Am I lying to myself?
 

I have 500 pictures of deer on my hunting spot, and only 2 are pictures of a buck in velvet (the same buck). I do have pictures of 3 different fawns with there mothers, and I believe that there is at least 1 more fawn in the area. I also have a couple of pictures of does being aggressive to “something” off camera.

I’m telling myself that because I’ve created a perfect nursery, the does are chasing away any other deer, including the bucks. I’m also telling myself that come October and November, these does will stay in the area and the bucks will come looking for them!!

So, am I lying to myself?

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

angry doe

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

No, you're not lying to yourself. Last year I had literally thousands of pics of does with only one picture of a big 10 point buck. By the time the rut hit it, itseemed that all the does had left the area and the big bucks came in. I saw at least 6 differentbigbucks who were obviously looking for the does.

It make take until November, but the bucks will come around.

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

Hold out for a Buck...the Does will draw them in,if not....then after a few days pop a couple of Doe's for sometension release! ;)

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

well, I had typed you a great explaination about what you are experiencing, but I am doing this on my smartphone laid up in bed after a surgical procedure on my back today, and on pain pills. This recovery bed isn't real comfortable .... and somehow I lost my long wonderful reply, so I will say for now .... no, you are not lying to yourself...... and I will elaborate tomorrow after I get home to my laptop.

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

That Doe is not angry........That Doe is taking a leak. If your seeing aggression, it may be just because of her fawns. Yes, if there are does around you late Oct. into Nov. the bucks will be cruising looking for them.

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

It sounds like you have a great spot that could also use a little management to get things into good balance. If you have a healthy doe herd and fawn population then you also have bucks in the area. Those does can't multiply without them. My advice would be to start taking a few does so the land can support the bucks to hang around too. It sounds very promising!

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

I was going to say the doe was taking a leak, or was in process of droping a fawnl

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

x2.

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

One of my best buddies has permission to hunt just a few hundred yards down the road from a few of my properties. His Moultrie took over 1,300 pictures last year and 7 of them were bucks. They were of two different 1.5 year dinks. Now on my properties, my camera took over 3,000 pictures and around 800 were bucks. Their were around 10 different bucks in all ranging from 1.5 year olds to tome nice 130" inchers. This proves the deer are in the area, just maybe not in front of your camera.

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

Right now the bucks around these parts hang out in bachelor groups. They do little roaming and rarely go where the does and fawns hang out. Come fall, those bucks will split up and go wherever they can find a "wife". LOL!

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

x2 all i have are doe's with fawns right now. like others have mentioned, where there's doe's...there will be bucks! all these doe's will be coming back into heat right around hunting season which will draw in the bucks.

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

It has been mentioned already, but I was going to touch on the does being with the fawns, and thats buck fawns too.... and the other bucks bing in their bachelor groups. They will not be around the does yet... not for a little while longer. They are out roaming the woods eating and getting fat for the rut.

The does are starting to get in the more aggressive mode and starting to try to run the fawns off. Buck and doe.... because of the competitave drive for food. That is the main reason the does rare up and fight. They are very aggressive about food in the coming months because of the rut coming up.

Yes, they do have a dominance heirarchy in their own groups, but that is usually already established, and not often challenged. So the fights are for food, and to run off the young bucks.

In august the bucks will start being seen a bit more, but don't ever think you will see all your bucks. Last year, I got about 750-1000 pics a week. I only saw about 6 different bucks. 3 were mature. Only one of the bucks was killed by me during the season, and we saw on stand probably half a dozen nice bucks that no one ever got any pics of. One 10 pt buck was never seen until Dec...

So just be patient and don't worry ..... you're doing ok.

God Bless

MET

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

I’m primarily a meat hunter, so I do take does. My preferred 1st deer is a 6-7 month old doe with a bow. They are easy to carry, cool, and process quickly; and most important to me, THEY TASTE SO DAM GOOD!!! So I know I have plenty of venison veal to choose from.

Once I have my meat in the freezer, I sit in my tree and wait for a worthy buck.

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

its true... the boyz will be wherethe girlz are...cull several of those does to get a better herd ratio and something for the fridge

RE: Am I lying to myself?
 

I agree with all the comments the bucks will come.