let them grow then hunt funnels and if you hunt hard enough it will happen like setterman said it is not rocket science

i killed my best buck in KY i was set up on a trail that was about as good of a funnel as i have ever seen they have almost no choice but to pass within 30yds of my tree, they feed in the farmers hayfield all night then come up the hill just as it is starting to break light i let them get past me then let them have it that buck was a 10pt that scored in the 150's it had 7" brows and was in full velvet and the funny thing was that there were 3 does that went past me and as they got above me on the hill they got my wind and started to snort i bet they snorted 15 times and suddenly i heard a twig snap turned around and there he was 10yds acting like nothing was wrong waited for him to pass under me then shot him just at 7 or 8 yds and why he didn't pay any attention to the does snorting i'll never know but glad he didn't

1) Hunt where no one else has been hunting.

2) Read Winchester's post above.

3) Hunt a) the first week or two of bow season; b) just before the peak of the rut; and c) just after the peak of the rut is over.

1) Hunt where no one else has been hunting.

2) Read Winchester's post above.

3) Hunt a) the first week or two of bow season; b) just before the peak of the rut; and c) just after the peak of the rut is over.

The best tactic...

Be in the right place at the right time...

We all know how to kill a big buck and most do. But after so much talk on the whole subject I feel we forget the most important thing of all:

Enjoy Yourself...

If I had to add a # 4. You have to put the time in (scouting & Hunting).

Could have been deaf?

LOL

I realize some have had success with the old adage of "find where the does are and you will find the bucks" especially during the rut. But personally I have not seen this technique to be a high-odds proposition for mature bucks (4 1/2+). The vast majority of mature buck kills I've investigated or been involved with do not occur in high doe use areas, such as feeding areas, but in areas remote from high deer usage areas (and in consequence often remote from high hunter activity areas). Often, mature buck kills come from areas with little deer/buck sign, which is probably why the mature bucks are using these areas during daylight. Little deer sign usually means little hunting activity hence bucks feel more comfortable using these areas during daylight.

Of course, all that depends on hunter density/activity. In areas with few hunters or very limited hunting pressure, high doe activity areas might not have been pressured by hunters enough to drive daylight mature buck activity away.

I think your #4 needs clarification gator-n-buck. Over-hunting and over-scouting just before and during the hunting season can be disatrous. As W. Seay posted, "Keep human intrusion to a minimum, this is EXTREMELY important!" I absolutely agree that scouting is critical, but scouting should be done NOW--January and February. Deciphering every trail, rub-line and scrape after the season is over may not help you locate the perfect stand location for next year (deer change patterns if primary food sources change and in reaction to hunting pressure) but post-season scouting can teach you how deer use the terrain/habitat of your hunting property. Again, as W. Seay wrote, "learn how all deer (not just mature bucks) use your property, you must know this!"

If I could add a #4 and 5 to my earlier post I would add W. Seay's recommendations:

4) "don't over hunt your prime set ups.

5) Remember that cover is king!"

In the rut even if you see a nice shooter buck let it walk. The big ones usually follow. My big 9 was about 10 minutes behind a really nice 8 I let walk. Alot of the times there may be nothing behind those nice bucks but if you are looking for a really big deer you have to let those deer that may be trophies to a lot of people walk.

I agree and I'm taking about putting the time in all yr. Not wondering around the woods during the season....

I guess that would depend on whether a "shooter" is a mature buck or a buck with large antlers. Personally, when defining a shooter as a mature buck I would rather have one in the hand than two in the bush! I'm just not a good enough hunter to be passing up mature bucks and expecting other opportunities. If I see a mature buck, I'm shooting, regardless of head-gear, especially if it is the first mature buck sighting of the year. I've got another tag for something larger antler-wise!

All of these ideas work. But never under estamate LUCK... You can create your own luck I know but if you can't catch a mature buck on his feet in daylight hours your not killing him. I've been fairly fortunate to harvest several mature deer. But if you don't see em you can't kill em.
The majority of the better deer I've seen and havested were chasing or behind a doe. So time on stand is critical no matter the weather during the rut. I hunt as much as possible. Rain snow or shine.

1) Time on stand
2) Scout (WALK, find big sign, food source)
3) Hunt funnels
4) Does
5) luck

i should have explained my self better.i didnt mean does feeding out in the field[which has worked in november]i mean the doe bedding ares in the thick stuff i just hang out on the edge and watch the bucks cruise in and out.i have good success watching thickets that the does travel in and out off during the day they will sometimes drag the big boy out that they are going into see.on my places i see the does going to the bucks just as much if not more than the bucks chasing the does around.and i do agree to a point the less buck sighn usually the better buck but they still leave sighn.

But never under estamate LUCK...

I was just saying if you want a 150" plus deer you may have to let even mature bucks pass.

Most of us on here has probably killed a few avg. mature bucks...

Absolutely true.




I disagree. I believe only a small percentage of hunters have ever killed a mature buck. In fact, I know many, many hunters that have hunted for 20+ years and never killed a mature buck, or at best 1 or 2. Consistantly successful mature buck hunters--successful enough to be choosy--are a very rare breed.

The main reason mature deer love thickets, is because deer
hunter's hate thickets. Not all, but most hunters like
visibility. I like "visibility" too.......................but.

I have friends that hunt just as hard as I do in and around good sign, pretty quality places. I have seen their set ups and there perfect. But for some reason they can't seem to see any quality bucks year in and year out. Thats what I mean by luck...some have it and some don't.

I have friends that hunt just as hard as I do in and around good sign, pretty quality places. I have seen their set ups and there perfect. But for some reason they can't seem to see any quality bucks year in and year out. Thats what I mean by luck...some have it and some don't.

i know some guys like that they are just as skillful as anyone i know but just can't get but one good one every now and then and i think it's because there are only 1 or 2 bigguns running around where they hunt instead of 4 or 5 JMO

There are those on this site that through good hunting techniques/set-ups will have the opportunity to kill every 3 1/2+ year-old buck they get on camera. Again, that isn't luck. It's hunting skill/knowledge.

I just wish I were one of those hunters!

I take hunting to extremes. I'm also kind of weird about several other things too...In spots that I have pics of shooter bucks I will not shoot does there (or any other lesser deer for that matter). I hunt other spots to harvest does. Your thoughts?

There are those on this site that through good hunting techniques/set-ups will have the opportunity to kill every 3 1/2+ year-old buck they get on camera. Again, that isn't luck. It's hunting skill/knowledge.

I just wish I were one of those hunters!

mathews338,

You certainly can't kill what isn't there, but a lot depends on what would be considered "huntable numbers." If a good trail-camera survey only picks up 1 or 2 mature bucks and then only a picture or two during the peak of the rut, I wouldn't consider that "huntable" numbers. However, as soon as a property has one 1 or 2 resident mature bucks that are photographed regularly from summer onwards, that's huntable numbers.

You are in a slump BSK. Things will turn around. You know more about deer than anyone on here more than likely. I do believe alot of the stuff you know is clouding your mind when hunting. Step back and think about it. All the data in the world will not help you if you let it distract you from your goal, which is killing a mature buck.

But part of my problem is I'm no longer "ate up" with hunting mature bucks. I seem to be far more "ate up" with monitoring the herd than actually hunting it. These days I think I get more pleasure from running trail-cams than I do hunting.

I'm just whining because I've had two bad years in a row. I'm still running pretty close to a 60% annual success rate on mature bucks. basically I'll kill a mature buck in 3 out of every 5 years. I just hit my two "off" years back to back! And we're still averaging having the opportunity to kill around 50% of the mature bucks we get on camera each year, although this year was a low point (1 out of 3).

But part of my problem is I'm no longer "ate up" with hunting mature bucks. I seem to be far more "ate up" with monitoring the herd than actually hunting it. These days I think I get more pleasure from running trail-cams than I do hunting.

Is there a new bug out there.... Bowriter, now bsk what the heck...Just go hunt and enjoy...BW doesn't want to hunt anymore bsk wants to run trail camera's... Don't forget your passion...LOL!!!

A new "bug" really does exist. I know several who have caught it. It's called the "management" bug and it's highly contagious!

Honestly, management and acquiring knowledge about deer have become far greater passions for me than the actual hunting.

Thats great, and its what makes the world go round! I will have to say im in the "Hunter' group. Nothing makes me happier than easing the string back on an old man that has no idea im anywhere around, until that bee stings him behind the shoulder and he realizes too late that something just isnt right, as his knees get weak and his rear end buckles as he tries to run away!!!

Thats great, and its what makes the world go round! I will have to say im in the "Hunter' group. Nothing makes me happier than easing the string back on an old man that has no idea im anywhere around, until that bee stings him behind the shoulder and he realizes too late that something just isnt right, as his knees get weak and his rear end buckles as he tries to run away!!!