#1791683 - 02/15/10 10:02 PM
Mature buck hunters
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W.Seay
12 Point
Registered: 01/17/06
Posts: 7148
Loc: Collierville,TN.
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To you guys Who hunt exclusively for mature bucks 4 1/2 or older, how were your sightings this season compared to the last 3 seasons? What county or counties were you hunting and what specific dates/weeks did you see the most activity from the mature bucks?thanks
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To one with faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.
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#1791769 - 02/15/10 11:03 PM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: W.Seay]
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jh
4 Point
Registered: 11/29/06
Posts: 201
Loc: bon-air mountain
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11 different 4 1/2 or older in 06-07
7 in 07-08
10 in 08-09
17 in 09-10
all in white county
2nd week of ML seen 11 different mature bucks this year.
all of this is on a average of almost 4 hours a day hunting.
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#1791816 - 02/16/10 12:09 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: jh]
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megalomaniac
10 Point
Registered: 10/28/05
Posts: 4887
Loc: Mississippi
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We only had 2 mature (4.5 yr olds) bucks on my farms this year by trail cameras...
Both were seen for the first time the second week of ML, one killed by my friend, the other I elected to pass on a 150 yard shot with ML. Never saw that buck again.
I was hoping a few others not captured on trail camera might transition onto the properties, but if they did, I never saw them.
jh, you must have an incredible age structure and total buck population where you hunt!
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#1791826 - 02/16/10 01:18 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: megalomaniac]
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jh
4 Point
Registered: 11/29/06
Posts: 201
Loc: bon-air mountain
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i also have alot of time to hunt ;).. plus having access to over 5,000 acres of private land doesnt hurt... all of these arent 'treestand' time... but all were seen while hunting, 3 of the ones this year might have been only 3 1/2... i dont own trail cams so there may be more than that. the buck/doe ratio isnt very good from what i can tell... 1:7 for me.age structure is good, clear cuts far as i can see, they get to grow old... i think the most important thing is bein able to hunt everyday that i want. gotta be there to see em.
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Go Big or stay home.....
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#1791827 - 02/16/10 01:30 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: jh]
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jh
4 Point
Registered: 11/29/06
Posts: 201
Loc: bon-air mountain
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it all figures up to one mature buck sighting for every 22 hours on stand... almost 400 hours total hunting time. and 22 other bucks that werent mature. 11 1/2 olds 7 2 1/2 olds and 4 3 1/2 olds..... 39 different bucks for 400 hours total hunting time. oddball year for me.didnt kill but one.
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#1791854 - 02/16/10 05:26 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: jh]
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Setterman
8 Point
Registered: 12/31/09
Posts: 1783
Loc: Knoxville, TN
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My sightings were way up this year, I did not go but one time when I didn't see what I would consider a mature buck. I even saw multiple mature bucks several times as well. My best weeks were Nov 10- Nov 28th. Before that, and after that it was a little bit spotty, but I also wasn't hunting here much during that time.
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#1791894 - 02/16/10 06:37 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: jh]
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whistlinwingman
8 Point
Registered: 07/11/05
Posts: 1824
Loc: Morristown
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11 different 4 1/2 or older in 06-07
7 in 07-08
10 in 08-09
17 in 09-10
all in white county
2nd week of ML seen 11 different mature bucks this year.
all of this is on a average of almost 4 hours a day hunting.
I'm doing something wrong. Those are fantastic numbers. Are you(all)managing these properties yourself. It's obvious you are letting the young ones go, but what else are you doing to get or keep these #'s?
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"I'm a great believer in luck, I find the harder I work the more I have it" -Thomas Jefferson
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#1791920 - 02/16/10 07:05 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: whistlinwingman]
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Setterman
8 Point
Registered: 12/31/09
Posts: 1783
Loc: Knoxville, TN
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I only saw one mature buck on my property this year. It had a rough go last year, and will take a few years to bounce back. I saw 2 in one morning in Roane Cty, killing one of those, that property was not managed at all.
All of my other mature bucks seen in TN were on public land. It was literally infested with them. Killing them was a different story all together, especially since I was determined to do so with a bow. After killing 3 mature bucks over the course of the season, I made that decision, and stuck with it. Came close but never dropped one, it happens.
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#1791929 - 02/16/10 07:13 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: Setterman]
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BSK
Jerkasourous of the non-typical kind
Non-Typical
Registered: 03/11/99
Posts: 59548
Loc: Nashville, TN
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Total buck population has been down in my area over the last 3 years, but buck age structure (percent in each age-class) hasn't changed much (consistantly have around 8-10% mature bucks). I personally have had sucky success seeing any of those mature bucks the last two years, with a grand total of zero sightings.
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"Know where you stand, and stand there" --Jesuit Father Daniel Berrigan
"There is no reasoning someone out of a position he has not reasoned himself into." --Clive James
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#1792029 - 02/16/10 08:42 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: BSK]
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Andy S.
TnDeer Old Timer
12 Point
Registered: 07/26/99
Posts: 7183
Loc: Atoka, TN
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I only captured 3-4 on camera and only saw 1 out of stand. I ran 5 cameras all fall and I logged 225 hours on stand hunting this fall. Compared to the last few seasons, my mature buck sightings on camera and while hunting were down. I hunt Fayette and Hardeman counties.
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Andy S.
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#1792285 - 02/16/10 10:21 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: Andy S.]
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Winchester
Non-Typical
Registered: 12/05/03
Posts: 25233
Loc: TN
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I had an average season I guess in regards to Mature/semi mature buck sightings. I killed 1 that was 4.5 and two more that were 3.5, one of which was with a bow, and as usual November was by far the best, with Nov 5'th thru the 25'th being the best for daylight activity of the older bucks. I Bow hunted quite a lot of the season as well and had some mature buck encounters early on in the season as well, when they were still on a pretty consistent bed to feed pattern. My normal group of 3 hunters actually had a decent year with killing 7 bucks 3.5 and older with the oldest being 5.5
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#1792323 - 02/16/10 10:30 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: jh]
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paradis1142
10 Point
Registered: 11/25/04
Posts: 3836
Loc: crossville tn
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11 different 4 1/2 or older in 06-07
7 in 07-08
10 in 08-09
17 in 09-10
all in white county
2nd week of ML seen 11 different mature bucks this year.
all of this is on a average of almost 4 hours a day hunting.
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USMC...helping enemies of America die for their countries since 1775
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#1792326 - 02/16/10 10:33 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: jh]
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bullzeye
10 Point
Registered: 11/27/07
Posts: 3986
Loc: White House Tn
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11 different 4 1/2 or older in 06-07
7 in 07-08
10 in 08-09
17 in 09-10
all in white county
2nd week of ML seen 11 different mature bucks this year.
all of this is on a average of almost 4 hours a day hunting.
Sounds like Iowa or Kansas WOW thats insane 17
Edited by bullzeye (02/16/10 10:33 AM)
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#1792947 - 02/16/10 04:33 PM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: bullzeye]
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W.Seay
12 Point
Registered: 01/17/06
Posts: 7148
Loc: Collierville,TN.
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Thanks for the information guys, keep it coming!
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To one with faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible.
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#1792965 - 02/16/10 04:42 PM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: W.Seay]
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Football Hunter
18 Point
Registered: 10/22/07
Posts: 24550
Loc: Wilson Co/Perry Co
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Saw 1,maybe one more 41/2
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#1793086 - 02/16/10 05:43 PM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: Football Hunter]
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51 pointer
4 Point
Registered: 10/03/09
Posts: 436
Loc: Tennessee
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I did not hunt very much but I did hunt when the weather and wind was right, I saw 3 shooter bucks, I couldn't be certain on age except the one I took...he was 3.5 but scored 201", one buck I saw @ 3pm was out of bow range and culd care less about me rattling...he was mature 200+lbs on hoof guestimating he was 135"+ or so on opening weekend of MZ, the other I had at close range but just took a picture of him...I felt sorry for him....he looked old as dirt or as some guys thought maybe sick, the only real aggressive rutting I saw was 1st week of Dec., even though I rattled in a few other bucks late bow season
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#1793118 - 02/16/10 06:06 PM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: 51 pointer]
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Rackseeker
10 Point
Registered: 09/26/02
Posts: 4767
Loc: Franklin County
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I hunted hard this past season and never seen a mature 4.5 year old buck while on stand. I took a 3.5 year old 8 pt during the first rifle season. I wouldn't know what to do if I seen 17 mature bucks in one season. I guess I need to move over a couple of counties. I usally see one maybe 2 true mature bucks in one season. But this year, none while on stand.
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#1793397 - 02/16/10 08:05 PM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: richmanbarbeque]
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Coach
16 Point
Registered: 12/02/07
Posts: 10869
Loc: Pall Mall, TN and Dexter, MI
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I passed on this one but this guy here shot it...he claimed he had been sleeping in that area for 325 of the last 365 days...he said I almost blew it because I wasn't wrapped it black garbage bags...he said he smelled me a mile or so away because I wore deordorant and smelled of firewood. He also told me that he didn't want to claim this buck with Boone and Crockett...he said those folks over there would give him a hard time and all he wanted to do was kill big bucks..and not every year. Strangely enough he said it took up to 3 or 4 years of hard work to actually do that unless you just got lucky like some guy named Hansen..
Some peole may call him the ultimate trophy hunter...I'm pretty sure he is just the ultimate hunter
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#1793935 - 02/16/10 11:50 PM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: ]
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Tree Tramp
8 Point
Registered: 07/22/09
Posts: 1560
Loc: Tennessee
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Seems like my sightinge where a little bit down this year for mature bucks and my luck wasnt there at all. Saw 2 fully mature bucks on stand in KY. Saw the same buck three different times and couldnt make it happen. Had trail cam pics of 1 that i didnt see. Saw 1 for sure mature buck in KS this year dogging a doe. Didnt score but had a blast. Saw all bucks during bow only and most where in the morning. I havent seen a mature buck from the stand in TN since 1993.
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#1794006 - 02/17/10 05:11 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: Tree Tramp]
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102
10 Point
Registered: 08/01/02
Posts: 3650
Loc: Tennessee
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Not talkin!
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God, Family, Job, Bowhunting
Luck is where Opportunity and Preparation MEET!
When in doubt...back out!
SCAPAS.stay calm and pick a spot.
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#1794066 - 02/17/10 06:52 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: 102]
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BowGuy84
10 Point
Registered: 09/16/07
Posts: 4847
Loc: Nashville, TN and Louisville, ...
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Im not an exlcusive mature buck hunter. Ill kill a 3.5 in a heart beat. But this year I didnt get that chance. I passed a few 115 inch deer that were 2.5. Saw one 3.5 at about 75 yards during that dreadful hot streak in Nov.
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#1794115 - 02/17/10 07:39 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: richmanbarbeque]
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Winchester
Non-Typical
Registered: 12/05/03
Posts: 25233
Loc: TN
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I had an average season I guess in regards to Mature/semi mature buck sightings. I killed 1 that was 4.5 and two more that were 3.5, one of which was with a bow, and as usual November was by far the best, with Nov 5'th thru the 25'th being the best for daylight activity of the older bucks. I Bow hunted quite a lot of the season as well and had some mature buck encounters early on in the season as well, when they were still on a pretty consistent bed to feed pattern. My normal group of 3 hunters actually had a decent year with killing 7 bucks 3.5 and older with the oldest being 5.5 That's not normal that is insane. Congrats! 
Thanks Rich, but not all of this was in TN. maybe half. We hunted other states as well!
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#1794516 - 02/17/10 10:32 AM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: Winchester]
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BigWes50
10 Point
Registered: 03/04/07
Posts: 3207
Loc: Chattanooga, TN
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I saw 5 shooter bucks this year and missed 1 of them. November 12th-13th. Killed a nice 9 point on december 7th but ended up being a 2.5year old.
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Just as the deer can suddenly materialize in the woods, "Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect" (Matthew 24:44)
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#1794944 - 02/17/10 02:26 PM
Re: Mature buck hunters
[Re: Andy S.]
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tickweed
10 Point
Registered: 11/25/09
Posts: 3542
Loc: medon,Tn.
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I took a nice 3 1/2 yr old in Illinois with a bow the first week of Nov,and took a nice 3 1/2 yr.old non typ on Nov 22 here in west Tn.I hunted many hours in both states,and these where the only mature deer I saw in my opinion.I saw less searching,chasing then I can ever remember.Still,I had a great season.
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