Every Year we have the bucks that we are watching, patterned fairly well until the acorns drop. That is right around when our season starts in Ohio. My question is, once they change their pattern do you set up on acorns near where he beds and risk bumping him or wait til rut? I know the area that he is bedding in but not the exact location. The thing that sucks is that I have no clue what his pattern will be once they start dropping. Last year he disappeared and we didn't see him til dec but he had already shed by then. The buck that I am targeting is real nice. Some people say he will go 200. Im not sure that he will make that but I still want to put him down but I am scared to death of bumping him. I have never had a shot at a buck this big. Any opinions would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Keep the wind in your favor at all times towards where you think he is bedding, I would hunt pinch points or funnels that lead to and from the bedding area and hunt food sources, once pre rut starts all bets are off. Ohio doesn't start till end of September, where I'm hunting the acorns don't drop that early. If you have him patterned he still should be somewhat predictable the first couple weeks of the season. Good luck, let's see some pics of the Ohio Hogg!
From what I can tell from his pattern, the acorns are in real close to his bed. I should be fine with the wind for the most part. The only pinch points that I have where hes at, he hits at night.
Well put it this way, you know where he is and what he is doing early, but he's gone/unpredictable during rut. Makes sense to hunt him early. Sneak in early in the morning and set up right on the edge of his bedroom ONLY when the wind is perfect. When they are bedding where they eat, they will mosey around that spot all day but they are usually gone at night. I've killed a couple nice bucks the 1st week of the season because I beat them to their bed. Never bumped them because when they showed up they were shot. It's really hard to find a nice buck that is tied down to a specific area early (at least it is here in Iowa with all the corn fields), but once you do it can be really easy to kill him.
Pattern: -the regular and repeated way in which something happens or is done : something that happens in a regular and repeated way I'm not saying deer don't repeat movements or behaviors and at times can seem to be repetitive in nature, but not one single buck that I've hunted repeats his exact behavior day in and day out. Nor has one used the exact same bed day in and day out...the key is figuring out his tendencies. Some utilize the same bedding area but not bed, depending on wind/weather/temperature/time of year and so on...others have to change the location of their bed perhaps to the entirely different side of a property due to those same factors sometimes. It is figuring out these tendencies (often times confused with a deer being patterned) that up your odds....food shifting like acorns is definitely cause issues and changes. I've found some of the biggest bucks I've hunted to like bedding in late September/early October close to oak flats if they don't have to cover a lot (if any) ground to get to them from their beds. Homestead property is a prime example of this...small oak flat of probably a dozen mass producing oaks are between the thicket and our micro food plots....the bucks are known to walk just mere yards from that bedding area feed on nuts and retreat during any hour of the day but especially at last light. I only risk hunting this spot if a cross wind is in my favor. I set up on the E side of the flat, bedding area to my N and only on W type winds. This allows the buck to feel as if the wind is in his favor and quarter into the wind heading to the flat, yet never pick me up. Worth the risk? Absolutely if everything comes together like described...but not worth forcing though early on either.
Yeah I should've said that from his tendencies I know his core area. I would really like to get on him early if possible, like both of you are saying. I know that you have to hunt only when the wind is right but how many times does that happen and before the seeking phase and on limited time to hunt? Do you think every time you go in and not see him you should get closer to where you think he is bedding or just hang on the outskirts until you see him from the stand?
Id hang out on the outskirts - he is big, so he is older and wiser. He will start to feel the pressure. Beautiful buck!
I used to try to pattern it and funnel it down clearing under the oaks to try to get the travel thru to be patternable. I gave up and just wait till November and follow the does. Keeps stands much fresher. I did have one buck last year that was very predictable and traveled thru well before dark within 40 yards of a pinch point. Problem was he was a 2-3 year old buck.
You guys know you can get the coordinates from the cam pictures...... LATITUDE: 39.1802014 LONGITUDE: -83.00510199999996
that's because they leave their HOME area the breed. this can start early as oct. depending on the early popers ( does) this help prevents inbreeding with their off springs
I appreciate the advice. Im really hoping to get him down this year. I have some what of a plan of attack I was just wanting to see if it meshed with what others have had success doing. Didn't know that showing a buck was bad luck. That really sucks.
You didn't know it was bad luck? Even talking about a buck to another person can cause a buck to go nocturnal.
I have heard that posting a picture of yourself dressed as an acorn while using an acorn cover scent for cologne will offset the bad luck of premature posting of a buck to the degree of getting a sighting. Hanging upside down from a tree branch in the picture guarantees a kill. I run into the same problem with acorns. I just switch to whacking does once the acorns follow. I would try near his bed early and back out once the acorns drop. Find a nearby doe-bedding area and hunt between there and his bed during the rut. He will turn up. Best of luck to you.
