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This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
I have only ever tried to hunt mature bucks solely one year in the 17 years I have been hunting before this year. It was in 2005. That year I saw 3 mature bucks but none were in range. This year I have seen one and he was in range, but no shot. I have passed up 6-7 different bucks because they were too small this year. In 2005 I passed up maybe 5-6 bucks in range because they were too small. It is a test, a tough one. I don't have many big bucks running around where I hunt, so that leads to many days passing small bucks or not seeing anything at all.
For those of you who have hunted big bucks a long time, my hats off to you! This is hard work! It sure is a mental test. For as much as I hunt and not to pull the trigger on something can be rough on one's ego....what are some of you all's mindframes when hunting big bucks...you know the kind that keeps you plugging away? |
RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
I've seen 'em on the cameras and its just a matter of time before he walks by in real life. That's what keeps me going!
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RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
ORIGINAL: virginiashadow what are some of you all's mindframes when hunting big bucks...you know the kind that keeps you plugging away? This is a biggy, if they are not there you will not see one much less have a shot at one. 2) Time. You have to have lots of time. You may get lucky and get one right away, but my experience says to be prepared for the long haul. It's a game of being in the right place at the right time. To help improve your odds, especially if you live in an area where there aren't a lot of mature bucks, start scouting for one right after the season and try to get a pattern on him right when the new season opens. 3) Patience It's a simple fact that if you want to get a big one, you can't shoot a little one. I have found that when I hunt in areas where there arn't a lot of mature bucks around that I can expect 0 -3 sightings/ opertunities in a season. That's with having the month of November off of work plus all the after work hunts and weekends. You must be mentally prepared for the fact that you may not succeed. Once you have gotten a few it gets a little bit easier, mentally. But it's still tough. I've had at least 8 shots at three different mature bucks that were below my goal for this year and I am always second guessing myself. Especially this year since I'm 2 weeks shorter on vacation due to my moose hunt. I continually mull things over in my mind to stay focused on my goal. It is becoming harder for me as I haven't seen a mature buck in the last 4 days and I have about 9 gays of vacation left. We'll see what happens! Good luck. |
RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
Id be happy with anything that walks unders my stand or to even see a deer and get busted...
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RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
I didn't even shoot a doe the other night at 20 yards because she had some small bucks interested.
AF---we aren't allowed to have trail cams on base so I have to keep the faith that hey are there based on scouting signs in the off-season. Greg--thanks for your post. I am prepared to not succeed. I am also prepared to make the shot count if it happens. You seem to be right on in terms o mature buck sightings for me---usually 1-2 per year, and none some years. Thanks for your posts...I have to keep working hard. |
RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
Same here on the mature buck (160 or better class) sightings. 0-3 is very accurate. I have seen one so far this season above 160. There like a needle in a hay stack. Like Greg said, a ton of time and I'll and you need some luck too. Chris
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RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
I'm certainly not a mature deer expert, but I will say this.
I saw my first one(in the past 3 years) tonight at 50yds....man it was nice. I refuse to shoot a sub-par buck (by my standards) and will continue to hold out. I've passed bushels of small bucks over the past 10 years waiting for "the one". Now - at least I know he's there. Probably went 115" - 120"which is a REAL good one where I hunt. Worst thing about tonight....he wanted nothing to do with anything I had to offer. Didn't even look my way on a buck or doe call. Oh well there's always tomorrow! |
RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
I agree, hunting mature deer is very tough. When I first started out bowhunting my main goal was simply to prove to myself I could actually harvest a buck with a bow and I wasn't real picky. After a few years of shooting lesser deerI realizedthat Iwas prematurelyshooting a smaller buck due to lack of patience andIquickly began to dislikethefeeling that follows when you really wished you'd have passed. That feeling can stick with you all year. It took a while, but I finally got it through my itchy trigger finger that you can't shoot a wallhanger if you burn your tag onone of the easy-to-shootsubordinate bucks that casually stroll by. You also have to be willing to eat a tag sandwich if it doesn't happen that year.
There are two ways toplay the big-buck game. The first isyou have to find where a specific buck lives during pre-season and set up accordingly. The second is tosimply putyour stands in a hotspot during the rut and hope for the best. I believe themore consistantlysuccessful big buck shooters are honing in on a specific buck or two. That is the tactic I took for the first time this year. It is a lot of work getting permission, scouting early and often, and being patient for the right time to move in, but it paid off dearly for me as I harvested the big buck I had watched for over a year. |
RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
Good stuff WV...man they sure are a sight to behold. They are like ghosts to me, here one minute gone forever the next. I believe I am not seeing them because of two things; 1) I am not an expert of where to set my stand. I have improved tremendously in this area, but I am average. 2) I don't have alot of big bucks where I hunt. Combine those two factors together and you have me, a person working his butt off to get on one, but all the cards must fall the right way for me to have a chance. I am looking for that full house when all I have is two pair.....My day will come.
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RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
1) Knowing that tey are out there. This is a biggy, if they are not there you will not see one much less have a shot at one. 2) Time. You have to have lots of time. You may get lucky and get one right away, but my experience says to be prepared for the long haul. It's a game of being in the right place at the right time. To help improve your odds, especially if you live in an area where there aren't a lot of mature bucks, start scouting for one right after the season and try to get a pattern on him right when the new season opens. 3) Patience It's a simple fact that if you want to get a big one, you can't shoot a little one. I have found that when I hunt in areas where there arn't a lot of mature bucks around that I can expect 0 -3 sightings/ opertunities in a season. That's with having the month of November off of work plus all the after work hunts and weekends. You must be mentally prepared for the fact that you may not succeed. Once you have gotten a few it gets a little bit easier, mentally. But it's still tough. I've had at least 8 shots at three different mature bucks that were below my goal for this year and I am always second guessing myself. Especially this year since I'm 2 weeks shorter on vacation due to my moose hunt. I continually mull things over in my mind to stay focused on my goal. It is becoming harder for me as I haven't seen a mature buck in the last 4 days and I have about 9 gays of vacation left. We'll see what happens! Good luck. I've learned more this year than I EVER thought I could in one season, though.....and I've put more time into it than I may ever get to again. I'll hunt smarter next year.....because of what I've learned this year. If I don't score on a buck this year....so be it. it's still been a HUGE success. For the record....I've seen ONE mature buck in 54 sits. I had him at 40 yds....and as close as 25 yds (no shot op.). What a night, though. It made my season. |
RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
im 30yrs old and have been hunting mature bucks only for last 5yrs. if you shoot a small buck or even a doe you may be missing out on the mature buck that may have passed 10 min later. my father shoots almost any deer that walks past. he wonders how i always get the big deer. ive shot 5 mature deer after passing on smaller bucks on the same day. there are times you could shot a smaller deer and still get lucky to have the big one walk by but your odds drop for sure because of all the rukus. so, i always keep in the back of my mind when a tempting buck walks by that a big boy could be minutes away!!
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RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
I've gotten more and more aggressive with gun season looming....and if I get "beat".....then they just win. |
RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
Mature bucks are the toughest to hunt.
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RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
ORIGINAL: GMMAT For the record....I've seen ONE mature buck in 54 sits. I had him at 40 yds....and as close as 25 yds (no shot op.). What a night, though. It made my season. |
RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
It's a simple fact that if you want to get a big one, you can't shoot a little one. I have found that when I hunt in areas where there arn't a lot of mature bucks around that I can expect 0 -3 sightings/ opertunities in a season. That's with having the month of November off of work plus all the after work hunts and weekends. You also have to be able to check your ego at the door and not compromise your standards you set out with for anything. I'm on a tag soup stretch right nowthat I'm not crazy about since hunting these creatures. Just haven't been able to put it all together for a variety of reasons. In the meantime though I've passed on a gazillion bucks. Just knowing you put yourself in the right place and were there at the right time to be able to kill the smaller bucks is good enough for me. They are a dead deer walking and don't know it. You really have already "hunted" that animal successfully. The only thing you didn't do was kill it. It's rough at times and frustrating but I've learned more in the last 5 years hunting only big bucks than I have in the 15 years before that. I'm not expert by any means (especially compared to some of the people on this board), but that's my take on it. Mentally and physicall tough. |
RE: This hunting mature buck thing is tough!
I've slowly built my skills up to the point where I think I have a fighting chance at getting one. That being said, I realize I am not hunting in a "stocked bass pond" where I hunt. I am hunting in a well used public pond :) I have to keep at it and keep working hard. That is the only thing I know how to do. Thank you all for your candid posts, makes me feel better that I am trying my best. I have two more weeks to get on a nice buck before I head back to work. BEST of luck to you guys.
Brett |
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