In all of my 20-some-odd years of deer hunting in Louisiana, there have been only a few times I can remember, that bucks showed up where and when expected. It seems they almost always show up at a little different time than expected, or a little different route. What would you give as a percentage of bucks (for your hunting career) that have been like clockwork and right down the garden path? If they did not stay on the clock or the garden path, what do you think, or know, made them change it up?
I can think of a few times a buck showed up where I expected him to.......But only once was it the 'right' buck.
I have had bucks come in right when and where I expected them alot.... usually in the first week or two of early archery season and throughout our late archery season. The rut really screws that up, but for the most part I know the major traveling areas and the timeframe that they move on... this is helped out by running game cams throughout season. I would say normally around 30-35% of the time (might not sound high... but it is good for me)
What this guy said. Once in a while I have a yearling buck surprise me, but I honestly can't remember the last time I saw a 2.5 or older buck that didn't come from where I thought he would. I really try not to hunt places like that, and prefer to focus on spots that force them to move in the direction I need them to.
I guess to me...if a buck walks down the trail I am hunting (for any reason)...he did what I expected. But, many of the areas I hunt are so thick that I may not be able to even see a buck unless he walks through the trail(s) I am sitting over.
Pretty much where I hunt, they can come from any direction. So I am 100% on where I expect them to come from.
