RE: Who hunts where the does are....during the rut?
For the past two seasons I have been changing my hunting tactics during the chasing/seeking phase and while I haven't killed any mature deer during this timeframe, I have experienced many more close encounters than I used to when just randomly hunting the doe bedding areas or just off them during this phase. I have 2 primary tactics that both seem to work for me so far and hopefully will pay off soon.
My first tactic is todo my best to identify the doe bedding areas on the property before the chasing/seeking phase, and then play connect the dots using terrain features and wind directionto determine where I would go if traveling from bedding area to bedding area looking for does. I setup on the pinch points and funnels between these areasas needed and have had some good success with some great bucks very close.
My second tactic and probably most successful game plan in terms of producing encounters is to again identify where the does are bedding and feeding, and then learning where and how they move when either pressured or chased. I have seen at least on my properties that if they are being pressured by humans or chased by bucks, they seem to have very similar movement patterns and escape routes out of their primary bedding areas. This tactic has produced 2x encounters of the last 2 years for me with 125+ inch deer at well under 50 yards.........however hasn't actually helped me put one down yet. Last year I got trigger happy on one of these setups and shot the doe at 20 yardswhile she wasusing a stream crossing pinch point on a known escape route 100 yards from a main doe bedding area. I knew she was likely being chased but didn't have anything in the freezer yet and immediately after whacking her I saw the buckthat was chasing hersneaking away after watching what just happened to his girl. This is the same buck that we later found gut shot on the property that taped out at 129". Hopefully this tactic will produce another encounter this year for me.
I think the reason these tactics work well for me as compared to hunting right in or around the main doe bedding areas is I think I am able to stay out of these bedroom areas that the does use and I believe I educate less deer this way.