The most difficult part about it is that the dominant buck will rarely take the same route on a consistant basics. If you watch him enough though you can make an educated guess and it all might come together. A game of cat and mouse where the hunter is very seldom the cat.
I agree, MOHO....and I think the buck I took late season last year is a PRIME example of this. I saw him a couple of times and set up where I thought he might be, next (by guessing and using deductive reasoning.....i.e. he's going to switch up his "routine"). It worked out. He wasn't THE dominant buck....but I honestly had my chances at him, too.....and by employing the exact same strategy. if I'd had a tag on the last day of the season.....he might be on my wall, too. "Might"
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Someone one said (and I forget who it was).....that the key to killing a mature buck is finding and fooling HIM....before he finds you. I think by moving around....I up my chances of me winning that battle....but it's still a game of cat and mouse.....like you say. I am the mouse......yes.....as long as I'm hunting the woods I do as MUCH as I do. GREAT analogy.
And alas, Moho....I can't even play his game on his turf. I have to wait for him to come to me. I don't have access to him on all sides. If I did.....well.....I'd like to know "what if". I'm working on gaining another 120 acres to hunt to the south of me for the future. That'll give me a vantage from both side of the parks system......and it'll keep me out of my woods I hunt now.....a LOT.