What do I do now??
 

Ok heres the scoop, Ive found I ve got a good mature buck still around our property, he is randomly hitting a tiny food plot deep in heavy cover, and I have tried fortwo years now to get some kind of pattern on him, and keep coming up with nothing. I have trail cam pics of him but they are hit and miss and in very different areas, and the area has many clearcuts, and deer seem to bed anywhere and Ive never seen him hit any of the few fields nearby, even thought Im sure he does sometime,, I am just lost here, I dont know how to go about finding a way to hunt him, the deer around my place are hard for me to pattern anyway, but this guy is driving me nuts. I know to look for bedding areas, and food sources,, the typical stuff that everyone says to find. But when you are dealing with thousands of acres of timber, with clearcuts everywhere, and white oaks everywhere, along with food plots scattered around the area. Any help would be appreciated,, what is something other than the usual I should look for?? Help me PLEASE!!!! lol Thanks

RE: What do I do now??
 

Look for a large rub on trees or try and find his tracks in mud that you can follow. Large bucks will wonder into territories they do not normally go into looking for does. Did you see him on your property during the rutting activity or in the summer? He may be comming from a long distance.

RE: What do I do now??
 

If he is randomly hitting a food plot then you must wait for him there and hope he shows up. That is his pattern, randomly hitting different spots.If he is mature he may be moving during midday to the plots or at night.
I know you know this but stay as scent free as possible.
Other than that find the does and maybe you can get him during the rut following one by your stand set up on doe hotspots.

Can you find old bigrubs? This may be a clue as to where he is traveling also. I have read that deer will make rubs on the same trees almost to the day from year to year.
Hope this helps. I have the same problem, so much food so much ground to cover, no distinct pattern.

RE: What do I do now??
 

I have pics of him on the property in late summer until late winter,, but in late winter he seems to hang out here a lot more,, hunting pressure on surrounding properties seem to drive him onto our property after the rifle season. I have tried to find bug rubs, and never seem to find any bigger than maybe my wrist, at the biggest, I dont know why I never find big rubs around our place pr the neighboring pieces of land, I have looked and know there are good bucks here, but no monster rubs, mostly just saplings, I think I may have had an encounter with him last fall while he chased a doe past my stand but I had no shot, even at 10 yards, but Im not 100 percent sure it was him, but it was a similar sized buck, and I have a couple scrape pics of him last fall, and then some feeder pics last winter after season closed, and this year he has had his pic taken both during the day and night in the plot. Thanks for the advice guys,, keep it coming.

RE: What do I do now??
 

Maybe you can find two doe bedding areas and hunt a main trail that connects them.

RE: What do I do now??
 

It's a myth that huge deer have to rub huge trees. That tree that's the size of your wrist may have been done by this guy. If you've got an established rub line, try to set up your cameras around it and get the pic you're looking for. If he's hitting one, the chances are he's hitting a couple. Good luck, hopefully you can post a pic of him on here come opening day.

RE: What do I do now??
 

I say you need to get in the thickest thicket in your area and hunt. Thats where he'll be. He'll come out to eat and go back in to bed. Find his bed and trail to the food sources and set up an ambush stand. Watch the wind as the smart ones like to circle the wind some. Anywhere you've seen him, chances are he'll be bedding in the nearest thicket. just find his tracks and you're set. Any water sources? ponds or creeks?

RE: What do I do now??
 

Find his core area , then look for his bedroom .

RE: What do I do now??
 

Pattern the does and he will soon follow them. Don't shoot any does until you get a chance at big boy. Does are easy to pattern. It will work I do it every year. Don't tell Justin though hes got a buck hes going to spook off by looking for him.:D:D