Some of you guys know I hunt a large military base (45,000 huntable acres). Sometimes I feel like I am trying to find a needle in a haystack while hunting endless miles of woods. Some years I have bopped around trying to find the latest and greatest hunting areas, some just right off the road where noone hunts, others, a mile in some mornings. I just had a thought come over my head tonight. I am going to focus 80% of my efforts this year starting in the pre-rut, on only 3 different areas. The reason being is I/my friend observed large bucks in those areas last year. I am also certain that those deer are still alive and have lived in those same core areas for years based on the massive rubs that I have found over the years, from the terrain features, and from the remoteness of the areas. I had just never seen those/those type bucks until last year. They were all big, mature bucks. Both my friend and I observed them on October 30th, November 18th, and November 23rd. Have any of you ever felt like you have jumped around too much during the prime hunting times and not focused your energies on several core areas where you actually knew mature bucks lived? Do you feel that my thoughts on hunting those areas are justified or should I be more open to hunting certain terrain features in new places during the pre-rut/rut? Thanks for any insight.
I hear what you are saying Jeff. Due to the restraints I work with on the base, I almost never "Know" a good buck is using an area until I see him..I hope you understand what I am saying. I cannot use trail cams or anything else. I have to go on what my eyes show me every single year. And when I am talking "areas", I am talking 60-100 acre spots, where I might hunt in 3-4 different spots in that one area, doing mini "jumps".
VS, I hunt big country, access to about 1/2 a million acres of public and timber company ground. Yet I hunt bowhunt 4 main areas that consists of about 2000 acres total. And within that roughly 2000 acres, I would say I have killed the majority of my bucks on 500 of it. So about 250 in each area.. spots where the big boys like to reside/ hide out. I base all of my hunting areas on concrete proof. Trail Cams which U cant use. So leave that out, but before ttrail cams I had no problems basing my spots on visuals through scouting/glassing and shed hunting. Shed hunting has turned me onto more big bucks than any other evidence. Big bucks like to live 49 to 50 weeks of their life in their comfort zone. As long as snow or lack of feed isnt pushing your deer off your 45,000 acres you shouldnt have any problems with property lines. If you hunt an area that has year around feed, I can almost gaurantee you that thos big bucks you are seeing outside of the rut arent to darned far from where you are seeing them. Ever. If you have plenty of does, they wont have to travel endless miles to rut either. I'd focus on those known areas you are speak of that have shown big bucks. Then break down those areas through ariels/ topos and scouting on foot. HIt the shed path in there next winter after season. The sheds and big bucks are out there. The big boys just dont make many mistakes, they are hard to get on outside of the rut and they dont move much. I really like your approach, thats how I hunt, ie... concrete proof over secondary proof like rubs, scrapes, tracks scat etc. Thats stuff is all nice when it coincides with big buck sightings! I believe in a big woods setting this works the best.. If I was restricted to small acreages in other parts of the country I would be hunting prime funneling areas. Good luck!
Shed, great information thank you. There are a lot of does on base, so no I don't think they are travelling far at all during the rut. I am going to try and mix it up in those areas, hunting saddles, low grounds with lots of crossings for a scent checking buck, and of course, high ground thickets where I have seen bucks slowly trailing and /or pushing does up into those thickets to breed. I am going for broke on those areas this year, with a few other tricks up my sleeve. I am just trying to play the cards I have been dealt the best way I know possible. Also, I have NEVER been a shed hunter. I am going to do it after the season ends this year. You and Duke always say shed hunting has played a large part in your success and I believe you. I will get on it this winter.
I just go where I feel like they will be. (At some point in their routine of life.) I rely a lot more on luck than skill. Sometimes we get to caught up in the technical side of things and forget what our gut is telling us. I like to be spontaneous in my pursuits. Just remember what you know and plan accordingly. I have killed so many bucks I am an expert. J/k:D Good luck VS.
Thanks LA, I appreciate it. I hear you about letting things flow and enjoying the hunt. I believe I have enough room in those areas to have some flexibility and spontaneity. I mean some of those areas are pretty dang big....like 80-100 acres!
in a big woods setting.. where deer have plenty of room to find their own little piece of comfort, especially an old buck that has settled in for his final years and likes his solitude. where you find his sheds you will most likely find him living year around.. especially if he has year around food/water in there.. thats how it is out here, year around food, only deep snows can push him out before he sheds, but our big bucks shed early.. around christmas to the first week of Jan.. so my older bucks sheds usually hit the ground before they get moved by snow levels.. I think you will be amazed at what you find in regards to the intricate details of your hunting area .. might find some nice bones too, great exercise etc.. I've killed several bucks that I have found their sheds first.. spending quality time in their areas pays off, I have also learned a lot of hard lessons pushing it to hard at times.. trying too hard.. smart is always better than hard scouting, best of luck!
there is a lot of truth in this for me as well, when I am scouting, planning etc, I have visualize the big picture and try to put it all together in regards to set ups. Hunting big country does me trying to find a needle in the haystack at times. The more time you spend scouting, researching, breaking down maps...it all helps to get a "feel" for how deer use your hunting areas and the more accurate gut feelings seem to be. Its been that way for me anyways.
Shed, I love the exercise of scouting in the winter. I will just add looking for sheds to my adventures. It will be a lot of fun, and my son will be able head out with me to get a little tougher for his first year of football next year (hopefully when he turns 6).
oh yeah, I take my boys 6 and 8, they really like it.. makes em tough, crawling through bush, hiking etc..plus when ya find a shed they love it!
Here is my son helping me scout last winter when he was 4--it was a freezing rain storm and he was miserable! hahaha
They were his sisters ladybug boots----hahaha! He was driving my wife so crazy she told me to take him even though it was pouring rain in January! hahaha...I made him wear his sisters boots to get him out of the house. LOL.
hahahaha, u just made me laugh outloud, sounds like something I would do and something my wife would say about my boys! lmao that hit way to close to home.. classic pix there! U hunting that Military ground right now? Season open?
Yep Shed, hunting it right now. I have hunted it 4 times in the last ten days...day 1 was a good day, saw 8 does and two bucks ( a 4 point and spike). Days 2, 3 and 4=didn't see a thing. I am hunting where I think bucks will be moving(if at all prior to sundown). In years past I probably would have seen does at least, but my stand locations are moving more remote and more terrain based. I am kind of glad I am not seeing does right now. I am going to head out tomorrow from 10-2 in the rain to speed scout some areas that look intriguing to me. I will bring my bow just in case but don't expect much to happen.
No agriculture fields on base. Only some grass fields that are used for training purposes. Here is a pic of one of the areas I plan on focusing:
Jeff, I thought about it after we spoke about it. I am just really terrible at asking people for things. I have always just done things on my own and made the best of it. I even have a guy offering to take me to some great spots this year to help secure permission, yet I am hesitant. I think I am going to take him up on the offer. I think I may head out with him sometimes soon. As for the agriculture spots, I could try to ride around and ask for permission. Not really sure. I have some pride and want to really take my first mature buck off the spot I have hunted for 10 years...call it stubborn but I want to master these big woods and harder spots to hunt before I move onto something "easier".
That is what I was referring to Jeff. "Easier" meant where there were more deer and larger bucks on average. I am not trying to take anything away from anyone by saying that...in fact, paint me stupid for not doing it. It is almost like I do not feel like I deserve better hunting grounds until I prove myself, to myself where I hunt now. I know, I am strange.
