Hi -
Last year during muzzle loader season I had a very nice buck come into range. Unfortunately, my rifle failed to fire (cap snapped...no bang...buck ran off!).
I didn't see him again all year. A couple weeks ago I put a camera in the area and a mineral block to try to see who is around these days. I got a lot of deer on camera coming to the block, sniffing it and then immediately bolting in alarm. Mr. Ten Point Buck from last year showed up one night and did the same thing at about 4:30 am.
Any idea why they're freaking out from the mineral block? Maybe my scent is on it? Maybe just because it's an unusual object? I'd never messed with mineral blocks before, but decided to after finding an nearby muddy spot where deer have been congregating and licking the ground. I think someone must have had a block there before. Thus the experiment with the block and camera.
More importantly, how would you hunt this deer now? Deer are only appearing on the camera at 10:30 pm and 4:30 am. This is an area that is private land but it gets a pretty decent amount of hunting pressure. I was thinking of going and taking the camera out and avoiding the area until muzzle loader season. I've never taken a very mature buck so I'm really hoping to get this guy.
Last year during muzzle loader season I had a very nice buck come into range. Unfortunately, my rifle failed to fire (cap snapped...no bang...buck ran off!).
I didn't see him again all year. A couple weeks ago I put a camera in the area and a mineral block to try to see who is around these days. I got a lot of deer on camera coming to the block, sniffing it and then immediately bolting in alarm. Mr. Ten Point Buck from last year showed up one night and did the same thing at about 4:30 am.
Any idea why they're freaking out from the mineral block? Maybe my scent is on it? Maybe just because it's an unusual object? I'd never messed with mineral blocks before, but decided to after finding an nearby muddy spot where deer have been congregating and licking the ground. I think someone must have had a block there before. Thus the experiment with the block and camera.
More importantly, how would you hunt this deer now? Deer are only appearing on the camera at 10:30 pm and 4:30 am. This is an area that is private land but it gets a pretty decent amount of hunting pressure. I was thinking of going and taking the camera out and avoiding the area until muzzle loader season. I've never taken a very mature buck so I'm really hoping to get this guy.