Mule Deer Bucks on Trail Cams

[Jager007]

New member on here, been reading lots of great treads and figured it was time to post my own. I have been hunting the Okanagan for 5+ years and always looking for more hunting tips and advice from experienced guys/gals.

I've been enjoying using trail cams to see what game is in an area and never seem to catch mule deer bucks of any size on the cams. I get hundreds if not thousands of mule does and fawns but very rarely any bucks. No matter the season, the elevation or the type of terrain, it doesn't seem to make a difference.

Any guys having any luck catching a glimpse of mature mule deer bucks on trail cams? Any trick to it?

Thanks

[Husky7mm]

That can be tough. Mature mule deer are nomads. They can really wander. Its tough to start this time of year and hope to get good bucks. I like high elevation cut blocks. They move to them from big timber above or up to them from roadless ravines below. I like remote blocks put in far away from all the rest of them. I like slide chutes but they need to face north or west this time of year as the veg is slow to develop there due to the aspect.
Its good to use an attractant rather than just hope they walk down a trail but like I said earlier, its a little late this year for good results on bucks. Do you know any spots that have lots of early season rubs? They will be there now, just like they are in sept. All else fails come late october hit the heavy doe areas again and again and again from a good glassing point. Make a plan from there.

[rides bike to work]

I typically get bucks on the camera in May and nov 10 . If you pic one mountain and place cams in strategic locations ei funnels benches edge of alpine you will get to know the herd pretty good. Takes time but lots of fun hunt all year round. Winter is hard on the cams though

[hunter1947]

My thoughts are that you have to keep moving the trail cams till you find what you are looking for it will take time and effort doing this but sooner or latter you will get the bucks on your trail cams
you say that you only get mule does on them now keep in mind that where you have your trail cams now with all them does on there that you will get the bucks on there come early to late Nov

[HarryToolips]

^^^^all good advice from my limited knowledge lol...my one spot that I've collected my T cam from this year the majority of MD were bucks..they also like powerlines I find..

[Brian011]

Trial and error, luck and a lot of time and effort. Set up salt licks in different areas and find areas with lots of rubs. Depending on the area, if there is lots there should be a couple bucks that live in the area at some point. It has taken me quite a few years of moving cams around to dial in on some big mature bucks. I've found that in certain established areas I'll get the same mature bucks on one cam all year long, and other areas there will be seasonal bucks that only live in an area certain times of the yr. Some bucks I'll get on cam a couple times and then never see them again.
Try to get as far away from roads as you can, but even high pressure areas still hold old mature bucks, just a matter of getting lucky sometimes too.

[Seeker]

Good tips for sure. The shortcoming of the Okanagan is that we really lack in the alpine department. In my opinion, big mature mulie bucks are usually taken in the early season in alpine areas and then when that starts to receive pressure they disappear until the rut. The bucks have different needs than does in terms of nourishment, they need nutritionally rich foods and they will follow green up in elevation until they settle in their summer spots. Look at the highest spots in your area of interest to start. Remember they are browsers, not grazers, so they need more than just grass to live. Does tend to remain in areas suitable for fawn rearing; plentiful food sources and cover. Big bucks get big by being wary for the most part. The steep ravines and slopes are a good bet. They will tend to bed where they have the wind at there back and can see what is coming from the other direction, making them very difficult to find before they already know your there. I have found they are not huge fans of north facing thick spruce forests, they tend to prefer a little more open habitat. Focus on areas within a kilometre of a water source, this year there is water everywhere, so they are not really limited geographically in that aspect. I agree that you may need to move your camera(s) around until you find a buck you are happy with and then concentrate your efforts trying to figure out general habits. Good luck.

[buck400]

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=5931&stc=1 First time placing trial cam its a north facing slope this year have a nice 4x4 in the same area an lots of other bucks as well this site had a fire as well old burn so there was lots of activity water down the hill beds up brhind the camera.it saves you alot of time in scouting I have 4 an well add more. When you go check your camera it's like xmas you can wait to get there lol

[Jager007]

Thanks for all the great advice. Can wait to check the t cams next week, it has been over a month. Will post some pics if anything worth sharing.

[Seeker]

Buck400, Would you be willing to tell us the elevation of that cam set? I am curious as I am in a similar boat as Jager007 and would like to know if elevation is a factor.

[buck400]

Buck400, Would you be willing to tell us the elevation of that cam set? I am curious as I am in a similar boat as Jager007 and would like to know if elevation is a factor.

Hi I don't know the elevation I go by personal feel an what I seen in sign but I know its high an old burns hold deer on a north side of the mountain.i'm a guy that would let you go ahead on a road an I'll come from behind an shoot the deer or moose imm that is I'm just lucky that way