Early Season Strategies for Mature Bucks.....
07-08-2008, 04:44 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Inverness, MS
Posts: 3,982
Early Season Strategies for Mature Bucks.....
I'm going into my 16th season of bowhunting and I've yet to have ANY luck on even spotting the big boys during the early season..... You will catch them in crop fields until about mid September and then they vanish..... Our rut usualy takes place from mid december to xmas..... So I include Oct 1thru Thanksgiving as early season, and especially October....
You can expect temps to be in the 80's for all of October with the occasional cool snap that will drop the temps into the 60's......
Over all those years I think I've seen3 mature bucks on the hoof prior to Thanksgiving....It just seems the heat keeps these deer almost completely nocturnal until the indian summer transitions into fall and the temps come down considerably.....
I've tried it all from hunting the crop fields, the acorns, the persimmons, the water holes.... You name it, I've tried it.. It just seems they are locked down and plan on staying that way!
Does anyone consistently see mature deer during the hot early season and if so what tatics do you find work best?
You can expect temps to be in the 80's for all of October with the occasional cool snap that will drop the temps into the 60's......
Over all those years I think I've seen3 mature bucks on the hoof prior to Thanksgiving....It just seems the heat keeps these deer almost completely nocturnal until the indian summer transitions into fall and the temps come down considerably.....
I've tried it all from hunting the crop fields, the acorns, the persimmons, the water holes.... You name it, I've tried it.. It just seems they are locked down and plan on staying that way!
Does anyone consistently see mature deer during the hot early season and if so what tatics do you find work best?
07-08-2008, 05:01 PM
#2
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Northwest suburbs, Illinois
Posts: 2,075
RE: Early Season Strategies for Mature Bucks.....
Double Creek.. I see a fair amount of decent bucks during the early season. The key is really getting as close to their personal bedding as possible. Most hunters hunt like its the rut all season long.. this is a common mistake.. get back into the bedding areas.
Theirs a dude on this site who's made a living off of killing older deer just as the season sets in.. his name is Bukmastr (Dan Infalt). PM him.. and he'll tell you every detail you ask.
Theirs a dude on this site who's made a living off of killing older deer just as the season sets in.. his name is Bukmastr (Dan Infalt). PM him.. and he'll tell you every detail you ask.
07-08-2008, 10:45 PM
#5
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Aug 2003
Location: The OH-IO
Posts: 7,103
RE: Early Season Strategies for Mature Bucks.....
All of my early season mature buck sightings (between10/1 and 10/15) that I can recall right now have been near bedding setups, specifically inside break lines.[/align]
07-08-2008, 10:45 PM
#6
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Posts: 782
RE: Early Season Strategies for Mature Bucks.....
I've had a little success drawing nocturnal deer out by setting a feeder to spin just as the sun rises. This creates daytime competition for the deer in the area. I set it to only go off once in the morning and that is it. My feeder is perfect because it is a tripod feeder with metal pole legs and when that sucker gets to spitting corn you can hear it from a mile away. I've seen deer come trotting in as soon as they hear it in order to get there share before all the others tear it up. But at the same time there have been mature deer that i get photos of during the night that i just can't ever seem to draw out to the day time hours. Who knows, worth a shot!
07-08-2008, 11:22 PM
#7
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Blossvale, New York
Posts: 21,199
RE: Early Season Strategies for Mature Bucks.....
ORIGINAL: Double Creek
I'm going into my 16th season of bowhunting and I've yet to have ANY luck on even spotting the big boys during the early season..... You will catch them in crop fields until about mid September and then they vanish..... Our rut usualy takes place from mid december to xmas..... So I include Oct 1thru Thanksgiving as early season, and especially October....
You can expect temps to be in the 80's for all of October with the occasional cool snap that will drop the temps into the 60's......
Over all those years I think I've seen3 mature bucks on the hoof prior to Thanksgiving....It just seems the heat keeps these deer almost completely nocturnal until the indian summer transitions into fall and the temps come down considerably.....
I've tried it all from hunting the crop fields, the acorns, the persimmons, the water holes.... You name it, I've tried it.. It just seems they are locked down and plan on staying that way!
Does anyone consistently see mature deer during the hot early season and if so what tatics do you find work best?
I'm going into my 16th season of bowhunting and I've yet to have ANY luck on even spotting the big boys during the early season..... You will catch them in crop fields until about mid September and then they vanish..... Our rut usualy takes place from mid december to xmas..... So I include Oct 1thru Thanksgiving as early season, and especially October....
You can expect temps to be in the 80's for all of October with the occasional cool snap that will drop the temps into the 60's......
Over all those years I think I've seen3 mature bucks on the hoof prior to Thanksgiving....It just seems the heat keeps these deer almost completely nocturnal until the indian summer transitions into fall and the temps come down considerably.....
I've tried it all from hunting the crop fields, the acorns, the persimmons, the water holes.... You name it, I've tried it.. It just seems they are locked down and plan on staying that way!
Does anyone consistently see mature deer during the hot early season and if so what tatics do you find work best?
07-09-2008, 06:59 AM
#9
Dominant Buck
Join Date: Oct 2005
Location:
Posts: 21,043
RE: Early Season Strategies for Mature Bucks.....
Double Creek.. I see a fair amount of decent bucks during the early season. The key is really getting as close to their personal bedding as possible. Most hunters hunt like its the rut all season long.. this is a common mistake.. get back into the bedding areas.
I'll be calling you to discuss some tactics for getting one of these guys early....as my season opens 9/8....and I have access to 150 new acres in one spot (with beans) and about 300+ additional acres.....also with beans. The trails to the crop fields are VERY evident.......even back as far as January/February.
It's gonna be interesting.
07-09-2008, 07:33 PM
#10
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 7,876
RE: Early Season Strategies for Mature Bucks.....
I think you have to know where they will be a year ahead of time and then set up to take him just after the season ends. If you've ever patterned another hunter like GregH he does this. People like this are also big into Trail cams.They also know the area's they hunt.
Check things once maybe twice during the off season. When you do see deer movement any time during the year pay close attention to the conditions (get on line and record whatevers available). When the season comes pick a day that closely resembles those conditions. I'd say evenings are best, but there are places in this little world that only see deer in themorning.
Check things once maybe twice during the off season. When you do see deer movement any time during the year pay close attention to the conditions (get on line and record whatevers available). When the season comes pick a day that closely resembles those conditions. I'd say evenings are best, but there are places in this little world that only see deer in themorning.
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