The same thing applies to the property I hunt. A lot of does and some younger bucks but mature bucks aren't there. I'll hunt smart in early season then turn it up when it's late October. I also hunt some public land which helps keep pressure off the main property. I'm very aggressive when it comes to public land. There's really no other way to hunt it.
Early I hunt the edges.....Right about now I start slipping into the timber a little further. I tried getting creative last wed morning and tried moving a camera closer to where I though my no 1 hit lister beds.....we'll I jumped him he was bedded with his butt to the to the wind on the east edge with the west wind. He was looking out towards the corn only about 8-10 yards in. He's a great buck, I hope he sticks around. He's so smart! Trying to formulate a game plan for the attack!
Me and buddy that shared some private ground went back and forth on this subject. He spent half his time at home on the couch while I was in a tree stand. He didn't like running cams or doing anything on the property that would disturb deer. I just didn't see him kill enough deer to warrant doing that. I now have my own 40 acre lease to do with as I please. I'm the type of person that has the mentality that I pay to use the land, so that is what I am going to do. Last year bucks didn't hang around on the property like I hoped, but I don't necessarily think it was anything I did, it was more of what crops was were and, where the water was on the property to the north. This year, different crops, and plenty of water, bucks are holding on my property and making regular appearances during daylight.
Early season has many advantages over the rut. The early season is the easiest time of year to locate good bucks. If you are willing to work a lot in the off season locating their bedding preferences you can have some great early season success In the early season, you know where they are from glassing cameras etc. They haven't left their areas looking for trouble yet. Find their bedding areas, wait for the proper weather conditions to capitalize on day light movement. It is a very simple concept, but can be very difficult to execute. Give me a piece of land to hunt with good bucks on it, make me choose the last week of September through the end of October or the last week of October through the end of November... I take the early season every time. The rut may be more exciting hunting, but you are hunting by chance hoping they are on that land that you have access to. In the early season you are going one on one with the bucks that you located.
If you have them patterned then I say the earlier the better if you do your scouting the right way you'll be set
I wait for the rut but that has nothing to do with me protecting the bed room. I hunt the beds during the rut and after during late season. I hate tip toeing around all the coperheads and cotton mouths, fighting my way through 100's of spider webs, mosquitoes and knats buzzing my ears, the seed ticks...I wouldn't take a B&C buck for it. I can hunt right up on buck beds in Nov, Dec and Jan...just like I can in Sep early Oct, but in much nicer conditions. Yes, it's A LOT easier to kill a mature buck (here) in Sep vs any other time of year...but enjoy being in the woods after it cools off a little bit.
As a new hunter, I don't have any trail cameras and so I don't really know what bucks are on the property. That being said, I don't really target any specific deer, instead I just get out when I can. Especially being in school. I know that my scent control works because the deer I shot on Sunday was eating acorns not even 1 yard away from where I was sitting a half hour earlier. So I don't think it matters unless you're being sloppy
That's the way I look at it. That's what all the homework leading up to the opener is for. I have a very hard time sitting on my couch knowing what I know and where I have a pretty good chance of connecting on particular bucks that I know are there. Especially since they could be a county away when the rut does come. Maybe I'm an opportunist lol. If played right entry/exit routes, weather/wind conditions, scent control, food sources, etc... you can have the best of both worlds. I have the opportunity to hunt I'm in the woods! I try to be cautiously aggressive this time of year. I've seen a 140 inch 9 pointer 4 times in the same area during daylight hours. I just can't get close enough (yet). I could, but would risk bumping him out of there. Had him 50 yards a few nights ago destroying trees and making scrapes at 4:00pm. I have 3 different sets on the edge of his little kingdom and will only hunt with a north wind and go about a half mile out of my way to get to and leave the area. For now I'll stay put and hope he stretches his pattern just a little more.
