Ok the property that I'm hunting is very small and has suffered a huge loss over the hard winter by about 70% loss or disappeared from the property. I've had my cameras out since mid June and checked them every 2-2.5 weeks usually pulling on average 60 pictures from 3 cameras i know it's not a-lot but there are pictures of deer. Now 2 weeks ago I refreshed my minerals and placed out around 40 pounds of feed around the mineral block, I went out and pull my most recent set of cards and reviewed them only to find that out of a little over 450 pictures from the 3 cameras there were ZERO pictures of deer and the feed was still there. My question is has this ever happened to anyone before? should i be worried? will the deer return? any suggestions on how to try to attract deer back to the property. Any information, suggestions will be appreciated greatly thanks.
It's a bout 10 acres surrounded on the east, south, and north sides by a huge Ag field of corn and housed properties run the west side that runs down to a larger set of woods, the owner of the property grows vegetables and flowers and plants for farmers markets so there is natural food for them on the property not including the supplement food I put out. two thin tree lines that run the sides of the property only one side big enough to provide cover nothing big enough to put a treestand in so it has been all ground blind hunting. my mineral sites and food have been out for the last two years that is what make it so confusing, i had one coyote on one of the cameras the very first week i put the cameras out but none since then only raccoons and squirrels and birds and deer until the deer disappeared in the last two weeks.
I'm guessing the corn is unharvested? Your feed isn't needed or it would be being hit. The surrounding corn field is your problem, deer are stocking up for fall/winter and are in the corn. They'll show back up as soon as the corn is cut and things settle down. I'd plant some egyptian wheat and switch grass on that property next year and get some decent cover going in there if cover is lacking there now. (if the landowner is agreeable of course)
I would walk the large woods and see if there are sighns of them there. They probly have better browes there. Put a trail cam out and see what you get.
Sounds like it may be lacking cover which will hold deer...could be simply a transitional type property which can be a good thing morning and evenings....without knowing more tough to say.
the land owner doesn't own the hard woods and I cant get permission to hunt or scout them so i'm stuck where i'm at these are two different bucks I had last year never got a chance at them and they didn't show up until a week and a half before Halloween. i know they survived the rifle season i don't know about the winter I'm Guessing i wont see them till around pre rut again it's like that every year my concern is all of the doe have gone
We had a similar problem to yours.. we just started to plant turnips and other products and we logged in a few different areas to give the deer more bedding areas. we did that a few years ago and it really seemed to help.. if u could i would try it I'm glad i did!!
If it's only 10 acres and is surrouned by ag fields, I would stay out of the woods until it's time to hunt. Walk the edge of the ag fields looking for tracks entering/leaving the woods. Don't hunt it until you see sign that deer are using the woods. Then hunt. Once the surrounding corn is cut it should help your situation.
As others have said, your property isn't really needed right now. Deer have the cover and food they need in the standing corn. If you had water or other cover you would have a better shot, but as it stands they have no real reason to leave the corn to get onto your land.
This Is what I'm working with the RED area is what I can hunt some of the greenhouses are gone so it is opened up a little more than what is pictured. last year I know at least 3 doe were bedding in the woods behind the house on the east side of the property and used the open field just behind it to feed, I also know they used the west side to travel and also feed. I know on the east side they eat the tomatoes and some of the other plants but mainly the tomatoes and on the west side it's squash pumpkins and some other late season vegetables. if this helps anyone for ideas please let me know I hunt to feed my family not just for trophy hunting.
