, raccoons and foxes.Good luck.

[stretch]

we still have a lot of doe's coming out into the bean field and have had some smaller bucks coming out so far. But i have notice that we have gotten less and less photos of the multiple mature bucks on our property. Now we have 260 acres with 5 of us hunting it and with about a dozen stands out there. Hopefully we haven't pushed the mature bucks off of our land. Pretty much we have it all. River bottoms, oak hard woods, swamp, crop land, crp land and soft woods. Do you think we are pressuring off the land. Oh i forgot to mention this land is in the north metro along city limits.

[96trigger]

In August and early September I get lots of nice bucks on camera in bachelor groups. Turn the calendar to October those groups split up, corn becomes a better food source and the acorns get eaten and the moon phases play a role. Less deer in the woods, more on field edges and in the corn. Once those bachelor groups break up the bucks spread out more as well, meaning less on camera. My 7 year old loves to squirrel hunt, Im not worried about wrecking my deer hunting because we walk through the woods. What it comes down to is being the stand as much as possible during the prerut and rut when the bucks get careless and respond better to calling. Sure, staying out of the weeds and not bumping deer is ideal, but I have seen plenty of nice bucks on state land chase does within hearing distance of .22s going off and it doesnt seem to phase them. I am also not going to tell my son we can't go squirrel hunting because I am saving the land for myself for bow season. I prefer to enjoy all aspects of the land and all the hunting it can provide, and I have shot some nice bucks along the way while doing it.

[HunterLee]

I would say you see more big deer in the metro because they tend to live a lot longer than most deer in MN. With little to no hunting and most people working during the day that would be the ideal time for them to be out roaming.

Deer adapt to where they live, if there is a ton of activity in the daytime they will be more likely moving at night and vice versa.

But I bet very few mature deer stand there while a stinky farmer shoots them if they know he is there, just like a deer can tell the difference between a jogger and hunter. If things are not normal or out of place the deer figure it out and adjust or get killed plain and simple.

[leech~~]

just like a deer can tell the difference between a jogger and hunter.

[Bear55]

Actually leech I agree with him, a jogger on a trail is leaving scent in an area where the deer might expect pressure. A hunter roaming the woods in a low traffic (think human traffic) might spook them a little more, especially if it is in their core areas. Just something to think about.

As far as the deer disappearing this time of year I am happy, this is when my spots heat up. Early season there is so much cover and not enough pressure. Once the pressure is up I can usually find some mature deer where there are gaps in the pressure.

[leech~~]

Actually leech I agree with him, a jogger on a trail is leaving scent in an area where the deer might expect pressure. A hunter roaming the woods in a low traffic (think human traffic) might spook them a little more, especially if it is in their core areas. Just something to think about.

As far as the deer disappearing this time of year I am happy, this is when my spots heat up. Early season there is so much cover and not enough pressure. Once the pressure is up I can usually find some mature deer where there are gaps in the pressure.

Well, I guess your right. Ones out in a Pink spandex outfit and smells like Vanilla Bean body lotion and deodorant and the other ones covered in head to toe Camo with cover scent on! I can see why a Rutting Buck wouldn't run from the jogger!

[bigbucks]

To go with the theme I haven't seen much the last few times out either. I have one stand I've hunted 3 times & I've seen deer on it every time. The other stands have all been solitary sits. Been seeing 2 of something the last 4 times out. 2 raccoons, 2 fawns, 2 grouse, 2 deer (doe & a fawn)... I figure I'm due to see 2 huge bucks soon...

I do think getting close to the full moon (it's tonight) has pushed them later & later & more nocturnal over all.

[SmellEsox]

I've been hunting a 40 adjacent to Camp Ripley for the last 15 years. It is perfectly set up with a great pinch point. I see does on the majority of my sits but I can count on less than one hand the number of mature deer I've seen on that property in all those years. You'd think big bucks would move through as there are good ag fields that the deer move to. Being next to Ripley, you'd think big bucks would move through. The only reason I think they don't is because of scent left by the landowners. They walk the property daily. I think the does and fawns will become accustomed to it, but the big bucks don't like it. That is the only reason I think I don't see them there.