I'm trying to figure out something here on my property. I'm trying to figure out if I'm just about as bad of a hunter as there is, or if there's something else to this. I've been hunting Doe groups exlusivley for the past week, and its working (in terms of having plenty of Doe in range). But I've yet to even have a scrub buck show up with them. Today I saw a total of 15 doe (the same group twice). And not once was there a sign of a buck. Hunted a separate group last week and saw 6...again...no bucks. There have been a few bucks spotted throughout the last two weeks, but its random. I see some of the does and fawns in these groups are broken up and some seen't, but regardless, there's never bucks trailing or scent checking (I hunted the edge of a Doe bedding area this morning until a little after 11). Now I know it's perfectly normal for does to come into estrous at different times, but either the buck-doe ratio is way out of wack, all of the Doe on this property aren't yet ready, or I suck. So what percentage of sits (let's say after November 1st) where you see doe do you also see bucks?
last night i saw 13 does an 11 bucks.. i had a doe run infront of me in a field with 5 bucks chasing her.. just wait and they will be there
November 1 = 2 bucks November 2 = Nothing was storming all day. November 3 = 2 bucks and 4 does. Bucks were chasing. November 4 = 2 does November 5 = 7 bucks 3 does. Last week in October I saw 29 does and 3 bucks.
Matt, your buck to doe is out or whack and your doe groups are not ready. I've seen it in the past, zero sign of the rut and others in PA saying OMG chasing etc... each area is so different it's amazing. Hang in there, literally, you will see them... Plus, it's not exactly ideal cold weather right now...
Yesterday I saw 5 bucks, 0 does. BUT this has been a HORRIBLE year for does on the place I hunt most. Usually I see at least a few does. I don't usually see any more than 5 does in any one sit ever while bowhunting, even on good years.
Last Sunday I had 31 doe/fawn sightings and NO bucks...14 in the morning and 17 in the evening hunting two different properties
It can certainly make for a frustrating season. I'm just going to keep hammering this one doe group for the last week and hope for the best.
man i feel your pain! thursday on my trail cam there was an nice 8 point cruseing at 2pm. i didnt get out there till 3pm. i am only able to hunt evenings and 3-6 does come in every night. but they never bring there boyfreinds :/
In your defense, though, you're hunting a totally different deer population and environment. Big woods hunting and PA farmland hunting will yield different results. I would feel somewhat ok about my results if I was hunting in a more remote and difficult environment. I mean, I'm hunting 90 acres of private farmland. I've got the doe hunting thing down pretty well, I just can't manage bucks:D Like Rob said, I believe my doe to buck ratio is way askew (I've thought that for quite a few years), and while I don't do much to alleviate it (I only take the occasional doe, and I'm the only one who will on the property), I'm a believer that, on 90 acres, you really can't do anything to bring that ratio back in check, or to improve it much.
