Bachelor Groups are no more.

[chriswallace]

The two groups of bachelor bucks appear to have broken up now. I thought that it's a little early but, maybe we are going to have an early fall. I moved the camera now to a different area, its a finger of the woods that extends out around that field and butts up to a swamp. The does are still in the field pretty regularly, so I don't think something is spooking them.

So here are my questions right now:
Should I be nervous that I am not seeing them as much as I have been in the same area?

Now that they appear to be broken up, how long until they start becoming nocturnal?

What can be some other reasons why they haven't been in the same areas as before?


Here are some of the pictures, I finally topped the 1000 pics mark for July, and August.

[trkyhntr]

;D That buck has green eyes!

[Win Mag]

Changing Food source is probably why.The nuts are dropping now,and they are probably hitting the acorns and such.With the nights cooling off now you will probably see more night activity

[midrivers]

Changing food source is right on, and I am not sure they have broken up here in Eastern Missouri. Maybe further north they have. All the mast is starting to drop here, it ahs been so dry. wE are getting rain the last week or so though! Drought is officially over!

[tbryan]

;D ;D ;D

[Scott Kirsch]

chriswallace said:

So here are my questions right now:
Should I be nervous that I am not seeing them as much as I have been in the same area?

Now that they appear to be broken up, how long until they start becoming nocturnal?

What can be some other reasons why they haven't been in the same areas as before?

Hunt the pre-rut over food and the rut over does. You have the does so...I predict that you will harvest a nice buck at that location. Deer do whatever the heck they want to (regardless of what you might read). You are in great shape for a successful hunt chris. Don't sweat it. -Sloppy

[chriswallace]

Acorns? My trail camera pictures is attached to an oak tree! I had to laugh at that. I think I may have a handle on it, they are a) went north to a tamarack swamp, b) went south and are hiding out in the cattails between the ponds. Both have huge water sources and food sources nearby.

Thanks for the replies and the help, I feel like I am under a little more pressure than normal this year to perform. I really want to get on film.

[midrivers]

Dont let the pressure let you make a bad decision at crunch time! You are right on the mark. Be patient. Filming a hunt is a great reward when it works, but very frustrating when it does not. I had a gobbler out in front of me this year. WE were tyring to tape the hunt. I never shot because the birds got in us so fast, my buddy couldn't get the camera up in time! I was waiting for him to get the chance to start filming, and it all went bad from there. Pretty Cool, but very frustrating!

Turkeys - 1
Hunters - 0

[timhicks]

The nuts are falling?? Man I dont think we are even going to have acorns this year its been so dry..The feww trees I have checked are barren.. I just want some rain and cool weather,, we are still seeing 3 or 4 bucks at a time.. Tim