mohunter82

2 days ago i have the best day yet this season seeing 4 bucks in one day. 2 days later and i finally get lucky and catch a couple of little does walking through at last light and that was it all day. I even got up ANOTHER hour earlier to get in my stand 2 hours early so not to spook the buck im after.

is it gonna be a bad thing when your buck to doe ratio is 5 bucks to 2 does. and only one is a mature buck? Should i be concentrating on bleating more than trying to challenge him?

and with this small of a doe population should i be taking another one out? im sure there is more around that i'm not seeing.

I'm just getting frustrated and reaching out to the masses for help.

popeandyoungchaser

Your doe population probably is not the problem as there are definately more than just those two. The challenge calls i don't see working unless the one mature buck you have seen is in the area. The younger bucks have had their butts wooped enough to know better than to run into a fight. I would say just do your time in the stand and get a little luck on your side. The bleat may be the ticket if one of those bucks is within ear shot of you but as far as drawing them in i have never had it work for that.

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solocamcan

Set up different stand locations, don't be "predictable". Those deer may know when your in there and they are changing there feeding, bedding patterens accordingly, throw them off by moving around. And like the other poster said...there are WAY more doe's there then you are seeing, and prob. WAY more bucks as well. Good Luck.

mohunter82

Thanks for the advice. i went out and put up a new stand in a big oak stand that is between a THICK bedding area and my neighbors pasture. This is a heavily used area especially now since all of our crops have been harvested. This oak stand has always produced a bumber crop of acorns and this year was no exception.

I know i need to pass on the smaller bucks. it was hard the other morning when that 6 pointer was only 5 yards under my stand. The only big problem i have is that my neighbor to the south will probably try to kill every deer he sees. Even though he is only allowed 1 buck that doesn't mean much to him.
If there is more bucks then i am extremely lucky cause all the bucks i have seen is on my paltry 23 acres. 5 bucks concentrated in that small an area. i could see that maybe in a state that has those numbers but we dont. i'm just lucky i guess.

wish me luck i'm gonna need it to harvest the big one before rifle season so my nieghbor doesn't try to poach him.
Thanks again

Angus74

Like some have said, just get after him, set up, watch the wind, be careful with calls, maybe try a little calling if you see him out of range, but if he doesnt show interest stop calling it could spook him if he hears too much. Keep trying to take some does, it never hurts to take some does out of your herd, but for the next two weeks, Id let the does walk, the big one may be following her. Good luck. Where in MO are you hunting?

mj469

I pretty much have the same exact problem. I am basically fighting time. Only we have this deer pegged down to about 5 acres of timber, and it's right next to town. In the past 2 days he has decided to be very visual and 20 minutes before dark he was parading around in the field and all kinds of cars were slowing down to look at him. We have about 9 days to kill this deer or I would just about imagine there will be 10 pickups parked there opening morning of rifle season. All we have been able to do is just set and wait. He has chosen 4 different paths out of five nights and hopefully within those 9 days he will choose a path within 40 yards of the stand. Good luck, and just sit it out...hope luck is on your side.

mohunter82

I'm about 45 min east southeast outside of KC "angus74". i know the bucks are really starting to get in the mood. where bout mo you hunt?

ILL Boy

I agree with the above. I would hold off on the calling. More likely to run him off then bring him in. Only use when you see him and he's not close enough or coming in your direction. Sounds like you have your own sanctuary. Dont let them detect you and dont overhunt the same spot. Just be patient. Remember you only get what you put into it. If you want the big one you're going to have to work for him. Good luck, I hope you get him.

ericstacy

We call these deer "Back-Lot" deer. Or "Sand Lot" deer. In your case this could prove to be an incredible amount of luck. When big deer are pressured, they find the tinyest little hiding spots. The does on the other hand stay in thier regular feeding areas. The bigBucks could be holding up in just a little bushey patch of woods a long distance away from the pressured woods. You may in fact see more bucks than does and this is great. When the "Season" picks up you can take advantage of decoys with scent that will certainly draw them out of these "Patches". I would use a decoy about fiftyyards in the open off the edge of a thicket with a little doe pee or tinks and try to catch the big boys patrolling the edge of the thicket. Shot my second biggest deer this way. He wouldnt come out in the open but he showed himself! Down Buck!