tcross1

I am new to hunting only one season really I have about 100 acres and have 3 stands with 3 cameras out we have had bucks on cam most of the season however recently we havent seen many. I have scouted and all I can find is old rubs nothing new that I can see. I live in north florida any ideas/tips to help? thanks

Topgun 3006

That's why it's called hunting and not shooting!

tcross1

I understand that but I meant the amount of activity on camera period has gone down like the deer population has decreased or moved out for now. I was looking for some good suggestions of typical areas to look around and such. All I keep finding is old rubs. Thanks

Bullcamp82834

Someone's nearby property is holding does and the bucks are over there cruising for chicks.

Topgun 3006

That's doubtful because the rut down there is pretty late, but maybe the food source is better on neighboring property now than when he was seeing activity.

Lunkerdog

Your out of my region, and you didn't give a lot of info, so I really can't give you an answer you could hang yer hat on.

I'm not sure when the primary breeding phase is in your area, but once that phase kicks in bucks for the most part abandon their scrape trails.

I also don't know how hard you've been pushing them, but a lot of human activity can cause them to abandon their territories.

Bullcamp82834

I never hunted Fla but I hunted Ga quite a bit. The Ga rut peaked about the second week of Nov and ran on into Dec.
Big difference between Fla and Ga apparently.

tcross1

We are still seeing several doe on the property we have 3 feeding spots. But we have been hunting plus most of the surrounding property is being hunted as well so you may be right the hunting pressure may have drove them out. But I know florida has a late rut anyone know a more specific time when the rut starts around here on average.

Also the property has 3 ponds but I havent seen many signs such as rubs near the ponds. Will bucks make rubs near these water areas?

Lunkerdog

First I want to make sure we're on the same page... You keep saying rubs, which I interpret as horns rubbing trees... That's just one way that bucks mark their territory... They also make "ground scrapes" with their hoofs.

They make the rubs, and scrapes to mark a territory... The territories are not perfect circles, but are circular in nature. No doubt those ponds will fall within one or more bucks territory. Bucks make the scrapes, and rubs in places were other bucks are likely to find them. So I guess a water source could be a motivating factor to cause a buck to make a scrape or rub.

Muzzleloaderhunter

They will be back!