I haven't put in a ton of effort this year, (personal stuff) I did manage to put out a couple of cameras. I have 4 or 5 smaller bucks nothing I would normally look at but I haven't had a"shooter" on film all year. The question is do you hunt the biggest one of the group or something else? Let's say you aren't able to hunt the rut you only can hunt until October 15th. Go
Personally whats on camera doesnt matter to me. If its a shooter to me then I shoot. If I have any history with it that makes it all the better. But a good buck is a good buck, if I seen him before or not
I would just hunt. If a buck comes by and gets your heart pounding shoot him no matter the size. Thats what its all about in my opinion.
Find a different spot with a bigger buck in it. If it were me... I would keep tabs on your property with a camera or two just to see if anything moves in later that is bigger. I would be exploring other areas if you can get access to private or if public land is close. Explore old areas that were good for you in the past that you don't hunt now. By keeping the pressure off your property, it could benefit you down the road once the deer feel pressure from surrounding properties. Tim
Wow It's to early to hang up the gloves yet, the season just started for most. The pre rutt and rutt bring in lots of different deer. There all chasing at that time. I see my biggest during the 2nd rutt or pre rutt, Dec 5th usually I see my biggest,also that's the last day of the season in Alberta except for Bow zone area around the city you get an extra 5 days. Don't give up yet ,hang in there,they'll come. Rocky
I have 1 month to hunt this property and it's not even going to be close to rut activity time. I know anything could happen then, but for now would you take the biggest deer there or do what Tim said and go somewhere else?
Just hunt and kill deer... If there are deer in the area set up properly with the wind and such and kill something. If u find urself not able to get in there be uase of conditions go sormwhere else. Good luck
I cant even tell you how many times ive had bucks come through that I dont have on camera, even with 5 or 6 out on said property.
Just cause they aren't showing up on camera doesn't mean they are not around.. Get out there and hunt it up.. take the first one the trips your trigger and be happy in your success no matter what the size of the horns are.
I think you just hunt the same way you always would. If a buck walks by that suits your fancy you shoot him. If he's too small, let him go. I wouldn't let my standards be dictated by the amount of time I had to hunt. IMO that's nothing more than a recipe for disappointment.
I agree with Bone Head Hunter. I just had 2 bucks show up on camera over the last few weeks that I hadn't seen all summer. You just have to get out there and see what shows up, and if you see something you want to shoot, then that is up to you and not anyone else's decision. -Andrew
Last year, I got a shooter on camera the first week of October. Had never seen him before and never saw him after. A buddy a couple miles down the road had pictures of him almost nightly. Sometimes deer like to wander, so you never know what you'll see when you're in the woods. Sent from my HTC One using Tapatalk
I agree. I just hunt the wind and wait for whatever deer shows up. If he is a buck I want to take and the shot is there, I shoot him.
At the risk of sounding like "one of those guys" if you are judging the success/enjoyment of your hunts only on tags filled on big bucks you will be disappointed quite often. Get out there and hunt, enjoy it, and shoot any deer that gets you excited. If it's big, great. If it's small but makes you happy, great. I throw more tags away than I fill but I still love Bowhunting. You know the old saying "Never pass up on the first day what you would shoot on the last." That means if you had all season and would pass those smaller bucks you will not feel very satisfied if you shoot one due to limited time. But if you would happy to take one any other season more power to you! Enjoy the hunt.
I have to agree with you too a point, let me rephrase it. Let's say you've done our homework and the biggest deer on the property doesn't meet your standards, do you hunt for the biggest deer the property has to offer or do you wait until next year? We all know in the woods anything could happen and cameras don't tell the whole story but seriously if you want to put venison in the freezer do you shoot? No doe tags available. I'm not trying to have someone talk me into shooting this buck just seeing what peoples opinions are.
Is it about venison or a trophy for you? If its about venison then go ahead and shoot him, if its about shooting a trophy you know what you have to do.
I wouldn't put a ton into the cam pics that you have been collecting up until now. Patterns are changing for deer. Acorns are raining down in the woods (if you have any oaks). Beans are turning yellow and drying up. Soft mast crops like apples are just beginning to drop also. Get out there and enjoy the experience! I personally don't put a ton into my offseason cam pics anymore. In fact, I just put out cams last weekend. Also, I don't have the ability to afford a dozen (or more) cams, cards and batteries. Historically, MOST of the bucks that I capture on cam over the summer I never see in the Fall anyways as they separate from their bachelor groups. This year a guy who hunts the property next to the huge 3 acre lot that I hunt told me and showed me all of the deer he has on cams from the summer. 2 does and 1 fawn. He captured zero...again that is zero bucks (unless the fawn is a buck!) so I am with you this year.
I get some real nice Bucks on Camera all summer. Come hunting season they are nowhere to be found. Like many have already said, shoot what makes you happy.
It does not take much for a buck to slip by your cameras undetected. It's very possible that a legit shooter has walked by behind your cameras or just out of trigger range. I would stay confident and hunt. And like Caleb said, each early season it seems like I'll have at least 1 "visiting" buck show up from out of nowhere. I may only get 1 pic, but I know they were there.
I've always had this same problem. I would get all bucks on cam during the summer and not see any during the season. This year Im getting all does and no bucks on cam. So maybe I will see all bucks. haha. Yea right...
