Would it be close to impossible for a newbie like myself to have a good chance at killing a large buck after rifle season? I am in kansas, and rifle season started last wednesday and runs for the next week i believe. I would have the following 2-3 weeks before the bowhunting season ends... I hunt public land, would it be doubtful that I would take a big mature buck because of the pressure they just endured? I am still going to hunt, just wondering if I should target a nice doe for eating, or still target larger deer that seem to have disappeard and are probably moving strictly at night.
Big Bucks become easier to target in late season in my opinion. Find food and they will come at some point. As far as deer size or weather or not to shoot a doe I would keep in mind that any deer you harvest with a bow is a trophy! Go hunt and I wish you all the best
Well if you want good eating, then shoot a doe. If you want a buck at this time of the year it depends on a few factors. Are you set up near food or their bedding areas. When will the post rut kick in and just plain luck. It usually boils down to being at the right place at the right time, so if your not in the woods, then u wont see a buck. So just hunt as much as possible and it will pay dividends over time. But yes, bucks will be traveling more at night now but im sure some will still wanna move around before dark to eat, keep warm and to find a late doe that comes into estrus. Good luck, ill be doing the same thing but on private land.
Yea bucks are more concerned about food now that the rut is over but theyre still out there. Like someone said though even a doe is a good thing with a bow. Good Luck!!
I hunt a piece of public land, it is about 80 acres in size, they only use this property as a transition between there food source and their bedding areas...so I am on a travel trail. It is all I have access to, because the food source and the bedding areas are not public land.
This is exactly what I'm going to be doing this year. With my limited amount of time during the regular season, I'll be faced with this very thing. I started actually going back over notes and recalling where I've seen bucks after Christmas. I've actually seen a good many nice bucks in fields after dark when there is snow on the ground. They had to get there from somewhere. So.... I'll be reverting back to late summer, early fall patterns. One thing about late season, its as tough as it gets. Not only the hunting, but dealing with the elements. Snow, freezing cold temps, wind. It's nasty out there. I'm hoping for a warm snap after Christmas to make it more tolerable.
Use the snow, use the snow if you have it, reads like a book this time of year, there is no better time to be out scouting and dissecting all of the deer movement patterns than right now if you have snow, I was out after work yesterday taking in ton of info tromping through the snow! Deer are bedding and traveling to their best food sources, out here it means in the same area if its browsing... they are just milling around. There are some orchards though that still have apples.. they are HOT right now. The snow tells the story.
So basically, after the first snow, get out to my hunting area, follow the tracks, find the areas they are using... Do you worry about leaving scent where they have been walking? And will they use these trails when there isnt snow? Excuse me I am new and learning, thank you
basspro, the snow comment is dead on. You can learn a lot about current movements during this time of year, find preferred food sources and bedding areas if you have snow on the ground. Something else to keep in mind. Deer will change their routes throughout the fall as the leaves come down, changing the available cover they have as they move about. After the leaves drop and there is snow on the ground, you'll be able to find these "new" travel routes easier. You'll also be able to distinguish deer sign better in fresh snow; meaning you can tell a larger deer (buck) from a doe or yearling. Basically, this time of year, deer have one priority, food. They need to either fatten up for winter or replenish what they lost during the rut. If you can use the snow to find deer during this time of year, next fall, you'll have a jump start on the early season patterns. Of course food sources can be quite different during early fall, but last years winter scouting will give you help in finding deer quickly.
I dont think you guys know the half of it, when it comes to hunting after gun pressure. In my State, you can hunt deer(and other game) with a firearm from the last few days of November on into February. Our State has some really great bucks. The genetics and food are here, and, we see some whoppers dropped, just not the numbers that other, more open(rural) State do because you guys just have more area for deer.. With that said. Even with an insane amount of gun pressure, in our State, hunters drop some GREAT bucks during our "winter bow" season. Deer dont disappear because they're pressured, they change their pattern. Learn that, and, nothing really changed. Find the food ! Good luck bro.
Watch the weather. When you see a storm coming especially a snow storm, deer will be moving to feed.earlier. Got any trail cams to let you know what is going on when you aren't there?
Deer can use one entrance to a food source and another to leave it. I try and always hunt on the trails that there tracks point towards the food source. Another thing to remember is that some people get lucky and shoot nice bucks but most of us have to learn over years of hard work and mistakes how to get it done then it still comes down to luck. Keep asking questions and learning from your own time in the woods. Pass on the love a bowhunting to a friend and please let us know how things go.
Windwalker7, yes i do have a trail camera, there is not an ideal place to set it exactly on the trail. so I have placed it in a spot that is close and gets some traffic, I get the same 3 does, and a 1.5 year old 6 point on there all the time, but nothing large as for bucks. David, one thing I am not afraid to do is ask questions, I am sure in the first few months on here I have asked plenty of dumb ones lol. Also, I have a friend recovering from some serious drinking and other issues, he has been working really hard, and when he gets closer to recovery, I am going to set up an old bow and get him addicted to bowhunting rather than drinking lol!
