As the upcoming season is rapidly approaching (not fast enough), im continueing to get all my gear ready and starting to think more and more about my setups. My question is this. The majority of areas that i hunt are residential neighborhoods. Most of them are gold minds. I normally see deer every sit and although not always shooter bucks, i could normally take a doe at will, which is nice. My question concerns one property. This one property has a non typical buck running around, he is a main frame 10 with 2 drops and kickers. I have only seen him once, but he stayed about 75 yards out. Anyhow, back to the question. The property that i have access to hunt is about 5 acres that is adjacent to a county park which is no hunting. None of the neighbors allow hunting so i am stuck to try to kill this buck on this property. I know to only hunt him on the right wind and all that, but is there anything i could do to try to get him coming onto this property more often? He was seen about 5 times last year, once by me, 3 times by the property owner and once by a hunting friend of mine who was driving down the road. All times were in daylight, so he is quite comfortable. We are allowed to bait in NJ, but they bait down the road heavily and i have heard that fully mature deer will stay away. Any ideas on helping me tip the odds on my dream buck would be greatly appreciated.

Sounds as if you doing everything right and everything you can. "And italso sounds like a great buck" I know you have heard it before? But thats why they call it hunting and not killing. But being that this peace of property is surrounded by other property`s that you can`t hunt? there is not much you can do about that other than try to focus on why this buck is using or crossing your hunting property?For one reason or anotherIt`s most likly Ether "bedding or feeding" or maby just chassing a few of those does around durring the rut? (imo) I would try to find on why he`s using or crossing this property if I couldAnd ether set up close to or in betweenthese area`s."There is no guarantees to taking a buck like that even if you do everything right" You should fill lucky that you were able to atleast see a buck like that a lot of hunters never do! Good luck! p.s Hope to see some pics of this drop tine bruiser this hunting season..

The only thing that I could add to what you're already doing is maybe decoying. If you can give this buck something that he hasn't seen before it maybe just what it takes to get this big boy to drop his guard.

Hi njbuck22
Sounds like you got quiet a delima on your mind.
The other two guys have some real good advice, I myself would do the same.
Look for the trail that this big boy is useing to cross this peice of land and if there is any trees or thick brush nearby, try to set up an ambush like a gound blind or treestand.
You might want to start your bait pile with something like apples or corn maybe some sugar beets and when the prerut is around try a buck decoy/ doe when the rut is infull swing.

since you can bait in nj i would put out some corn or oat seed

I normally wouldn't have recommended this, but a friend of mine who just started hunting, decided to cut a trail with a weedeater and chain saw.

The trail went straight through the thickest of thickets and the bedding area of a large buck. It was a main core area. I found out about the cutting of the trail a couple days after it occured. We were three weeks into bow season...

Well, Mr. Big Buck stays in the area and exposes his broad side to my buddy. He misses the shot and the buck continued to use the path of least resistance in the thicket.

I encourage you to do the same except make your trail no later than the middle of July. Get in and get it done and the buck will get used to it.He willstart to utilize the trail especially when his rack starts to develop.

Pattern him with or without a camera and get in a tree stand...

You said that you see does about every sit. So what I would recomend is pretty obvious but It look like your best chance for him is in the rut. So sit and sit and sit in that treestand come the rut.Just my thought.

If you can bait then throwing some corn around will bring the does & fawns for now but eventually those does go in heat & they'll bring the bucks. In my limited experience you wont likely find a mature buck coming in to feed during the day untill late season but they'll always come in looking for does as long as they dont know about you.