I have only ever tried to hunt mature bucks solely one year in the 17 years I have been hunting before this year. It was in 2005. That year I saw 3 mature bucks but none were in range. This year I have seen one and he was in range, but no shot. I have passed up 6-7 different bucks because they were too small this year. In 2005 I passed up maybe 5-6 bucks in range because they were too small. It is a test, a tough one. I don't have many big bucks running around where I hunt, so that leads to many days passing small bucks or not seeing anything at all.
For those of you who have hunted big bucks a long time, my hats off to you! This is hard work! It sure is a mental test. For as much as I hunt and not to pull the trigger on something can be rough on one's ego....what are some of you all's mindframes when hunting big bucks...you know the kind that keeps you plugging away?
what are some of you all's mindframes when hunting big bucks...you know the kind that keeps you plugging away?
1) Knowing that tey are out there.
This is a biggy, if they are not there you will not see one much less have a shot at one.
2) Time.
You have to have lots of time. You may get lucky and get one right away, but my experience says to be prepared for the long haul. It's a game of being in the right place at the right time. To help improve your odds, especially if you live in an area where there aren't a lot of mature bucks, start scouting for one right after the season and try to get a pattern on him right when the new season opens.
3) Patience
It's a simple fact that if you want to get a big one, you can't shoot a little one. I have found that when I hunt in areas where there arn't a lot of mature bucks around that I can expect 0 -3 sightings/ opertunities in a season. That's with having the month of November off of work plus all the after work hunts and weekends.
You must be mentally prepared for the fact that you may not succeed.
Once you have gotten a few it gets a little bit easier, mentally. But it's still tough. I've had at least 8 shots at three different mature bucks that were below my goal for this year and I am always second guessing myself. Especially this year since I'm 2 weeks shorter on vacation due to my moose hunt. I continually mull things over in my mind to stay focused on my goal. It is becoming harder for me as I haven't seen a mature buck in the last 4 days and I have about 9 gays of vacation left. We'll see what happens!
Good luck.
__________________
Quote:
So there I was, Nov 12th 1996, flying down the highway, smoking cigarettes and drinking coffee, windows down for scent control.
I didn't even shoot a doe the other night at 20 yards because she had some small bucks interested.
AF---we aren't allowed to have trail cams on base so I have to keep the faith that hey are there based on scouting signs in the off-season.
Greg--thanks for your post. I am prepared to not succeed. I am also prepared to make the shot count if it happens. You seem to be right on in terms o mature buck sightings for me---usually 1-2 per year, and none some years.
Thanks for your posts...I have to keep working hard.
Same here on the mature buck (160 or better class) sightings. 0-3 is very accurate. I have seen one so far this season above 160. There like a needle in a hay stack. Like Greg said, a ton of time and I'll and you need some luck too. Chris
__________________
Arrows and Words. Use them wisely, once released they can't be brought back.
Chris Miles
Ulitmate Camo Web Site http://ultimatecamo.com/ UltimateCamo Water Transfer Imaging http://liquidprintone.com/
I'm certainly not a mature deer expert, but I will say this.
I saw my first one(in the past 3 years) tonight at 50yds....man it was nice. I refuse to shoot a sub-par buck (by my standards) and will continue to hold out. I've passed bushels of small bucks over the past 10 years waiting for "the one". Now - at least I know he's there. Probably went 115" - 120"which is a REAL good one where I hunt.
Worst thing about tonight....he wanted nothing to do with anything I had to offer. Didn't even look my way on a buck or doe call. Oh well there's always tomorrow!
I agree, hunting mature deer is very tough. When I first started out bowhunting my main goal was simply to prove to myself I could actually harvest a buck with a bow and I wasn't real picky. After a few years of shooting lesser deerI realizedthat Iwas prematurelyshooting a smaller buck due to lack of patience andIquickly began to dislikethefeeling that follows when you really wished you'd have passed. That feeling can stick with you all year. It took a while, but I finally got it through my itchy trigger finger that you can't shoot a wallhanger if you burn your tag onone of the easy-to-shootsubordinate bucks that casually stroll by. You also have to be willing to eat a tag sandwich if it doesn't happen that year.
There are two ways toplay the big-buck game. The first isyou have to find where a specific buck lives during pre-season and set up accordingly. The second is tosimply putyour stands in a hotspot during the rut and hope for the best. I believe themore consistantlysuccessful big buck shooters are honing in on a specific buck or two. That is the tactic I took for the first time this year. It is a lot of work getting permission, scouting early and often, and being patient for the right time to move in, but it paid off dearly for me as I harvested the big buck I had watched for over a year.
Good stuff WV...man they sure are a sight to behold. They are like ghosts to me, here one minute gone forever the next. I believe I am not seeing them because of two things; 1) I am not an expert of where to set my stand. I have improved tremendously in this area, but I am average. 2) I don't have alot of big bucks where I hunt. Combine those two factors together and you have me, a person working his butt off to get on one, but all the cards must fall the right way for me to have a chance. I am looking for that full house when all I have is two pair.....My day will come.
This is a biggy, if they are not there you will not see one much less have a shot at one.
2) Time.
You have to have lots of time. You may get lucky and get one right away, but my experience says to be prepared for the long haul. It's a game of being in the right place at the right time. To help improve your odds, especially if you live in an area where there aren't a lot of mature bucks, start scouting for one right after the season and try to get a pattern on him right when the new season opens.
3) Patience
It's a simple fact that if you want to get a big one, you can't shoot a little one. I have found that when I hunt in areas where there arn't a lot of mature bucks around that I can expect 0 -3 sightings/ opertunities in a season. That's with having the month of November off of work plus all the after work hunts and weekends.
You must be mentally prepared for the fact that you may not succeed.
Once you have gotten a few it gets a little bit easier, mentally. But it's still tough. I've had at least 8 shots at three different mature bucks that were below my goal for this year and I am always second guessing myself. Especially this year since I'm 2 weeks shorter on vacation due to my moose hunt. I continually mull things over in my mind to stay focused on my goal. It is becoming harder for me as I haven't seen a mature buck in the last 4 days and I have about 9 gays of vacation left. We'll see what happens!
Good luck.
Greg....Thanks for posting that. I put a LOT of faith in Dukemichaels....and he and I have discussed this at length. He too said that I must be willing to accept defeat. I've gotten more and more aggressive with gun season looming....and if I get "beat".....then they just win.
I've learned more this year than I EVER thought I could in one season, though.....and I've put more time into it than I may ever get to again.
I'll hunt smarter next year.....because of what I've learned this year. If I don't score on a buck this year....so be it. it's still been a HUGE success.
For the record....I've seen ONE mature buck in 54 sits. I had him at 40 yds....and as close as 25 yds (no shot op.). What a night, though. It made my season.
This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
