In which type of environment do you believe you become a better big buck hunter?

So can the tactics that are used to hunt big bucks in unpressured areas/high volume big buck areas be applied to hunt big bucks in areas that receive a tremendous amount of pressure/low big buck volume area, or vice versa?

 

Probably not, the big guys aren't going to be living in the high pressure areas very long. They will seek out the lowest pressured areas as their core. You might catch them passing through, but I'd look in the most out of the way spot you can find. Big bucks don't like company.

That being said, I have heard of monster bucks living right next to the parking lots of hunting areas and alongside busy highways. But that is because everyone walks right by them.

There are always exceptions in the whitetail world.

 

As a college student now, I can say that the more times I go over an example and practice it the better I become.

I saw more mature bucks this year than any other. I can attribute this to several things, and one was I hunted more. However, I also scouted hard last winter, read everything I could get my hands on, and strictly played the wind on every hunt.

 

I agree with Duke 100%.

I grew up and spent the first 10ish years of my hunting career hunting public land in areas like Vermont, and PA (well before AR and on public land). It's really only been the last 8 or so years that I've gained access to land that consistently held 3.5 y/o animals. I'd say the last 6 of those 8 years, I've learned more about them than all the years previous.......combined. I've simply been exposed to more of them now, and each encounter has taught me something. The more encounters = the more I learn. It's a simple equation, I think. Maybe someday I'll hit the point where I can actually kill them consistently......lol.....:D.

JHMO.

 

In my opinion, you would be a faster learner if you hunt where there are more big bucks. Just a lot more experience with encounters and observation. I know I am fortunate to hunt where there are quite a few decent deer, however, there are plenty of guys that have hunted here for many years and still dont kill big bucks. Having the opportunity does not always lead to better odds. I guess what I am saying is, once a Gomer, always a Gomer. And many times Gomer couldnt kill a buck in a zoo. You still have to be able to put two and two together.

 

For the same hunter, it does.

Apples to apples.

 

Ok, here is another analogy. I remember when I was big into bass fishing, both smallmouth and largemouth. My dad and I used to fish some heavily fished lakes and rivers. We always seemed to succeed where many others failed. We had to adjust to fishing those heavily fished waters by doing such things as using very passive baits, wearing dark colored clothes so as not to be silhouetted by the fish, making sure our canoe did not hit any laydowns or scrape the banks so to remain silent. We could apply those same techniques on fish with very little pressure and we would catch more fish than even those who had always fished those same unpressured waters. We were succesful in both environments because our technique was strong/solid.

On the flip side, we had people who were used to fishing primo spots come fish with us in less than ideal situations and they consistently struggled because they did not pay attention to the small details, they made noise, they used very aggressive baits at the wrong time, etc.

So I guess one could look at big buck hunting in the same way. If one's technique is solid, they have a fighting chance in any environment. And hunting around a large number of big bucks does not guarantee anything other than being around big bucks. It does not mean one will learn how to do anything other than setting up and waiting for those bucks. BUT, for those of you saying that the only way to really know about big bucks is to hunt aroud them consistently, I DO understand what you are saying.

 

Brett:

The last part of your last post makes sense to me.

If I'm hunting one big buck (relative), I may learn how to better hunt HIM. But, I believe what many others believe......that they all have different personalities. Wired the same? Yeah. Individuals? Yeah. The more of them you're exposed to, the better chance you'd have of drawing from a past experience to learn how to better hunt one (or one like him).

 

Play 18 holes of golf on a brutally hard golf course. Narrow fairways, unreceptive undulating greens, deep rough, wind blowing, tees back as far as they can go etc... At the end of the 18 holes you have become a better golfer whether you know it or not. You have to work and think your way around. Had to learn how to survive the round. Had no choice but to learn something.

or

Play 18 holes of golf at a pitch and putt golf course. Wide fairways, soft receptive greens as big as a house, hardly any wind, tees up as far as the go, etc.. At the end of 18 holes it was much easier because it was setup easier. You walk away feeling good about yourself because of your score, but did you really learn as much as the guy playing the other course?

 

NY............

A better golf analogy (IMO) would be playing 10 different courses in your area (on rotation), vs. playing your home course, every day.

Let's assume the golfers are both of equal prowess.

If you're gonna make me pick a partner.....I'm gonna ask you one question:

What course are we playin?

 

It does not happen much, but I will disagree.

Duke I'll take John Eberhart for 200 dollars. This guy has more experiance with big bucks and has hunted areas with 1 big buck in it. When hunting locations with few bucks you have to learn what he does in order to be succesful. If you want ot learn how to hunt big bucks, hunt a high pressured state, if one can be succesful in a high pressure state, they can be successful anywhere. The reverse is not always the same.

 

Damn you Germ... I'm leaving for work and you sucked me back in.

I think you're forgetting the second part of my post... intellect.

Eberhart is clearly a smart guy... which likley the reason of his success. Put him in an envirornment where he has more targets and he's GONNA learn even faster.

My entire post was trying to convey this... it's not as easy as location = "great big buck hunter". Or vice versa.

It's very individual... and BRAINS play 50% of the role.

(insert shaking fist smilie)

 

I dont' agree with that. I think a person can become complacent in a target rich environment. Maybe he sees sign, or bedding area, or mature bucks from stand, etc.... and doesn't want to know why as much as the guy that isnt' in the same situation. Maybe he knows in the back of his mind he doesnt' need to work as hard because the opportunity will be there eventually. Hence, not applying himself and not learning. I'm by no means saying this applies to everyone that hunts a target rich environment, but it does apply.

Hell look at some of these dudes on TV. " There goes a 140, seen that guy 3 times so far this week". ........... " I think we'll pass that guy. ...... as he's already looking elsewhere for something bigger while that one walks away within sight lol. I know it's not like that in the real world, but just an example of what I'm talking about. He's complacent because he KNOWS there is something bigger around. Take that same guy that hunts public land in PA or NY. He's studying that animal as long as he can. Probably notes wind, direction traveled, gets on topo and aerial that night to see where, how, why, when he might be coming and going and breaks his arse trying to figure it out. Hence, he'll learn more from that one particular animal.

 

Is no one reading what I'm writing.

That's where the intellect comes into play.

Each one of us would draw different conclusions from the same hunt.

And.. one more thing... for the purpose of this argument... rack score should have nothing to do with it... age is what causes a buck to change... become different from the herd.

As far as your example of 2 different hunters NY... it works BOTH ways.

Which is why I keep screaming that brains is the other 50%... and how you use it.

 

"And.. one more thing... for the purpose of this argument... rack score should have nothing to do with it... age is what causes a buck to change... become different from the herd."

I agree and knew that after I made the title of this post. It should have been based on AGE, not rack score.

Duke, I read your first post and it made a lot of sense to me.

 

For me, now? I'll take the big woods.

If I were choosing for a youngster? Target rich for sure.

Someone who doesn't have much time? Same.

It's like investing... there is no one solution. Diversify! The biggest periods of growth for me have come when I'm forced (by choice or not) out of my comfort zone. Change it up every once in a while and you will see real growth.

 

I agree with JM...the more chances you have to be around them...the better you will get at closing the deal. Deer are deer no matter where you are....the more experience you have with them the better.

A guy may mess up two chances at a mature buck in the midwest...learn from that and close the deal on the third one he encounters in the same season (rare but can happen). A guy in a target deprived area may have to spend two seasons to mess up twice before he learns what he needs to learn and then may get the chance to close the deal the next season.

The idea that someone is a better hunter because he doesn't get the number of encounters another hunter does just doesn't make sense.

How did I know this would somehow get twisted into another location debate.

 

I've grown up bowhunting big mature whitetails in a NOT so target rich or bowhunter friendly environment. The mountains and forestlands of Northern Idaho. I have traveled to hunt Albertas bowzone, Iowas farm land, North Dakotas Farm lands and Montanas River bottoms. Hands down the best education I have gotten comes from the mature bucks that live in the moutains, that have endless food sources in all directions, no destinations, that are hunted 2 months out of the year by rifle hunters and that are eaten by wolves and mountains lions.. These bucks are the most skittish bucks I have witnessed across North America and they have huge country and wicked terrain to hide out in.

Any and everytime I have bowhunted all the other habitats and whitetail richer areas.. I can say without a doubt that its easier. Much easier for me to get on mature bucks immediately. When you hunt for a needle in a haystack your whole life then get to hunt for a needle in a pin cushion full of needles.. its a breath of fresh air.

I'd take the eduction the mountains and big woods bucks that survive all of the obstacles thrown their way ... Do I think many would want to learn from this curve.. NO, absolutely not.. most would quit bowhunting whitetails in country I bowhunt them in.

 

Personally I would LOVE it. I think hunting them the way you do would be absolutely AWESOME and a great learning experience.

 

Fletch, "Having the opportunity does not always lead to better odds."

Right, but to say that any Gomer can climb a tree in the midwest and kill a big buck is fallacy. The guys that get it done in other areas, are going to have a great time here. If you have trouble just filling a doe tag elsewhere, dont expect to come here and take home a booner. Thats all I was trying to say. You and most on this site, would have a good chance to take a nice deer in the midwest. But its not as simple as just giving someone a bow and sending them to the woods. Keep in mind, most that are willing to travel are pretty dedicated hunters and over half of them leave for home empty handed.