Originally Posted By: truedouble
don't agree that it's the pressure, at least not in some cases. Later on in the season yes, but not yet.

I checked my cameras every 2 weeks all summer. Same routine, etc. and had pics of at least 10 different mature bucks coming to 4 cameras. Fast forward to the month of Sept... I only checked them once. These bucks went from coming to mineral lick and corn at least 4 days a week during shooting hours (late July thru early Sept.) to almost none (during shooting hours) by last couple of weeks of September.

Two reasons, food sources have changed, but for the most part it's b/c they change when they shed their velvet. You could take 10,000 acres with no pressure and come early to mid Oct. half your bucks are going to change their core area, feeding habits, feeding location, etc.

For the naysayers I have a question... if it really is pressure explain why I can put out a camera and corn around the end of July, check it mid August and have 100's of pics of mature bucks, starting just a day after I put the cam out. Then come back in late August and have same number of pics of same bucks. Come back around the 10th of Sept...same story. Then come back Sept. 30th and have same bucks coming to same camera but just earlier or later than they were coming. Only variables I know of are food and velvet shedding... I could be wrong but I'd be willing to bet that if you put out a cam over a feeder with unlimited bait in late July and didn't check it until October 1st you would see a dramatic drop in day time pictures starting around the 20th of Sept.

I think a buck knows the difference b/w camera checking pressure and hunting pressure, just like they know the difference b/w a farmer and a hunter. Now checking cameras during hunting season is a completely different story. your just adding more pressure to an already pressured area during a time of year where bucks know they are being hunted. This can really kill your chance at a mature buck. Just all speculation, but makes sense to me.


Maybe deer start acting sketchy when the testosterone begins kicking up

Last edited by M48scout; 10/07/14 05:32 PM.