Roadkillwarrior

Every year Im getting wiser to how the big old bucks think around here. I started thinking about it a couple years ago, I usually go to my tree stand in the dark and leave around nine or ten in the morning and hardly ever seen a mature buck. So I didnt get up early one morning and just stayed in bed and headed for my tree stand around nine or ten in the morning thinking that maybe the deer are getting wise to when I come into the woods and leave. Well around 12:45 I seen a huge buck and took the first shot he gave me and missed because I missed judged the yardage. I have seen more mature bucks between 11:00am and 3:00pm since I started hunting later. I guess the best thing to do is stay all day if you can, but if you cant, give this a try it might make all the difference in your hunting. Good Luck

cliffbama

Well put,my point exactly!!! I have an older buck here that I have hunted for a while and never could get a shot.Last year I took a doe and my hunt was over.I went back at 12:30 to move my stand and there he was.I had to watch him walk off.Not this year!!!!

Cloudwalker

I agree with Roadkillwarrior and cliffbama. If this big boy has become nocturnal you may catch a glimpse of him in the early morning hours. If he is bedding down early he still has to eat every few hours. He may not browse far but he will get up and feed. Try the hours from 10am - 2pm.

I was hunting a large buck a few years ago and couldn't get a pattern on him to save my life. I waded through a swamp one morning around 10:30 am and found a small island surrounded by reeds. I slowly made my way through the reeds and there standing in the midst of 9 does was a huge buck (body size). It wasn't thedeer I was hunting but I took him anyway since he was so big. He tipped the scale just under 200 lbs. which is pretty big for an eastern NC whitetail. He had the ugliest rack of any deer I have ever killed. He had 2 points on one side that was about the same diameter as your thumb.On the other side,the rack came out of his head almost as thick as my wrist and was 16" long with a hugeknotat the end.

Anyway, my point is try hunting during the middle of the day or stayon the stand all day.

Good luck!

PS: If you do get him, remember I told you so

Freezersfull

Im in the same boat your in...Ive got a nice main frame 10 with a few kickers staying in the ruff until dark..What ive decided to do is wait until the pre rut and go in between bedding areas and wait for him if the does arent ready he will move to another bedding area in search of receptive does..I wouldnt move in on him first thing the hunting pressure may be to much and he'll take off on you..Dont be frustrated if you dont get him..Ive been chasing this one animal for 3 years I have last season sheds hes in there but im not going to ruin it until time is right..I ve named this deer GHOST.. good luck in 07'

Jimmy S

If you decide to hunt this big old buck you should also decide to hunt all day. You shouldalso think about how hegot so big. If you think that arriving at your stand 20minutes before legal shooting begins, IMHO, that's your first mistake of the day and it's still very early.

By the time you get all setup and wait to legally begin shooting, that big old buck, has long since passed through and is bedded for most of his day. You must understand and appreciate who you're dealing with here. Is it possible to see him an hour after sunrise,of course it is, but don't bet on it. One person in a previous reply called him "GHOST" after hunting him for 3 years. How many times have I heard that?

You need to get setup 2 hours before. If he comes through while it's still dark, you may only be able to hear him or see parts of him but you'll know how and when he's moving and in what direction. You now have another piece of the puzzle.

I didn'tintend to paint a picture that this buck is unshootable. Rather I try to understand that he knows his woods, every single piece of it and most importantly understands what he must do or must not do, to put him in adangerous situation.

As soon as hunters enter his woods, he imediately knows what's going on.He has learned over the years what to do, what not to do, where to go and where not to go. He does not understand that he is being hunted and that those loud noises can take his life. All he understands is that this is his woods and he will do whatever it takes to avoid these strange looking people, running aroundinorange and camo.