Question: This my first year on a new deer hunting lease. The habitat is great and I am sure it will be good hunting. Anyway, last week I put out two game cameras over two different deer feeders. After checking out the pics, I am only seeing does; large groups of does and no bucks at all. All of the other hunters on the lease who have cameras out are getting pictures of some very nice whitetail bucks. The land we hunt is basically the same with no notable difference and we are all throwing corn, so why am I not seeing any bucks at my feeders?
Answer: Stay calm. If you have does hanging around then you will have bucks. A lot of hunters think deer feeders are a cure all for deer hunting. Don’t think that you will shoot a good buck at a feeder, but think that you will attract does to your feeder and then the does will attract the good bucks. If you have the does, the bucks will surely come your way come the rut.
In the past, I’ve tried all kinds of deer scents, including doe in estrus and drag rags. The absolute best deer attractant of all of them is a whitetail doe in heat. So, if you say you have lots of does on the cameras, then relax and wait. You are in a good place. Now, it’s only a matter of time before they go into rut. Get in the stand around the rut and you will see all kinds of action. The bucks will be looking for does, and guess what? You’ve got them!