Bucks all disappeared

At the house in July we had more and better bucks on camera then we’ve ever had. Since then they have all pretty much disappeared. The last month I’ve been lucky to get one of them on camera a week. Normally my bucks frequent my salt lick weekly but only have pics of one spike regularly now. Anyone else’s bucks disappeared this year?

It happens. Doesn't mean they are gone for good.

I went by there an invited them to my place.

Mine always disappear end September

What Huck said.

Acorns are falling

Someone has better bait than you do. Might ought to step up your game a bit

This

Ehd

Food sources change...

Mine normally stick close over the last 7 years that’s been the case anyway.

I've never put a camera over a mineral lick, but I've read they visit them less as they get closer to the end of velvet stage, which is now most everywhere in central and North Alabama.

They’re just now showing up on my pear and sawtooth trees, so they’re moving to the food always.

Neighbors put out 4 tons of corn....what I heard....

Someone went scouting in their bedroom.
Hunter activity picks up this time of year. Don’t necessarily have to be your activities that cause them to change either. Other folks putting out feed, scouting, putting up stands, cutting lanes, etc.....

I'm gonna say theres a good chance that its due to social dynamics of the herd. Does are dropping fawns right now. They seek out prime fawning cover to give birth in order to give the fawns the best chance of avoiding predators. If there's food and water close to the prime fawning cover then it becomes that much more valuable real estate. The old matriarch does tend to claim the primo top tier locations and the chit rolls down hierarchy hill from there. There's likely been a change in bedding patterns of the overall doe herd around you in the last few weeks as fawn drop approached. They may have been more spread out back during the spring and summer and utilized more of the landscape including inferior fawning spots......But now their seeking out areas to have their babies and likely becoming more concentrated and mostly just utilizing the better fawning areas. So that's why I say there's probably been a little shift in the way the bigger herd is scattered across the landscape. Bucks, especially older ones, tend to utilize areas away from these doe concentrations except during the rut. They want as little social conflict from wimmens and young uns as possible. They're not concerned with prime fawning habitat.....they want peace and security.

They'll likely be back later on as the rut approaches. I've seen his happen a good bit here at my place. They would disappear about right now or at velvet shedding and not be seen again until 3 months later. There's some social dynamics at play amongst bucks as well when the velvet peels off and this likely plays a role in some bucks disappearing. I think some of the older ones retreat to a secure location away from any chest bumping and conflict amongst the young bucks until its time for the rut and then they move from their security location to areas with high doe concentrations where they stage up in anticipation of the rut kicking off. I think the old bucks know that a high concentration of does offer them an opportunity to breed multiple does during the rut without having to travel.

Trox told me that he puts Acapulco Gold in his salt licks. Bet even Out back is on his cameras.

That happened to me

The alpha buck.