Season after season, people at our camp say there is just not any big bucks thisyear. I listen how they talk about, their just not moving.The whole time they are there, they are just not in the right place at the right time.

I feel that we do not see all the nice bucks that are in the woods, will most likely see the majority of them. I have hadtrail camera pics of bucks that we never see, every year. I started hunting40 arces of pines an cedarslast year. I hunted the edges, an the creek side where the acorn trees are at an thought the40 arceshad maybe 2 or 3 bucks. Well, therewere about 7 staying in the general area at that time.

I take it with a grain of salt when someone says" they are not here". What areyour thoughts on this?

If you have pictures of them, they are probably around. Remember, you don't get big being dumb when being a deer.

It's the bucks that I haven't seen yet that keep me going back to Alberta, I KNOW they're there! It's only a matter of time until I shoot a real good buck up there.The sooner the better.

I will most likely never make it to Alberta, but I understand what you are saying, that is what keeps me going.

I recently read a book that talked some about this ("all the bucks are nocturnal"). I think it was "Proven Whitetail Tactics."

I've seen it at our camp. "There's no big deer, people shoot too many little deer, all the deer somewhere else, the deer are all nocturnal." I bought into it for a while, but I just don't think its true.

First off, obviously some places have a lot more big, high quality whitetails than others. The place I hunt is okay, but not spectacular naturally, and that is part of why we have really turned to management the last 3 years.
In our area, I see a couple guys who always seem to get good deer (or hah, put their friends and relatives on deer), and they aren't the guys complaining, who smoke and drink all night, ride their four wheeler to the same worn out stand, go sit by their feeders, etc. I'm learning to get more and more aggressive, and while it hasn't completely paid off, I'm seeing lots more deer. More scouting, more food plots, setting up lots of different stands (moving them even during the season), using climbers, being very wary of my scent and the wind, throwing in a little stalking around blind corners, hunting in the middle of the day or after all the four wheelers leave, or after inclement weather moves though no matter what time.

Of course, you probably know all this, and have tried it, and like me have not seen the big bucks. [:@] That's why there's next year.

Also, if you know there are about 7 deer in a core area, you will need to strategize how to hunt them without overpressuring them and running them out of there. It could be that come deer season, those bucks are finding a safer area to lay low. The strategy of course depends on lots of variables.

I like taking a break an going to the camp to get a bite, that is the normal time that that feeling sinks in the buck I have hunted forsince opening day is under my stand.

Are you guys hunting where they are during daylight?

Good point.

Some guys have forgottenmore than I know but there are a few things I have learned. Rubs. Scrapes. Tracks. Hair on fence. Game campics. All of that is great if you have it. But if you are not seeing them during daylight, move.

lebeau hit it on the head when he said he gets aggressive. I think some folks are afraid to get down, look around, and set up again.Get in there where they stay. Find a wayin and outwithout blowing it out and stay clean as possible. Just sitting on a field edge all of the time like on TV does not always work.

Personally I look for obvious bedding areas in ornear mega thicketsbordering CRP if possible. Look for lots of deer dropping. Deer tend to take a dump when they get up and down. They dont lay there a crap in their bed. And get in there early.

That is just my two cents worth. Not that I know it all but that adjustment has proven to be better than just sitting in one spot.

Had to edit for this. I forgot.Something to think about is time of day.

120"5:45 PM 45 F calm Nov6
126" 9:30 AM 40 F calmNov 9
135" 2:30 PM 45 F calm Nov 6
140" 2.45 PM 85 F and windy Nov 17
152" 4:15 PM 22 F calm Jan 1

Bigger deer movewhen many other things are not.

I think big bucks are mythical woodland creatures or farm raised J/K- I know they are there but they know I'm there too, thats why I never see them, at least when it counts.

No easy answers,(I know you are not looking for any).The most important thing in hunting big deer is that there has to be some in the area you are hunting.If you have hunted an area hard and smart and you havn't seen a big deer chances are they are not there.They are not phantoms,they leave evidence of their existence,track size,huge rubs.If you are seeing huge tracks and rubs that are fresh,that animal is spending time in that area.I believe in most instances you have to find the bucks bedding area and hunt his coming and going's from that area as surgically as you can.