Trail Cam Activity

[Outdoor Enthusiast]

Has anyone else had a slower year with their trail cameras over scrapes so far?

I normally have several older bucks on camera by now but this year seems to be a bit slower. I am wondering if it has something to do with the bumper crop of white oak acorns on our farm.

 

[BSK]

Has anyone else had a slower year with their trail cameras over scrapes so far?

Yes. Until About Oct. 16th. Then it all exploded. Crazy activity on scrapes now.

 

[bowhunter163]

Has anyone else had a slower year with their trail cameras over scrapes so far?

I normally have several older bucks on camera by now but this year seems to be a bit slower. I am wondering if it has something to do with the bumper crop of white oak acorns on our farm.

I had the same thing happen this year , untill around the same time BSK mentioned .For a little over a week . And then last week they died again . Started picking back up two days ago .

I don't know what is causing the fluctuation , it's not human intrusion because these are cellular cameras and I haven't been in there since the first weekend in October .

 

[UTGrad]

I don't know what is causing the fluctuation , it's not human intrusion because these are cellular cameras and I haven't been in there since the first weekend in October .

Dang cellular cameras? How much are you making over there at the fire department

 

[Mike Belt]

I've seen quite a few natural scrapes but none that have been reworked. The flurry hasn't started around here yet. All buck pics I have over scrapes were scrapes made by me. I did get a 138-140" buck on camera last week at 11:35 in the morning.

 

[bowhunter163]

I don't know what is causing the fluctuation , it's not human intrusion because these are cellular cameras and I haven't been in there since the first weekend in October .

Dang cellular cameras? How much are you making over there at the fire department

It's alot cheaper when you get them at cost

 

[UTGrad]

You must have put out somebody important's barn fire lol

 

[bowhunter163]

You must have put out somebody important's barn fire lol

 

[BSK]

Has anyone else had a slower year with their trail cameras over scrapes so far?

I normally have several older bucks on camera by now but this year seems to be a bit slower. I am wondering if it has something to do with the bumper crop of white oak acorns on our farm.

I had the same thing happen this year , untill around the same time BSK mentioned .For a little over a week . And then last week they died again . Started picking back up two days ago .

I don't know what is causing the fluctuation , it's not human intrusion because these are cellular cameras and I haven't been in there since the first weekend in October .

Surges and breaks in scraping are normal. The interesting thing is matching them year to year. often these surges and lulls are very traditional and linked to the calendar date.

 

[Trevor2]

Nope I had a real slow year last year but already got 50-75 scrape pics this year

 

[Outdoor Enthusiast]

Surges and breaks in scraping are normal. The interesting thing is matching them year to year. often these surges and lulls are very traditional and linked to the calendar date.

I have observed trends in my area as well.

Typically I photo capture bucks at natural bait sites (oaks, food plots) through the end of September. Usually I get some activity at mock scrapes starting about the same time period with increased activity through October.

However this year is odd in that scraping activity, even at night, has been less frequent than normal. I have actually had more luck at baited sites this October.

 

[BSK]

Just checked cameras again this afternoon, and scraping slowed down early this week, perhaps due to the warm weather. But it really exploded again on my place in the last two days.

 

[botta]

Had several bucks on camera all year- and then POOF! None in the last week. Week before sightings slowed a bit as well. I figure they are expanding their "roaming" range. Last buck I seen came to push a few does around. Lots of does on camera though... just no bucks anymore.
Lincoln county.

 

[BSK]

botta,

Not saying this is the situation on your place (not getting a particular buck on camera for a week is not uncommon), but some bucks actually do leave their normal fall range during the rut. They shift to a completely different location--sometimes miles away--just for the 5-6 weeks of the breeding season.

 

[botta]

BSK,
Thanks. The "one" we have been keeping an eye on in the spring used to camp out about 1/2 mile down the ridge. Good friend feeds them and doesn't hunt- and had him there most of the year. Since we built a water hole where three ridges converge in the summer, he's been near there ever since. The neighboring property has the cows in the upper pasture which impedes on the bedding areas. Not sure if cows can "change" the deer pattern- but its the only assignable cause (minus the time of the year) that I have.
Thanks for your input!!

 

[BSK]

Cows tend to outcompete deer for resources. Deer are picky eaters, eating a little of this and a little of that. Cows eat everything and eat everything completely away.

 

[Outdoor Enthusiast]

Surges and breaks in scraping are normal. The interesting thing is matching them year to year. often these surges and lulls are very traditional and linked to the calendar date.

I have observed trends in my area as well.

Typically I photo capture bucks at natural bait sites (oaks, food plots) through the end of September. Usually I get some activity at mock scrapes starting about the same time period with increased activity through October.

However this year is odd in that scraping activity, even at night, has been less frequent than normal. I have actually had more luck at baited sites this October.

Interestingly this past week I saw the typical scraping activity with October 30th being the first date I got a mature buck in daylight.

 

[BSK]

Surges and breaks in scraping are normal. The interesting thing is matching them year to year. often these surges and lulls are very traditional and linked to the calendar date.

I have observed trends in my area as well.

Typically I photo capture bucks at natural bait sites (oaks, food plots) through the end of September. Usually I get some activity at mock scrapes starting about the same time period with increased activity through October.

However this year is odd in that scraping activity, even at night, has been less frequent than normal. I have actually had more luck at baited sites this October.

Interestingly this past week I saw the typical scraping activity with October 30th being the first date I got a mature buck in daylight.

Yup, Oct. 30th for me as well. Right on schedule. I usually get the first mature bucks working scrapes in daylight Oct. 28-31.

 

[Labboy]

Mine started to show some good bucks in daylight on 10/31. The morning the cold front rolled through.