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Tips on hunting mature bucks during early bow season

20K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  ArchersParadox 
#1 ·
What are everyones tips on stand locations to tag that mature buck during the stages that typically took place during bowhunting (october thru november). These are some of the strategies I have read about:

1) Don't hunt mature bucks till the beginning of the rut and to set up on funnels during that time. During this time hunt food plots and plan on filling your doe tags.

2) Hunt mature bucks early morning and try to get between there "home" and food plots. Get into the stand early trying to find an exit and entrance to the stand that do not distrupt pattern. This way you have a chance to slay the big guy on his way to his bedroom. Typically this time of the year the mature bucks are nocturnal.

3) Hunt during the rut only for mature bucks. Find the doe beeding areas and try to find a location near that allows easy entrance and exit without spooking the does. The is good to hunt early mornings because that is when the buck will be "sniffing" around the beddings areas to look for a doe in heat. Or also hunt the food plots early morning or evenings where the does will be feeding.


So there are many techniques and strategies used by most amateur bowhunters. I just was wondering what other peoples techniques, strategies and stand locations are for the different stages of the rut (lull, pre-rut, and rut) are, beginning of october to end of november.


Thanks!!
 
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#4 ·
Early season take out the does for the freezer.
Late October on through the end of the season, I hunt exclusively to fill my buck tag, that is, barring a chance encounter with him before that time! :wink:
 
#5 ·
I just read an article that said that scrapes are better when found inside of the woods instead of on field edges because the deer tend to use the route more because of exposure times in the open.
If I find more than one tree rubbed up I will set up anywhere in between those rubs. It shows that someone's made themselves comfortable in that part of the woods.
 
#10 ·
i take a few doe's early and the last week of October thru the 3rd week on Nov. i hope and plan to see and kill the buck, now don't get me wrong if i see him early great!!, the only thing i change during the rut is how aggressive i am like with calls and decoy and such! and as far as stand location you pretty much stated what i do! god willing i will have a good season, and so will you!!!
 
#11 ·
2) Hunt mature bucks early morning and try to get between there "home" and food plots. Get into the stand early trying to find an exit and entrance to the stand that do not distrupt pattern. This way you have a chance to slay the big guy on his way to his bedroom. Typically this time of the year the mature bucks are nocturnal.

I will hunt food sources that are close to heavy cover in the evening, never know when Mr Big gets hungry and wanders out for a quick bite.
 
#12 ·
Heavy, heavy, heavy cover. In the stand well before sunrise and sit all day. That big buck may have bedded down 50 yards away in the thick stuff and you won't even see him. Climb down at 11:00 am and he's gone. Stay til dark and you might catch him moving with some shooting light left.

I set up near the heaviest cover I can find with multiple trails intersecting near the stand. In the northwoods these bucks will move before it's too dark to shoot. The thick cover along with their sense of smell is their safety net.

The less times you move through the area the less scent you leave behind, hense the all day sits even early in the season.

A well cut path to your stand minimizing noise will also help. These trails should be cut in the spring and maintained once in late summer. Try to remove any brush that may come in contact with you on a normal walk and then take extra care not to touch anything on top of that. Human scent lingers a long time and big old bucks are just that fir a reason.

Slip in as stealthy as possible.
Set up next to mega cover on trail intersections.
Watch the wind and your scent.
Be prepared for some extremely long days.
First light and the last half hour are going to be your best chances.
Make sure your stand is comfy enough for all day sits.
Try not to fall asleep.
Shoot the big buck when he walks by.
 
#13 ·
Hamdog, thier are several different classes of mature bucks and each can be found in specific locations. A large group of bachelor bucks rarely hold the true dominate buck later in the summer prerut. They have a tendancy to go on lockdown about the first week of September in my area. Where do they go?, I have found that the largest bucks have a tendancy to feed in secluded meadows/whitoaks/apples and other secretive feeding locations. They rarely move until the very last remaining minutes of light. They seek out secure cover that offers them everything they need with very little movement. They occassionally will hang out with a what I call a " spy ". This generally is a smaller buck that he has accepted to scout the area before he arrives. I have seen on numerous occassions one certain deer arrive to feed for X amount of minutes before " MR Big " arrives. You can more or less set your clock by the arrival of this smaller spy and it wont be long until the big guy arrives. The only way you can find these locations is with leg work and a whole bunch of luck. Now the average older age class buck will be found domineering the local bachelor group and can be intercepted between bedding areas and feeding areas which this time of the year switch sometimes overnight. My point, large bachelor groups rarely hold the largest buck in the area. He has learned to become reclusive and can often be located in out of the way places that still offer everything he needs.
 
#15 ·
mature bucks r smarter than well ever know rain and lots of walking like miles of walking u will see mature bucks dont know if its because its darker outside or no pressure everyone says they bed in severe rain i dont think so ive watched them move in downpours and i cover as much ground as possible in the last 30 minutes because your even more likely to see them like i said bout the wind if its perfect for u it aint for them so why would they walk up to u their smarter than that hunt super long hours and you will see what ya been missin alot of mature bucks come in from 10 on in the morning it seems its the days you see no other deer also best thing i ever learned was the buck roar blow the loudest grunt you got like your trying to scare em off if you ever hear a buck make that sound youll see you cant blow it to loud it aint like a tending grunt either something else is bucks pop weirdest sound ive ever heard learned to use it from a guy who killed a bunch of mature bucks on his place if you want mature bucks dont hunt your does till their ready i mean the spots thats always got a deer to shoot and timeing is very important someplaces look good too but if u aint seeing the deer you think you should come from different angles sometimes thats all the difference in the world good luck maybe some this stuff will help ya remember deer bed where they can watch you coming like on the edges of bluffs over looking fields and sides of hills
 
#16 ·
Tips on hunting mature bucks during early bow season

...don't..

unless you had him pinned down with trail cameras from late September...and your ONLY real chance would have been within three days after season opened..any slightest hint of PRESSURE = NOCTURNAL....


....it is amazing how many OVERLY ENTHUSIATIC early season bow hunters RUIN their chances this time of the year...


....I stay away from my KNOWN honey holes until Nov. 1st.....
 
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