JakeGrice

From what I have learned is the true bruisers stick to wear they feel safe during hunting season...whether that is a thicket or standing corn or pines. The only reason they still get killed is because they dumb up during the rut and chase a doe into an opening...I have also noticed bigger bucks will only come out to feed after dark.

zlr101

agreed three nice buck i shot all hot on does and just didnt care.

125py

[quote=7.62NATO;3730913]Other than having a nice set of antlers to put on your wall, from what I understand, the big deal about getting a massive buck is that, typically, he is so difficult to hunt ('cause he's lived so long and learned from so many experiences, and presumably had several close encounters with other hunters), giving you the challenge you're really after. So, I have a suggestion. Every time you see a big buck not quite big enough to take (yet), or just a smaller buck still on his way to maturity, you should get the deer's attention so that they see you (in a subtle enough way that you don't spook all the deer in the area). That way, they'll learn from their encounter with you, and be all that much smarter and harder to hunt by the time they get big enough! Is my logic off, here??[\quote]

yes...lol oh well you got your brain exercise for the day

JakeGrice

Haha...well if you spooked every buck you saw they would get pressured and either leave the area or definately wouldnt be going under your stand again

WVCritter

Do you think older bucks are smarter than older does? I say they're the same but the difference is there are more older does because everyone is after the bucks. My point is if there were as many older bucks in the woods as does, they wouldn't be all that hard to hunt.

UPHunter08

I don't think it's so much a matter or age or smarts as it is a matter of being exposed to danger and learning that certain situations are dangerous. In areas where there is no doe season, old does don't associate bait with danger. In areas where they've been shot at over bait - and survived - they're more wary the next time. Since bucks are nearly always harassed from the time they're young, many quickly learn the signs of human hunting pressure and avoid it. If they don't they're harvested before they're mature.

Simple logic, and many hunters' (including my own) experience bears this out.

FeliciaB

I dont see how that would work because its not like the deer just dont see people outside of hunting. I hike all year around and encounter lots of deer. I doubt that does anything especially since I am not shooting at them. At a friends house in Montana a deer saw my friend Jason enough he now is walking up to him. I think unless your throwing rocks at it you aren't doing anything but making him become ok with being closer to people. Just a thought

7.62NATO

Fine then, growl. Throw rocks. Whatever. One thing is for sure, he'll start looking up at the trees, where he normally doesn't look for danger.

OntElk

I enjoy the rush when I pull the trigger. I don't get that rush when I shoot a doe, fawn or small buck anymore. QDM, meat blah, blah, blah I am not afraid to be honest and say I enjoy that adrenaline rush. I have no issue with QDM and respect the fact the meat gets used if I kill something but if it's comes easy after sitting 5 mins in the stand or after a season of hard work I still enjoy that rush at the moment. Getting the old, wise buck after hunting him hard just adds to the story to tell your buddies and the online forums. In other words it's about ego. Whatever. I'm fine with that! Just be honest. If we could all kill 150 plus inchers with more ease we would take it.

Your dumb 190 inch versus smart 110 inch is a great analogy. The only caveat is it has to be a fair chase hunting scenario. I have had close encounters with big bucks out my back porch. Never shot one that way and it's always felt not right to run and grab the gun, pop open the back door and blast one (I came close one time to doing that but never pulled the trigger). I'm not really hunting but just taking advantage of an opportunity. Kind of like stopping to pick up a road kill buck to a lesser degree. Although I WILL be honest and say if that opportunity was a 190 incher and it's a legal kill (i.e. I have tag and open season), then my door jamb becomes a rest for the .30-.30.

Now party hunting in a group and we have unfilled tags I still will enjoy a little meat hunting fun in some cases as well.

OntElk

Deer are differnet creatures during the breeding season as well. I will sit outside on the back deck in summer with a beer in hand BBQing and talk with the deer that feed around the lawn less than 20 yds from me. There is a time when eventually they will run away and become extremely skittish. It has nothing to do with pressure. they have yet to be pressured anymore than all year but come early-mid October they just start becoming much more wary. Eventually by mid-late Decemeber they are back to calm and I can walk out back and they won't run.

You don't need to scare them in other words. They are programmed to become wary during the breeding season no matter what.

Same as turkeys. In the fall you can walk up on a flock and almost grab them it seems sometimes. In the spring during thier breeding season if they spot you 400 yds across a feild they hightail it out of there.