They are coming back....right?

hercules · #1 09-28-2014, 10:15 AM

Hey there,
So this summer has been my first spending real time watching cameras and learning patterns. It has also been a good opportunity to get my son involved, as he always comes with me to check them.

Majority of the summer I have had really great photos. Lots of different WT bucks, some big and some small. But all and all really happy with what I have seen.

I just went to check them yesterday, and they are gone. Lots of does but no bucks. Where in the past out of the 350 pics, 80% would have bucks in them. I just checked one and out of this last 350, I had 1 buck.

So I was talking with a friend who does not hunt, but does an awful lot of reading. He says not to worry, that they are getting ready for the rut and will be back. Now it seems to me that this is a bit early for preparing for the rut. But I haven't had time to do any reading myself on the subject.

Is that common? Do they dissapear? Where do they go? I hunt on private farming land in central Alberta. Should I be worried about this?

What are your guys thoughts?

Thanks,

Herc.

bessiedog · #2 09-28-2014, 10:19 AM

If there's food
And it's safe
And the does stick around, they'll be back.

Bucks often are in bachelor groups. From what ive seen, these herds dont pattern
Much and tend to wander. By late oct, they'll start feeling the rut a bit and break up. Then they'll be after the girls.
They'll be back if your finding does.

buckmasterjr · #3 09-28-2014, 10:56 AM

From what i've seen running cams for 2 years now the bucks don't show up till end of August to early September, then they disappear for a couple weeks and come back around second week of October, I still haven't figured out where they are coming from or where they go but they do come back

roger · #4 09-28-2014, 11:11 AM

dont fret, hunting a healthy stock of pheremone emitting does is one key to netting a migrating monster getting drawn in by the wind.
check your camera during the rut every couple days, if not every day and go from there.
hunting a big deer that is patternable only lends itself to success in pre rut seasons.