I've been hunting deer for 2.5 yrs. I'll be entering my 4th season, in 22 days.
Confession...with a caveat.
Until this season....I felt the best way to have a chance at a buck was to hunt the does. While this method has proven "fruitful' for me.....my confession is I no longer feel this to be true.
Scott (Buckeye) and otherstook umbrage with my approach (ideology) in the past....and thinking about it, logcally, now......I can see why. It's really about the LAST thing "I" would NOW try to tell someone I wanted to be successful. With the acquisition of the new land I have.....I'm starting to understand more and more. With the herd dynamics I have here.....again.....I am starting (understatement) to see the light they have been seeing. Point conceded.
The caveat.......
I had no choice (in the past). It WAS "my" best shot. I no longer feel that way, though.....on the new land. My ideology hasn't changed, though, on the "old" properties I can hunt.
So? What's the smart thing to do?
STAY OUT of the doe laden areas until the bucks come to find them.
My confession......change of strategy.......etc...
During the rut find the doe bedding areas and stay on the downwind side of them preferably near a pinch point. The bucks will come to scent check and you can catch them that way. Another method is to hunt funnels between bigger woodlots. I like hedgerows. You don't see a lot of deer using this method, but the ones you do see are the ones you're after. I've learned this over the last several years and seen more big bucks because of it. Now I just need to get that shot.
Interesting scenario you have there. In the doe-laden areas, the one thing that I would worry about is educating the does to your presence. Now, from my experience, the does will tolerate more intrusion that the bucks, some will disagree on this, especially if you have lots of old, mature does. But, if the does bust you a couple times, the bucks are going to take note of this as well. Early season, I hunt edges, fully understanding that my best buck opportunities may come from being more on the "inside" but not wanting to booger a whole spot on entry/exit. You should be able to accomplish at least some of your doe goals without going right in after them, right? Perhaps you can hunt the periphery (sp?) in the early season, waiting till the bucks get more active on the does, and then find the does.
__________________
2007 Bowtech Commander 70# @32"
Spot-Hogg Hunter Hogg-It 5 Pin
Limb Driver
Easton Full Metal Jacket Camo 300
Grim Reaper Razorcut
Grizz Trick 125
Summit Goliath SS
Bingo GMMAT!. Leave the ladies be till rut time if you want to have a crack at a nice buck. If you want to kill a doe early, do it someplace else where you don't plan on looking for a good buck to come by. Keep tabs on your does though; bedding areas, feeding and travel routes as they may and most likely will change thru october and into november as food sources change.
Quote:
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
I've been hunting deer for 2.5 yrs. I'll be entering my 4th season, in 22 days.
Confession...with a caveat.
Until this season....I felt the best way to have a chance at a buck was to hunt the does. While this method has proven "fruitful' for me.....my confession is I no longer feel this to be true.
Scott (Buckeye) and otherstook umbrage with my approach (ideology) in the past....and thinking about it, logcally, now......I can see why. It's really about the LAST thing "I" would NOW try to tell someone I wanted to be successful. With the acquisition of the new land I have.....I'm starting to understand more and more. With the herd dynamics I have here.....again.....I am starting (understatement) to see the light they have been seeing. Point conceded.
The caveat.......
I had no choice (in the past). It WAS "my" best shot. I no longer feel that way, though.....on the new land. My ideology hasn't changed, though, on the "old" properties I can hunt.
So? What's the smart thing to do?
STAY OUT of the doe laden areas until the bucks come to find them.
My confession......change of strategy.......etc...
My theory on successfully hunting bucks...successfully consistently hunt bucks rather, would be hunting deer in general in early season (1st month). In my opinion, this will give you just about as much of a shot, if not more, at seeing bucks as hunting early sign during this time. Pre rut is when I would begin to focus on secondary trails, scrapes, corridors from bedding areas and so forth. During the rut, find the hot does and the bucks will be near. I also hunt alot of scrapes during this time. Post rut, I go back to hunting inside corners and narrows and late season I try to find a really thick area and setup on the outskirts of it (helps to hide your silhouette when all the leaves are gone). Just a theory and it certainly depends on the region of the country your in (I don't know much about this area, NC) and other factors (ratios, size of land, type of land...)
Also, the location of other hunters is a big factor to where I hunt, although if you don't share the land its one less thing to worry about.
Ryan
I'm STILL gonna take does.....but they will be fewer (me, personally) and further between. They will also be (and please - no criticism....as I am fully aware that it is never a surety) slam dunk opportunities. I mean SLAM DUNKS.
I've gotten SO much advice from some really great guys on this new land (you know hwo you are) and I appreciate every word of it. New land - new outlook.
Yeah.....that and the surrounding areas, too. That and just has SO MUCH potential for holding bucks. I'd be a FOOL not to hunt them the way they should be hunted.....even at the risk of seeing less deer. I KNOW whereI can go and see "deer".
This new land has it "all". I've never been privy to that.
If you want to kill a doe early, do it someplace else where you don't plan on looking for a good buck to come by.
Exactly. I HAVE to put at LEAST four mature, Illinios-sized deer in my freezer every year; my family goes through and needs that much venison. Obviously, that mandates that I take several does every year... I do this on land where I'm not actively targeting a mature buck.
2.5yrs.....and a confession
) and I appreciate every word of it. New land - new outlook.
