Tough Nebraska hunt

[BenBow]

I spent a week hunting friends property in north central Nebraska and experienced conditions I'd never encountered before. No one has hunted the property for over a month but almost all of the deer were nocturnal. The bucks showed up on the game cameras between 11 PM and 4 AM. The Does moved between an hour after shooting light to an hour before shooting light. Also several other people reported similar experiences in their hunting areas. Anyone have any ideas why this would be?
Here's a mule deer buck who was a 5X5 with a sticker that showed up to water at 2:22 am.
       

[BenBow]

This buck came out with 9 does and 2 smaller bucks Saturday morning. I was in a ground blind next to a corn field hunting whitetails when my friend let me know mule deer had been out in the alfalfa and were heading to the west side of the field I was watching. I grabbed my bow and took off along the edge of the field to try and head them off but 2 young whitetails came out of the corn and I had to wait till they left before I could go any further. When I finally got to a place I could see where the mulies were I caught a glimpse of one going over a hill a 1/4 mile ahead. After running to that hill I saw the deer go over another hill a 1/4 mile ahead of me. Fortunately the herd stopped at the end of a canyon. I kept trying to get ahead of them for another mile before finally doing so. They split into smaller groups that I had to dodge but I saw the big buck circling an area so I figured he'd be bedding in that area. I was able to circle around and come over a hill in the area I had last seen him and caught a glimpse of his rear end where he was bedded under a cedar tree. The wind picked up which helped cover any sound I made which let me get to a cedar tree that was less that 20 yards from him. That's when the wind switched and he busted out of his bed never giving me a shot. It was a great adrenalin rush but when that wore off the disappointment hit. But spot and stalk is still my favorite way to hunt.

Spot and stalk is awesome, when it works. Sounds like an awesome experence, even though it did not end with a dead deer.

Better luck next time.

Bisch

[Friend]

Fine effort...

[kadbow]

I hunted the same area of Nebraska the week of the 16th and it is definitely a slow time.  I usually go then to get stands set up and do any other work needed and hope to maybe luck into a deer. I did miss a doe. I will be back in a week for better daytime activity.

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Sounds like a great experience Galen.

If deer have plenty of food and no reason to move during daylight, they wont much.  Once the rut kicks in, bucks harass does and movement picks up.

[longbow fanatic 1]

Perhaps you hit the "October Lull" when deer activity, particularly buck activity, are subdued in anticipation of the rut.

[BenBow]

kadbow my friend said the rut is cranking up right now.

[kadbow]