Lack of deer pics after the rut?

[Mackie889]

I’m just wondering what everyone is getting on camera after the rut? This is my first year getting serious w/ cams … cell cams in particular. I have 4 cams and have corn spread out on the ground at every location. Before the rut (early season and pre-rut), I was getting several pics of deer each day from each of my 4 cameras. After the rut, not so much. Is it normal for the deer to avoid corn, even at night as the season progresses? I was thinking of some possibilities:

More preferred food source available? I’m in SW Georgia where there hasn’t been a freeze yet so still lots of native vegetation available … maybe acorns are now dropping heavily?

Does are now shying away from the corn / camera locations because they were being harassed by bucks there?

They have learned as the season progressed to avoid these areas because they are getting shot (by neighbors?) at or smelling humans around these areas? I only have stands near 2 of these areas and haven’t pulled the trigger all season. I’ve passed on a good amount of deer because the deer population around me is low … getting better, but still low. Also young bucks get a pass from me. I am only wanting to shoot 3-1/2 year old bucks or older.

What have you been seeing … normal activity, or way less activity? Thanks for any replies

 

[Crakajak]

After the rut I have seen a decrease in movement in general.Both does and bucks are recovering(think a 3 day bar hopping looking for a date) from the rut.Does are pregnant and need all the stored nutrients they can get.
I usually see an increase in activity around 30 days after the first rut,but it is centered around food.
In extreme SW Ga the rut is just now happening.

 

[Kev]

I’ve had an increase in my trail cam pics on cameras that I put corn in front of that are fairly close to a bedding.
I’m not getting new deer on camera though.

 

[TurkeyBluff]

A LOT of the deer in my area got shot. Once the rut is over unless I have good deer showing up on camera, I leave the woods and don't come back until the following year. This gives the deer a refuge to hide in. I wish more people did that. It would save a lot of bucks to make it through to the following year.

 

[RedFoxx]

mine disappear for 2-3 weeks while they running...they dont even let the doez come eat..corn just lays on the ground.. but they usually come back once rut is over and eat more than ever..

 

[Buford_Dawg]

Yep, happens every year, been running cell cameras for long time now. After Thanksgiving, pretty much get about 1/3 to 1/2 of the pictures I was getting. Several factors, lot less deer as many have been removed by hunters, by vehicles during rut, etc... I generally think by 1/3 or so deer are gone. Then you throw on the human / hunter factor and deer go nocturnal and lay up in thickets and move less, they have smartened up and know to lay low. Finally food sources play a part as they are no longer on acorns but likely green fields somewhere, may be on your food plots or may be down the road at a neighboring field, farm, etc.... I was averaging right at 90 pictures a night and 50 during daylight hours on 8 cell cameras up until Turkey day, since then I am getting 30-40 nightly now and only about 20 daytime. Big difference, but to be expected.

 

[Dustin Pate]

My camera's have all picked up dramatically the last few days. My mineral sites are getting tons of action from both bucks and does. Corn is getting hammered also.

 

[Mackie889]

My camera's have all picked up dramatically the last few days. My mineral sites are getting tons of action from both bucks and does. Corn is getting hammered also.

When was your rut?

 

[wm742]

In Greene Co we saw crazy high pic count during rut. 806 pics on 1 cam over 2 week period. Pond cam. Nov 2nd - 14 being the most activity.
After rut that camera went back to 80-90 over 2 weeks, but my other cameras were dead. Nothing but squirrels.
Then the day after thanksgiving I have pics of a shooter I have never seen at one of my just off a field cams about 100 acres away. With a seen developing buck a day or 2 later, both in day light.
Lots of deer on the pond cam still, but the 3 or 4 shooter bucks I saw during rut haven't been back.

 

[MYRX]

Actually, I am getting better quality buck pictures now. Less pictures as most have mentioned, but better bucks. My cameras are placed on food plots and close to planted pines, (bedding areas).

We were very selective on our 800 acers. Only 3 deer were taken, one doe, one old buck and one 3.5 eight that I took. Many of the bucks we let walk are still showing up but more just before dark and less in mornings.

I don't put out corn, because it attracts too many hogs as we boarder the Broad River. We do manage many plots.

 

[Permitchaser]

My neighbor saw a monster buck tow hoses down. So I put out a camera and corn but all I got was does

 

[Hunter922]

We are still getting pictures. Bucks, young and big, does. Move your cameras. Thick areas with food near by or used trails will produce pictures.

 

[Mackie889]

It seemed that the deer were back on camera 5-7 days after my post. Maybe they were recovering from the rut? I’ve seen most of my shooter bucks on camera, several small bucks and a good amount of does. Thankfully, it doesn’t seem that many have gotten shot … yet. Thanks for all of the replies.