Trial I think you are making several assumptions about a few things and downright wrong about a few others. My hunting style is much different than yours. I believe in bloom where you are planted, like you the area I live there are not many big bucks taken every year, some blame habitat some blame brown it is down mentality. Rather than just try a different state with big bucks as the norm I decided to improve the spot where I was. My actual hunting results have not been that I sat a few times and got impatient that is a wrong assumption. I spend hours weeks months doing prep work, and run cameras year round I like to think that too many deer can sneak on the property without me knowing it. I hunt much more with blue jeans on than I do with camo on, hope that makes sense I prep and prep some more, I scout and observe. My logic is for waiting later hunting is all about the does being at ease with little pressure, it is the same logic I have used to wait to hunt till the rut the first wave of the rut. Not sure what part of gated community with covenants against hunting is hard to grasp, there will be no expansion of hunting to take it to the bucks. I have implemented this method over the years on my property, with the conditions in my area, with the deer in my area. The last 2 years I chose to hunt later based on local deer and their travel and mating habits and the results have improved vs the average deer taken in the area. One thing I have learned we as hunters have some success and we think our tactics are universal, no two parcels are alike just like the deer we hunt.
How can your hunted property ever provide less pressure then the unhuntable 1400ac community your keying off of? if there zero hunting taking place there then even if you hunt one time your pressuring deer more then adjacent property. It must be an very interesting layout if the only adjacent piece to a whole 1400 ac is your 25 acre piece of property. In any event check back with us next December and let us know how you made out.....
Well without closely examining the surrounding parcels to see habitat and population only generalizations and assumptions can be made. I may be the local land baron my chunk of land is one of the larger parcels in the area, most of the land has been broken down into 2.5 acre parcels. I do have a unique set up in the area, it will continue to be tweaked. Two things will prevent me from waiting till december. 1 if there is turnover and my lands hosts bachelor groups, it has happened in the past. 2 if there are a big buck visiting on a predictable basis.
If you can do this, it could pay off for you. My personal observations over the years mirror that of a few big buck hunters that are well known that have authored articles on this subject. Long story short..... Some of the biggest bucks I've ever seen were sighted between thanksgiving and Dec. 12th. I have a theory about this but that is for a different post.
I shot my biggest buck Dec 14. but no way am I going to forgo the rest of the season. There is always more to learn, and just being out hunting is worth it whether I shoot something or not.
My experience has been that the 2nd half of November is a great time to hunt big bucks. One of my best bow bucks was killed Nov 25th. I haven't done a lot hunting in December so wouldn't have much input on that.
I imagine it will depend on the weather but as mentioned by others the 3rd week of November 1st week of December with a few days leeway either side. Not saying I won't want to hunt and it won't drive me nuts to look at trail cam pics, but to have a no pressure doe sanctuary with fresh stands is worth putting off to have the best odds to shoot the biggest buck of my life. If all else fails I will still be able to just shoot a big doe and learn from the experience.
Have you gone mad Sota?!?! Someone get him a drink...perhaps his sugar is low and he needs a Snickers?!?! Would have to give you credit for sure if you do it. I'd seriously look at another state for the earlier part of season as I don't think I could handle a year without the rut....well I kinda did that this year unintentionally LOL. Very interesting situation it sounds like you have going on there. Gotta remember, trail camera pics don't tell you as much as seeing them with your own eyes.
"Bloom where you are planted" I like that very much. How many stands do you hunt? Maybe 1 or 2? Is the property situated where you have foolproof stands and entry/exit routes? Sounds to that as much time as you put in on your property the deer may be somewhat use to your presence?
I have 2 plots and stands for different winds, even for the east winds we get as a front approaches. What it boils down to is what works for me I get the bucks by hunting the does. I can benefit by not pressuring the does until the right time.
Or you could hunt and just not shoot anything other than that one. He could come around early season but you won't know if your not there. Sent from my Desire HD using Tapatalk 2
You have a plan, you have supporting data, you have an objective. Sounds like a strategy to me not a gamble.
