I hunt about about a 100 acre farm with crop fields on one side of a deep hallow with a creek and on the other side there is a cow lot. I always have nice bucks there during summer months and around the time they shed the velvet and acorns start dropping they always disappear. The small bucks and does are still on the camera. I don't pressure them. I only go in to check the camera 1-2 times a month around noon. What's the deal? It's the same thing every year and but I keep going back bc of the summer pics. This year they where going by in daylight at least once every two days and wen velvet came off iv gotten one pic of one of them. I'll try and get a google earth pic of the place on here later. Thanks in advance.

Now that they have trail cams, pictures are now showing that deer move. That's probably why they call it - deer hunting.

To little activity so the deer know you are targeting them.

I and my pup walk trails in my woods every day morning and evening. We normally see a buck or two at least once a day.

Al

It seems you stressed "the camera" several times. On 100 acres I would expect more than one camera. Find other major trail locations and hang a few more cameras, this may give a better indication of deer movement.

I would make sure of a setup leading into the thickest cover.

I would plant a food plot the buck can't resist, if he doesn't like it the does will and that is one and the same:-)

once horns are hard, and the food sources change, added that they are producing more hormones, the bucks start searching for another core area with less competition and more does for the coming mating season, after peak rut will range very wide in search of estrus does outside they're core area.
RR

They haven't "disappeared". 100 acres is nothing to a deer, only people think in terms of acreage. They go where there is food, water and cover. Your 100 acres is lacking one of these 3 things. They may be right on the other side of the property. Improve the habitat to hold deer all year long and they will stay in the general area.

Besides, if the does are there, the bucks aren't too far away. Hold the does in the area by providing the 3 things above and the bucks will return come rutting time.

JLankford4 -

If you have an iPhone or listen to podcast, I would like to recommend checking out "Whitetail Q&A - A Deer Hunting Pod Cast". This is great podcast that answers a lot of these types of questions. On their September 1 pod cast #4, they discus the issue of "Why do Summer Bucks Disappear in September and What to do About It."

The abstract from this podcast is that a buck's food needs change from summer to fall. Your property might have everything mature bucks are looking for in a summer food source, but not what they're looking for in a fall food source.

Although you're too late for this season, maybe next season you can add more variety to your food sources to make your land more appealing to bucks in the fall.