Greta&Gus
5 year old buck +
Previously, on the 'other' forum I posted my trail camera data over the years. Now, 10 years into running trail cameras I have a very large data set to play with. Although the number of cameras and locations have varied over time we have been fairly consistent with total number cameras since 2009. When counting bucks, I start at the shed of velvet and go until the end of December. Camera locations are rotated based on the year and deer movements but some food plots and scrapes have been used all 10 years.
It would seem that more bucks would equal better hunting but that hasn't always been the case. 2011 was the first year we ever planted standing corn and even though 11 and 12 were great for trail camera pictures, we only harvested one 2.5 year old out of the two years. 2007 through 2010 has provided us with the best hunting while we harvested a 3.5 year old each year.
The other major item I take away from 10 years of monitoring the deer herd is that it is very, very hard to keep and hold bucks on our property. Very few have held for year after year. Some are killed by hunters but I think many of them die in the winter or go somewhere else. When I look at our doe populations over time I also would prefer to have a 3 or 4 to 1 doe:buck ratio than 1:1. The fewer does, the more nighttime action. The more does in the area pushes the bucks to move more and try to bread them, in my opinion.
A couple of reasons for some of the drastic changes over the years are:
2006 we had part of the property logged in October right before the rut. It was the only time we could get them in and it changed things for sure.
2010 the Federal trappers took 14 wolves off of the neighbor's cattle farm. No question that changed deer habits.
2011/12 - Corn.
It would seem that more bucks would equal better hunting but that hasn't always been the case. 2011 was the first year we ever planted standing corn and even though 11 and 12 were great for trail camera pictures, we only harvested one 2.5 year old out of the two years. 2007 through 2010 has provided us with the best hunting while we harvested a 3.5 year old each year.
The other major item I take away from 10 years of monitoring the deer herd is that it is very, very hard to keep and hold bucks on our property. Very few have held for year after year. Some are killed by hunters but I think many of them die in the winter or go somewhere else. When I look at our doe populations over time I also would prefer to have a 3 or 4 to 1 doe:buck ratio than 1:1. The fewer does, the more nighttime action. The more does in the area pushes the bucks to move more and try to bread them, in my opinion.
A couple of reasons for some of the drastic changes over the years are:
2006 we had part of the property logged in October right before the rut. It was the only time we could get them in and it changed things for sure.
2010 the Federal trappers took 14 wolves off of the neighbor's cattle farm. No question that changed deer habits.
2011/12 - Corn.
