• Help Support TNDeer:

Havnt seen a deer since Thanksgiving

I don't know where they've gone but activity has just stopped on our farm. I have one non-cell camera I put out and left for 3 weeks before checking it and it did not record a single picture except the 1 picture it took of me walking up to it. My cell camera that was capturing multiple deer every day is now going 3-4 days without a single deer passing by. It's been a strange season.
 
Uncle Bubba said:
I don't know where they've gone but activity has just stopped on our farm. I have one non-cell camera I put out and left for 3 weeks before checking it and it did not record a single picture except the 1 picture it took of me walking up to it. My cell camera that was capturing multiple deer every day is now going 3-4 days without a single deer passing by. It's been a strange season.
Click to expand...
In my opinion the deer have changed their pattern. They have moved to a food source and that is what is driving their movements.
 
Food sources and weather is driving their patterns and timing now. Find those late dropping acorns, and food plots that are holding them. Then find the funnel they are using to get there. Climb where you can see great distances. Do you know anyone else in the area what are they seeing? Any early morning farmer hangout you can go ask the farmers what they are seeing. Not that you want to hunt their place but they see a lot of deer activity. Local game warden you can talk to? Local sheriff? Where's the most deer /car accidents? Is that close to an access point for your WMA? IMHO I wouldn't keep doing the same thing until season is over.
 
My 2 cents...

The deer have been a bit scattered. Doe groups broken up. Bucks running around and wearing themselves out. Expelled yearlings trying to settle in.

The rut is an exhausting process for deer, and I think after the primary rut (now) they tend to just lay low for a bit. The bucks have been battered, chased, challenged and hunted. The does have been about the same. Soon they will start grouping back up (with possibly different social structure depending on which deer made it) but also moving less. I find by this time of the year they have patterned hunters pretty well and have shifted their movement and habits. They also care about food a LOT right now. If you aren't seeing deer, you have to go find them.

Remember - just because you haven't killed any deer doesn't mean they aren't pressured by you.
 
Right now on my TN farms at 2 different locations. (Noon)

This guy is tired and taking a midday nap.

The second guy is checking out the action in the plot. There are 5 does and 3 other bucks out there feeding

This isn't normal behavior for older bucks this time of the year. (Just loafing out in the middle of the day in the wide open)
 

Attachments

  • Screenshot_20241213_131243.webp
    Screenshot_20241213_131243.webp
    27.6 KB · Views: 1
  • Screenshot_20241213_131827.webp
    Screenshot_20241213_131827.webp
    19.9 KB · Views: 1

Latest posts

Back
Top