So I went to check the trail cams on our farm that I have been let soak for about a month and a half and out of the 10 trail cams out I have ZERO bucks. This time last year I had at least five over 140" and many year and half of basket rack bucks but this year there is nothing but does and fawn! The only think I can think of is that there is more corn this year planted then soybeans. The food plots are better this year then previous years. There is nothing but improvements this year so I have no idea what the problem could be. I'm also starting to think the buck are summering some where else other than our 500acres. So what do you guys think is going on? Sent from my arrow using Mathews!
More corn....they're in the corn. :D Over the years more often than not mature bucks I've chased bed in the corn if available...can change a property's whole activity tendencies.
Hunt the does the bucks will come. I too used to worry about bucks on trail cam, really don't fret just know where the does are come November.
We've had this happen in the past. There was a lot of corn and the deer were nowhere to be seen. The corn came out and the deer were back.
I've had the opposite happen to myself this year. Been bucks and bears except three does and three fawns out of 150 pictures. I haven't had my camera out a lot but when I do I get a lot of pictures for the few days I leave it out. I only have one cam and I'm looking for a new spot and I have one picked out and ready to get the stand up tomorrow.
Lots of corn = Lots of deer in corn. Do you have any water near corn fields? They'll leave the corn for a drink, especially this time of year. I'm focusing much of my early season on hunting near a creek that goes right through a corn field until the corn is out.
How far will bucks, mature bucks, relocate because of corn? After a 2 week soak in OH, we had half the bucks we had last year same time period the only change is there's corn down the road probably 4 miles, maybe 2.5 as the crow flys.
There is water in a stones through in every direction. One way we have the rock river, multiple ponds and a large creek running through the farm Sent from my arrow using Mathews!
Ahh you're in the WI lowlands. My wife is from Beaver Dam and it's swampy everywhere. My methods might not work there.
look for big tracks coming in and out of the corn if it isn't too dry. relocate the cameras to the edges of the corn.
Yup, definitely corn. They have it for food and cover. They don't have to leave. They also have less bugs to be pestered by in the corn. i'm changing my whole hunting plan for hunting before the rut when the corn is still standing tall. Hunting close to corn and edges a lot more.
Very good hunting up there! I have family up that there! Your odds are probably better hitting one with the vehicle than shooting one!
Yes that is what I'm planning on! I have a spot picked out where its open oaks with like switch grass so I'm planning on hanging a set about 30 yards in so i can have a shot to the field edge and also if something comes along the creek bank about 40 yards the opposite way of the field.
I don't worry too much about where the bucks are during the summer. Many of them will be relocating to other areas by the time I start hunting.
We had corn everywhere last year and few buck pics in the summer. This year a lot of the property across the street is beans while ours is still surrounded by corn. I am pretty excited
I feel the angst brother. I used to worry about that all the time and there'd be years that I had very few bucks on camera, but come late October, the bucks started pouring in. As Sota said, hunt the does and the bucks will be there. Come late October through November they have one thing on their mind! Bucks will definitely be hitting the protein so if there's more corn than soybeans then they may be going elsewhere until the corn gets cut. Deer know what's up and they know that corn will be available for months to come. That just means if they are getting the food elsewhere then YOUR place will be where they go for food in the late season
In my area I think of corn like a clear cut. bucks just hang around it all day looking for does and also like it for their own security.
Cameras on my property don't start picking up bucks until the middle of October. While another camera I have on public has 4-5 bucks traveling through consistently. It's all in where their range is that summer and the corn could also be killing movement. Set some cameras up around the edges.
Corn - it will really mess you up if it is standing corn all season. Hopefully that will not be the case.
Well I talked with the neighbor last night he said they are planning to cut their corn for silage this weekend so hopefully that will push any deer from his property to mine! Sent from my arrow using Mathews!
