I've been watching a bachelor group of bucks on trail camera since early in July, there is 9 bucks in all one really impressive 10 point that's really got my attention. There is a 50 acre soybean field that is surrounded by 120 acres of tall oaks and a thick stand of pines with a large stand of corn and alfalfa on the north side. Anyways this buck is very close to the 170 inch mark and the rest of the bachelor group has stuck around I'm still getting pictures everyday on the field and at my mineral site but the big 10 has totally dissapeared. I got my last picture of him on the 9th of August before that he was on camera daily. I only check cameras once every 3 weeks to a month and I am very careful about my scent control. I have 4 cameras running 1 at the edge of the field one just inside the woods at my mineral site, and the other 2 are placed in natural funnel areas in the oak trees that I expect the bucks to hit hard when mast starts to drop here in central Mn. This buck has gone missing and I have no clue where he went any ideas?
Not sure what you're expecting, do you want comforted and told don't worry? They run wild and are a prey species, anything could have happened to him including he may just have decided to go exploring part of his normal range. I hope he's fine and odds are he probably is, just keep a watch out for him. He may show up and he may not, it may be this year or next. All you can do is hope for the best and enjoy them while they are there.
That is exactly what I want to hear! I am worried he might have fallen victim to a wolf or coyotes, I've just never seen a buck break away from his bachelor group that early in the summer. Then again I've been doing this long enough to know there are no for sures or this is the way it always is in the deer woods! I guess only time will tell!
I've got two that are still missing from last winter, one always on camera on one property...the neighbor has on camera in July so I know he's alive and well. The other one I have a shed from him from early spring but have not seen since Feb. He's a 3 year old this year, had a drop tine on the left side. I'm certain he's fine and I am constantly looking for him but who knows, he may just have decided to move his home range or be using a summer pattern off farm. I've had one come back this summer that was previously missing (I'll be a Hairy Ape thread) and I've had two show up that I never seen before and have not been back through and they were both really really nice ten points. The older bucks don't really seem to care that much about bachelor groups, the one of mine that reappeared last week is old and was running by himself.
I think the buck will be back. If hunting season had begun already, I would be more concerned. I had 3 really nice bucks disappear last year.(Top to bottom...Flame, Hartford and Hightower) I have not seen them since. I am thinking they were either hit by a car or poached. I am the only hunter on the 50 acres there. Hopefully they will turn back up this year when the Rut kicks in.
