Spreading scent all over your hunting area taking different trails all the time.

It takes more than ladies to attract bucks to your area replacing the ones that are disbursed. Improve the habitat and food, limit the pressure and create safe havens, and have enough ladies to go around and you will see the ratios change noticably. After 3 years on my place we are just starting to see the difference, and it took Dan's place closer to 6 years.

Good point! But an over harvest of does will effect the number or bucks you will see during the season. Granted bucks will still frequent the area if food, cover and water exist the sightings may be few and far between as they will move more at night and during the pre and post rut when the bucks are regaining their energy.

I did see one 4.5 yr old. I have no doubts he was the dominant buck in this area.

I saw exactly 3 different 1.5 yr olds and 1 4.5 yr old

I was hunting approx. 75 acres of land that abutts 230 acres of sanctuary that no one is allowed to hunt. There is probably 1+ sq. mi. that these deer call "home". There's no telling what one set of my neighbors is shooting.....actually.....two sets.

Yes. But I passed this off as not sitting on stand as much as in the previous year (because I took the first doe opportunity most every time). In reality....this could have something to do with the buck sightings, as well, I suppose.

75 acres is a decent bit of land but by no means is it huge. I think the answers (your bucks) could be found in that 230 acre sanctuary?

But how would you account for seeing them one year and not the next? The property hasn't changed.

You can probaly write off a few to death (cars, other hunters nearby, injury), a few to changing location, and maybe some using the 230 acre sanctuary more. Even if the property hasn't changed their enviornment has in that even if you are very careful about scent and what not(which you seem to be) you took quite a few deer out of there and tracked and trailed and searched for at least one other I thought(can't remember exactly). That could account for some of the change as well.

I huntone piece that is a similiar size(67 acres) and even though I am very careful they can still pattern me it seems. They know what's going on in those woods very well.

True, but the bucks have. As bucks grow older they grow smarter. They may recognized that your 75 acre tract of land as being hunted (it just takes the lightest bit of pressure for a buck to realize he is being hunted) and reverted to the sanctuary where they obviously felt safer.

Did you get any trail cam photos of these deer or still photos? Did you just not see them while hunting or zero sightings of these bucks period?

I'm still stumped. Out of 16 bucks I think you would have ATLEAST seen 2-3.

I saw zero 2.5 yr olds either on game cam or sightings.(but I;ll check the game cam to make sure).

And IMO....there'sno deer dumber than a 1.5yr old buck....lol. I don't think 16 of them got THAT smart in 9 months.

I hunted 46 times in '06.....and 48 times in '07.....but I will admit to being MORE intrusive in '07. No doubt about that.