DOUBLE-LUNG

Hawgnman,
I would scout for scrapes. If the rut is on, then scrapes should be somewhat fresh. Atleast you'll have an idea where to start locating the nocturnal monsters. I havespotted several big bucksat sunrise. Good Luck!!

Hawgnman

Thanks for the tips!

My buddy and I have been hunting in a stand on a scrape line and a stand near a bedding area. I've hunted the later and setup a camera on a trail 20 ydrs from my stand. They are moving thru there in the dark. See pix on my site http://www.RacksnSpurs.com/and click on "photo gallery". Check out the first row of pix. This is the same deer as is the second row far right pix. These twopix are taken .58 miles apart. Notice the busted left knee.

123stickem

Hawg...I think I have some info for you, even though it will probably get some crap. First off, in my opinion there is no such thing as a nocturnal deer. All deer move around during legal hours, at least a little. The best time I have found for these older and wiser deer is by far before the sun is up, and after it has dipped below the trees, basicaly, first and last light. In my opinion, the best place to hunt these deer is where they bed....plain and simple. Forget about watching scrapes and rub lines. These are almost entirely made under the stars. Set up as close to where they are bedding as you can, and then wait for the optimal time to hunt it. For instance, if you are not sure where he is bedding, go stomp around til you kick him up. Then you will know. Then, find his exit or entry route in after he bolts and set up on it a hundred yards out or so. Hang your stand, and walk away. Give it some time, say a week. Then, wait for the perfect conditions to hunt it. You need the right wind for the set-up, and you need to get in undetected...when the ground is wet. if you get these two conditions, you have a good chance of killing this deer. Don't rush it. be patient.
Also, when looking for where he beds, surprisingly, bucks like to bed near action. Human action. Check little, thick, elevated spotsnext to roads, highways, houses with dogs, noisy places. For some reason, they use us to break up their boredom. i know it sounds nuts, but it's true. They especialy like dogs. House dogs that is.
All this crap about nocturnal deer is just that....crap. Guys sit over sign that was made at night and never see the deer so they call it a nocturnal deer. He's moving in the light....believe it.
Anyhow, good luck with this one. i hope I helped you out.

krub6b

find his bed and have a friend or three walk through and push im out to you. Be prepared to return the favor to your friends.

Hawgnman

The buck that has wondered the property for the last month or so, is now in someone's freezer, and not mine.

He was shot about a club on the adjacent property.Here are the pix...

http://www.racksnspurs.com/images/051119buck01.jpg

http://www.racksnspurs.com/images/051119buck02.jpg

http://www.racksnspurs.com/images/051119buck03.jpg

The kid's dad shot the buck.

jimmy the foot

i have a mock scrape and it works great. but the don't come around till dusk or dawn lately. once it starts to get cold we'll see if they visit the scrape more. also check out food areas. use rattles or grunt/bleat sounds. you could try a fawn distress or coyote howl to see if you can get them moving.

shortfatguy

shoot the neighbors dogs! that is how we handle deer chasing dogs up north! i know it is legal in some states but it would really piss me off!! why dont they have a season for dogs and one for real hunters?

buckhunter14

The bucks in my area have been nocturnal until that doe came in heat, and his life came to an end...

Southern Man

Hey yank! If you ever move to the South your dog shooting days need to be over.Just ask friends who have moved South.