Yes heavily pressured mature bucks can be taken consistently outside of the rut.
I do not put too much effort into taking a single mature buck.
Best strategy has always been still hunting through its area. We all know that mature bucks spend more time laying down than walking around, so I figure that if he is not coming to me then I will go to him.

Have you had any success with that? Sounds difficult.

Yes... I still have killed a few in early October... But mid-September the bucks are still on the summer patterns and time frames to some degree.

Shot this one opening day in Wisconsin. I kept track of him all summer from a distance with bino's and a spotlight and new the buck bedding areas from my post season scouting.


Found this buck in late August. Arrowed him opening day afternoon


Spotted this one in the summer with a couple others... Set up at the bedding / staging area where I suspected they were coming from and shot him opening day...


A few days into the season...


Opening day...


Opening week...



And I feel the so called "October lull" don't hurt my hunting all that much cause I hunt them within there safe zone...

Early October...


Early October...


Early October...


October 5th...


October 1st...

Dang. That is a good job.

As to the question - of course they can be killed consistantly at any time of the year, but most people are not skilled enough, myself included. The best results I have had are getting right up on the bedding area in the morning. I have tried it a handful of times where I highly suspected a old buck was bediding, and been successful once.

Mornings don't work very often... You have to do it in the evening. The only times I get good morning movement is rut and occasionally post rut with mature bucks... In early season if I go into a staging / bedding area early I kick the buck out of his bed, or he comes in before daylight and smells where I walked or beds down before daylight.... But, they move real well within the safe zone the last couple hours of daylight.

I agree evenings all the way early season as I bump to many going in at the a.m. Dan youyou are welcome to my part of Wisconsin for some public land hunting. CWD for now has not screwedme up.
That damn slob of yours issomething else! That 200"ish one you have on the DVD ever hear anything more of it? *Shinning*
I really want to concur public hunting now it is a new challange for me.

T

jmbuckhunter; Yes I have taken quite a few, and yes it is difficult but that is where I find the reward.
I honestly do not spend too much time focusing on a particular mature deer so I cannot tell you what the real success rate is, but I will say that I have come home empty handed more times than not. Still I normally take one a year even if it takes the course of the bow, muzzleloader, and rifle seasons.

Nice bucks Buckmastr. I agree in the early season bucks return home under dark skys. I also hunt afternoons at staging areas knowing it will be mostlikely be right around last shooting light when I see him. From the last week in Oct. on thru november though I hit the mornings hard.

bukmstr - nice deer, no wonder you made a video.
Well - I'm buying it!
I know I can learn something.

But the way... Are you related to the guy on Wayne's World??!!