ORIGINAL: buckeyebuckhntr
OK.... So I have been trying to do more reading lately than posting (post count is out of control
)..... I have noticed the saying "hunt the does" a lot lately...... Also, posts about hunting destinations ex. (crops, water etc..... more on this later in the post.)
I personally do not subscribe to this tactic (hunt the does all season longfor bucks)..... I am not saying it is wrong to do so, only that I would never implement this strategy myself save the possibility ofthe major seeking phase of the rut. Even then it is sketchy for me.
I am certain that this tactic has brought an end to many fine whitetail, but I also feel it has allowed many manymore to live.......
My thoughts are that while hunters are busy chasing the does all over the place throughout the early seasonthey are basically giving the does afine education on hunting pressure.... By the time the mature bucks would be spending time on the hoof during daylight hours the does will be extra cautious and moving under the radar..... Once the pressure has moved the does into daylight security cover until after dusk that will really hurt the hunters chances at eyeing up a good buck....
Basicallywhat I am saying is that the culmination of small mistakes over the early season can add up to enough pressure on the doesto alters their daily routine and cost one opportunities at bucks that would have been seeking does in easier locations to hunt than bedding and security cover.
Thoughts, experiences, agree, disagree???? Let's hear it. I am all ears.
This has become rather long.... Onto my thoughts of destination setups later......
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This is a great subject buckeye...thanks for posting it.
My take is similar to yours in that if you pressure the does early you stand a good chance of ruining your rut hunting. I will hunt bucks by trying to pattern them if I can, if I can't then I hunt areas I "feel" the bucks will most likely travel taking into consideration the terrain, foliage, water sources, pinch points, funnels, etc...
That being said I will always hunt where the does are during the rut, My belief is that while the bucks will break routine during this time, making pattering them even more difficult, the does will keep to status que (at least they do where I hut).
Because I do this, you will very rarely hear me talk about killingdoes until either after I have killed a buck or late in the season. The reasonfor this as mentioned above is I don't want to tip my hand to the does as to my presence. I'll spend many early days sitting in those stands watching and patterning the does to get a good idea of what they do. This way I'll stand a better chance of getting on a nice buck during the heat of the rut when they are unpredictable.