WHiteboy

What do you do when the BUCKS are comming through at 5:30 am in the pitch black??

So I was in my stand this morning at 5:15 am my friend went down the corn field about 200 yards away & set up his ground blind in the tree line he got all set up got in his chair & not 10 minutes later he spots a outline of a buck not 10 yards away nice 8-10 pointer he said so he goes to stick his bow out the window & as he lines it up he looks through the scope & its just to dark so he looks over the scope & as he does that theres another 12-14 pointer buck not 4 ft in front of his blind he said he could have touched it it was so close , but when he stuck the bow out the window it spooked the the one that was so close & it jumped & took off he didnt even see that one walk up to him ,then the second one spooked & made some crazy scream/grunt noise twice & TOOK OFF , im telling you guys I got down around 9:30 AM & walked over to him & the hoof prints were SO DARN CLOSE it was amazing , he asked me did you see them I said see what all I heard were these crazy weird noises he said that was the deer. I HAVE YET TO SEE ANY DARN DEER THIS YEAR .

So we walked the tree line down the corn whichhas been cut , & there are scrapes under every over hang big scrapes theres buck poop , hoof prints the scrapes are fresh also .there are about 4-5 Acorn trees down this line .

So my question is what should I do here please help .Will these Bucks come back through there does this sound like a mating area im new to all this .

JOSH

springer01

So you are saying you hear deer, but its so dark you can see them? Kinda unclear about that.

GR8atta2d

Well it's pretty easy, if it's too dark to see..you don't shoot! Period!
Save the area for when the rut kicks in. The bucks will be more likely to slip up and move during shooting hours.

WHiteboy

TO Springer01

I heard them my best friend saw them right in front of his face!!!

Is this normal for them to move this early in the morning I guess I dont understand, I know next week is daylight savings time so it will get light earlier .

JOSH

GR8atta2d

whiteboy, the time change doesn't affect deer they don't change thier watches. Deer move most at dark, the time leading to and from the dark periods is when we try to catch them moving. Big bucks got that way for a reason and once pressure starts they can go totally nocturnal. Now once the rut starts they get ansy and sometimes move through-out the day. As hunters that's our best chance.

Hope this helps

PA Bow/Flinter

One other thing you can try, besides hunting the rut, is move your stand farther down the trail (closer to where ever they are going) and this way they will be walking infront of you when it is later and lighter out.

WHiteboy

So the rubs on the ground under the tree overhangs is this normal or are they getting ready for Rut. Do they do this every day ,ALso does this sound like a normal area for them to be moving.

We were going to try tomorrow morning just sitting on the ground up against a tree has anyone ever done this before?? the wind will be blowing in our face not toward the deer .

JOSH

GR8atta2d

Ground hunting is fine,if you play the wind. Bucks are making scrapes now (the pawed up area under the trees). When does come into estrous they will visit and urinate in a scrape to say, I'm ready. Bucks check a series of these scrapes for hot does. Generally they make way more scrapes than they actually check. Depending on your buck to doe ratio, does may not even visit the scrapes.

Honestly though Whiteboy, you need to read and learn a lot more, before I feel comfortable with you out in the woods, hunting. Read some of the articles on this website. Not the forums as much as the actual articles, journals, etc. Pick-up a Field and Stream or Deer Hunting Magazine. I don't want to discourage you, but you're asking questions that are below a novice level. Do you have a mentor (father, brother, uncle, friend )who has been hunting for sometime and can help you learn? I'm glad to see you getting into the hunting community but education and proper technique will make it an enjoyable past-time and keep you from getting frustrated.

WHiteboy

Yes I have a friend I work with that has been unting for about 25 years , I just have never asked about the scrapes. As for novice questins I am novice ! I was into paintball for about 5 years so I can hunt , I have all the right gear but just still have a few questions here & there Ill try it for a season if I dont like it Ill just sell my stuff no big deal . So far its ok kind of boring but ok ill feel much better when I myself get to see one up close , we know their there we just have to be patient & wait them out.

Thanks for the info I have books im reading & there helping out so Ill keep reading & hunting at the same time .

we off tomorrow morning again to give it another shot.

Happy hunting

Josh

A.D.D. BOY

Did you take the hunter ed class? Just wondering.