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Should I stick it out through December??

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Should I stick it out through December??

Old 12-01-2013, 10:42 PM
  #1  
Fork Horn
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Default Should I stick it out through December??

It has been a long season... I have been sitting in stands with my bow since the middle of October as much as possible. I have been hunting the same deer for the last 2 seasons and the only time he ever came out during the day was November 26th in the pouring rain and was too far away for a bow shot. For the first 15 days of November I was seeing a lot of really nice bucks on camera but only at night and for a short time only 1 or 2 times a week. I did manage to take a nice buck a few Saturdays ago but he was alone walking the field line just after daylight. From November 15th until now I have seen no sign of any bucks around the does on my cameras day or night other than a small 6 point and a spike. I have a ton of does where I hunt and the big bucks just aren't following them into the fields other than the one missed opportunity. I feel the big bucks had moved out of the area for the rut to pursue other love interests but It leaves me scratching my head that they would leave a big heard of does for just some yearling bucks. There was no acorns this year here in VA and the field back there is the only one around for a long ways. Based on what I have been reading it seems the deer will return and feed up for the winter as soon as the rut is over. I was wondering is it worth sticking out.. I've never hunted into December when I've had a good food source to hunt.. haven't had much luck where I used to hunt in the late season but there wasn't much for them to eat there either.

Last edited by kenified06; 12-01-2013 at 11:10 PM.
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Old 12-02-2013, 12:56 AM
  #2  
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I would. You can't kill them from the couch.
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Old 12-02-2013, 01:23 AM
  #3  
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Default Sometimes in hunting...

the hunter gets defeated, instead of the deer.

And the cameras just don't tell when the deer is coming, or the deer doesn't come to the fixed tree stand selected by the hunter.

Perhaps the error is, the hunter thinks they are in control.
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Old 12-02-2013, 02:22 AM
  #4  
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Nope, if you aren't enjoying yourself, stay home...

Some enjoy nature and all it has to offer and some don't...

You mentioned you have a lot of does...With too many does, the bucks don't have to go looking, so you won't see much daylight activity...

How many does have you killed this year???

Do you eat deer meat??? If so, get started.....
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Old 12-02-2013, 04:09 AM
  #5  
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A friend reported seeing some chasing on his farm Saturday and Sunday. IMO, we had and are having a classic trickle rut in VA this year. I think hunting will be good the rest of the season....if you have food sources available to hunt.
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Old 12-02-2013, 04:12 AM
  #6  
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First problem. Ton of does. Chop em down. Now your having fun again.
Second. Change up stand location for next year. After the season go deep and find some new intell for next year...like where does he sleep and what road does he take once on his feet.

Big boys don't usually tend fields once the velvet comes loose untill rut maybe...then again just nefore the horns start to shed.

If I were you I would fill my freezer with yummy doe meat the rest of the season if it does nothing else it will change moral.
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Old 12-02-2013, 05:13 AM
  #7  
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We had horrible winds here in this area of Michigan for firearm season. Young fellow next door insist he has to be up in the air in climbers or tri pods to see deer and froze out by 8:30 AM in the single digit wind chills. I told him I would loan him a potable blind and where to set it up but he declined and just stopped hunting after 3 days.
There is a clear view from one of my blinds to a spot on his property about 300 yards from me. I saw a nice 8 or more point buck on the 19th of Nov right close to where I said we could put the portable. Then on the Wednesday I seen a good buck near that same spot again.
Moral is you aren't going to see them if you aren't hunting them. If you are making it a job then maybe you should look to some thing else to relax.
I carry my camera when hunting and have got some great pictures.

Al
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Old 12-02-2013, 08:25 AM
  #8  
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I'm still happy to be in the woods I'd hunt year round if I could. Just this one deer has had me Ignoring my other hunting areas and putting to much focus on just him with no results. The area Im hunting this deer is a secluded 20 acre field. With about 20 acres of thin hardwood on one side. On the other sides of the property is thick pine, laural and everything nice to bag a monster. Problem is I do no own any of that land where the bedding, staging, and big boy rutting takes place. All I can do is hunt the feeding area and wait for something to slip up.. They rarely do. I have never heard a shot over on the other property so I was thinking about asking for permission to bow hunt it next year. I really am in the dark without being able to set cameras in the key areas over there. As far as my doe population coming into the field, there is about 10 mature does, 4 yearling does, 3 button bucks. They are the regulars in the evening. From the summer and the pictures I do have of bucks this fall I have 12 different bucks on camera. I don't know if any does would need to be taken at this time.
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Old 12-02-2013, 09:37 AM
  #9  
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Anything can happen.
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Old 12-02-2013, 03:24 PM
  #10  
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when those does come in estreus those bucks will be there, day or night, you'll never know it if you aren't there
RR
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