BSK
Well-Known Member
Normally I don�t let the cameras run past mid to late January, but this year all of the cameras (most on food plots, but two on traditional scrapes) ran until last weekend (3/24). I found some interesting things in the 2,000+ pictures each camera recorded since late December:
The first buck to drop an antler was on January 28th. Yearling bucks dropped much earlier than older bucks. Pictures indicated scattered yearling antlers dropping at different times during February and March. By late March, most yearling bucks had lost their antlers, but nearly every buck 2 1/2+ still had their antlers.
The bucks grouped up into male bachelor groups just after the season ended. Pictures indicated groups of bucks feeding in food plots by mid-January. Cameras caught two sets of pictures where at least 7 bucks were feeding together (of all different ages, even yearlings).
Some bucks have weirdly timed patterns. One very large 9-point buck showed up on camera between the 8th and 12th of the month in every month from November through March.
Bucks never stopped working the overhanging limb of big, traditional scrapes. Bucks sniffed and licked the overhanging limbs even into March (and will probably continue through all months).
For whatever reason (probably a doe unable to conceive that kept coming back into estrus every 28-30 days), I got pictures of two big surges in bucks chasing does in late January (18th to 22nd) and in February (again, the 18th to 22nd).
I've always wondered and many people have asked about bucks they see/photograph on their property all summer but suddenly vanish once velvet sheds. When do these bucks return to the property? Winter, spring, summer...? On my place this year, they returned mid to late January. The lazt pictures I had of these buckswere around September 8th as their velvet was shedding. Got the next pictures of those bucks around January 15th.
The first buck to drop an antler was on January 28th. Yearling bucks dropped much earlier than older bucks. Pictures indicated scattered yearling antlers dropping at different times during February and March. By late March, most yearling bucks had lost their antlers, but nearly every buck 2 1/2+ still had their antlers.
The bucks grouped up into male bachelor groups just after the season ended. Pictures indicated groups of bucks feeding in food plots by mid-January. Cameras caught two sets of pictures where at least 7 bucks were feeding together (of all different ages, even yearlings).
Some bucks have weirdly timed patterns. One very large 9-point buck showed up on camera between the 8th and 12th of the month in every month from November through March.
Bucks never stopped working the overhanging limb of big, traditional scrapes. Bucks sniffed and licked the overhanging limbs even into March (and will probably continue through all months).
For whatever reason (probably a doe unable to conceive that kept coming back into estrus every 28-30 days), I got pictures of two big surges in bucks chasing does in late January (18th to 22nd) and in February (again, the 18th to 22nd).
I've always wondered and many people have asked about bucks they see/photograph on their property all summer but suddenly vanish once velvet sheds. When do these bucks return to the property? Winter, spring, summer...? On my place this year, they returned mid to late January. The lazt pictures I had of these buckswere around September 8th as their velvet was shedding. Got the next pictures of those bucks around January 15th.
