6 Bucks traveling between huntable and "no hunt"

[Janitor123]

Hey,

I'm still new here, this is my 3rd year, I learned a ton from this group in that time. I wonder how the folks here might approach my situation?

I've found a few hundred acres of accessible timber land with 6 bucks in it (at least in may - june 2023). I placed this camera in late may and just checked it today.

They are on my cam in the corner of the property next to a few thousand acres of unhuntable weyhauser land. From the direction I see them coming in, they leave weyhauser, cross an individuals 20 acres, and end up where I'm hunting.

I'm on the west side and will be hunting modern firearm. There are multiple creeks that converge where the cam is. Two large cleacuts and timber in this are.

These guys have me drooling right now, but how would you entice them to stay more often or come back regularly so theres' a fighting chance in the fall? Salt? Corn? apples?

Thanks in advance.

Each picture is a different buck - following behind each other. I left out the time in the screenshots because the days were all incorrect and I wanted close ups of the heads.

[Janitor123]

Here's the others

[Janitor123]

and the last photo from today

[Dan-o]

Wow.

I'm not a Blacktail guy, but good luck!

[mboyle0828]

I’m having good luck with wet COB. I have several blacktail hitting it daily. But have also had a few bears come in.

[Janitor123]

 

I’m having good luck with wet COB. I have several blacktail hitting it daily. But have also had a few bears come in.

Thanks, I'll try that.

[Jpmiller]

I've done a couple different "feed" block type baits but on the advice of a now seemingly inactive forum member I switched to salt. Holy moly that seems to get them coming back and pawing out big holes when it runs out. Plus I don't have the bears taking as much of it as I did with the feed products. Limited experience on blacktails with it but I'd imagine it works with them too.

[JakeLand]

They will be where the Does are
Look for last years rubs that will tell you if they’re there come hunting season

[mboyle0828]

I've done a couple different "feed" block type baits but on the advice of a now seemingly inactive forum member I switched to salt. Holy moly that seems to get them coming back and pawing out big holes when it runs out. Plus I don't have the bears taking as much of it as I did with the feed products. Limited experience on blacktails with it but I'd imagine it works with them too.

Agreed, salt licks work too. I’ve been getting a small mineral brick from Wilco along with a bag of wet COB.

[Stein]

They will be where the Does are
Look for last years rubs that will tell you if they’re there come hunting season

 

That's what I was going to say, attract does to your property and the bucks will be there at least in November.  I'm no expert, but bucks seem to be way more leery of bait or attractants, at least the bucks old enough to know better.

[kodiak06]

Deer or elk aren't really interested in minerals during winter. Worse case scenario for you is the private landowner hunts. The deer will definitely change patterns by fall either way. As mentioned, keeping the does around's key. Also, such a small place will need to be hunted under the right wind conditions.

[h2ofowlr]

You create too big of a bait site this early in the year, you may also draw interest from other hunters in the area.  Try to avoid creating competition for yourself unless you have some private property locked up or the only access to your spot. 

[buckfvr]

Minerals and salt is all they need for now.  Cob and corn can make them sick (if they eat too much) and draws in predators.  If you keep up that show, you will end up with a big cat hangin around and picking them off, guaranteed.

[hunter399]

Hard to say exactly what to do in your situation.
But will say a few things.
I have a few spots that the same exact thing is happening.
Basically look at your time stamps and what times they are there the most.
A bad weather event,doe in heat also keep times of doe activity.
Put up another cam 1/4 mile in on public ,see if they show up on it.

In my experience.......
They will hole up on that private durring season,your looking for the best time that they might mess up.
I've had situations where they might only show up one time durring the season.
If your @$!# bent on one of these bucks,you gotta be there any day you can durring season.
Like said try to pin point if they are using public that your not aware of.

Now feeding ,feed too much and they will never leave private. Not enough feed and not gonna show up. It's a balance act.

[Janitor123]

Thanks for the  everyone, I really appreciate it. Sounds like doing salt/minerals right now is good enough. Right now I have 3 cams all within a 200 yard circle. I think I'll move one to the other side of the parcel and see what comes up.

Just for kicks, these showed up on the adjoining cam this week.