Ask The Biologist

A mature buck is often nocturnal. Be patient and hope he makes a mistake.

QUESTION: I’m getting pictures of a big buck on my trail camera, but only at night. Lately it’s been every night, but I never see him during the day. What can I do? — Adam P.

ANSWER: I The short answer is be patient — and careful. If you’re consistently getting pictures of the same deer, your camera is probably within his core area, which means he beds nearby. Be careful not to over-hunt the area or you risk running him off. But, you also need to put your time in. As the weather gets colder and the rut kicks in, the buck should start moving more during the day. You might also consider making a mock scrape and hanging a scent dripper over it.

I know many hunters who locate such bucks and then wait for specific days/conditions to hunt for them. That usually means the period just before breeding begins and with favorable wind direction and cooler temperatures. That’s often when mature bucks get antsy and make the mistake of moving more during daylight.