QuanticoKidd

The season is coming very fast and I still find myself stumped about a few things I'm 24 and I feel like I'm a descent hunter have taken 4 nice bucks in heavy pressured areas but I still have one question.

There is probably 3-4 guys where I hunt on a Military base in Northern Virginia that consistenly kill big bucks year in and year out and I try my best to do everything I can to better my chances but still come up empty handed some years. How do these guys kill or find big bucks year in and year out on heavy pressured public land such as Military base in Northern VA ? They do have probably 30+ years age on me but I feel like I could be a young hunter that kills big bucks every year on heavy pressured areas such as on base.

Any insight would be great thanks. I hate eatting a tag sandwhich when those guys are getting there picture taken

shooter50

Most of this you probably already do and or know, but here goes. I really improved my hunting from the way I was taught growing up by reading. Learning what attracts and or draws deer into an area is key. Look for funnels, saddles, and pinch points. That is always where I start when scouting a new area. I even use topo maps and sometimes you can tell a lot from looking at your hunting area with Google Earth. Once you find a saddle, funnel, pinch point, etc try and locate where the deer are bedding and feeding if possible and you will know where to sit or position your stand. Acorns are a huge factor in seeing deer early season. Now as far a killing a buck..........early season position yourself in one of the stands you selected near a food source or bedding area and cross your fingers. Now if you can get in close to a bedding area without spooking the deer I have had my best luck early season catching bucks going to and from bed straight to whichever white oaks are dropping the hardest.

The rut! Hunt everyday all day. Several bucks I have taken have been mid day when most people are at home. Same deal with the bedding areas. Get in close and you may find a buck sliding in a bedding area looking for a hot doe.

Most important thing to me is put as many hours as possible on stand. And don't shy away from thickets. You will learn they will be your friend.

invmp12

I am new to the forum, I am 42 yrs young, took first buck when I was 8 yrs old. Shooter50 has it pegged. The only other thing I can add is, you have to let those you may call " shooters " walk right on by. A lot of times, the older bucks don't travel the same trails, you may not take as many deer, but you gotta let'em walk. An old wise big buck taker gave me a piece of advice a long time ago, " If you gotta look at him twice, don't shoot'em" That advice holds very true. Last fall, I watched a nice 19 to 20 in wide 10 pt two days in a row, noticed he was thin horned, but nice. When first appeared, I had to study him. Looked at him twice. On that third morning I heard that same walk coming down that Ky ridge, I watched that 10 pt walk right on by, heard another walking, when I saw this deer, it was 2seconds my mind was made up. 14 pts, 2 drop tines field dressed 240lbs. There was no second look, you just know. Patience God Hunting

VAhuntr

Sounds to me like you have gotten some great advice so far. As far as food sources go, don't overlook red oaks and persimmons. Don't over hunt your stands. I have a couple stands that I will not hunt until the month of November.

I used to be a morning and evening time hunter but the last few years my job forced a change. There are some days I can't get in the stand until after 9am or so. The last few years I have been very surprised at the quality bucks I have been seeing in the mid day.

DUMB BASS

I would add that deer season never ends. Stay after it... shed hunt the early part of the year. It is a great time to scout for the next season. Go out and try to pattern deer this time of year. Learn how to read maps like said above and learn the key terrain features that can up your odds.

QuanticoKidd

Thanks for the advice guy's.

Where I hunt in Northern Virginia is a Military base so after Spring Gobbler season they shut down until September so it makes it difficult to scout, Also there are about 300-400 other guys that hunt this same area they have sections that you can hunt depending on what is open for the day's hunt.

I have been lucky the past 11 years I have hunted there I have shot 4 nice bucks that are on my wall at home. But becuase of the way the base works it's hard to hunt the same area becuase of Marine Training so by the time you think u got the deer figured out then end up closing the area and to be honest I have shot those 4 bucks on opening day og gun season everytime all 4 and I can't understand why I saw those bucks human pressure,time of the year it's always 3rd week in Nov,

I would like to find some consistency in my hunting approach and have it be succesful. Where I hunt it's still hot in October and the first week on Nov is the best time to see and hunt big bucks age 3+ year old class range other then that the bucks on base are noctural as soon as hunting season starts.

When I scout I find trails but I always seem to find sign that is probably night time feeding sign and not actual "during the day I can kill that buck sign" so it's very fustrating, its hard to find places to hunt on the base that other people havent hunting hard becuase it is public land and by gun season if you don't get your buck by the first two weeks the bucks go into hiding until the season is over and will not show themself during daylight hours.

How can you flip the table and find these nocturnal big bucks that haunt the public land becuase I know their there becuase every year a lucky hunter kills them it I find it facinating that 3-4 guys on base can no matter what the year brings bad weather hot temps hunting pressure they can still knock down the big boy come every fall

Eyedr

I have hunted the same base. There are 3 keys to success.

1) Find the food source. If you find what they are eating and when you will be ahead of the game

2) Find the thickest, nastiest cover that you can. For the deer to get big they have to get old. They need a place to hide. If it is thick, most hunters will not take the time or energy to go there. Also I try and find these areas that are as far away from roads or walking paths. Try to find thick areas that are near food sources. (White Oaks are key at the Marine base)

3) When you find a spot, keep your mouth zipped. It takes time to find the great spots and it takes time to find the perfect tree in these spots.

Good luck this year.

DUMB BASS

You can use maps and google earth to scout areas even if you can't access them... Know the lay of the land BEFORE you even set foot on it. ID the key features and just head for those spots...

c-rad

Do those 3 guys work on the range? If so that will explain why they know where the better bucks are every year.

QuanticoKidd

Thanks Eyedr,

I will try to find the white oaks this year.

1) Retired Postal Service Employee
2)Retired Army
3)Self Employed Commputer Tech
4)Works on the Base as a Civilian Employee

I would understand if they where Marines on the base but there are just everyday working men that have to juggle to hunting time just like I do. So that's why I asked was I doing something wrong the only thing I feel I need to improve on is my scouting I'm not good at scouting I walk through the woods and if I find a few rubs and some deer droppings I will think thats a good spot and I want to change that becuase that leaves me with no buck at years end.

I will try to find areas that other hunters don't want to access but it's defiantly diffucult becuase so many hunters beat the woods down over the course of hunting season.