Buck showing just after legal light

[lafn96]

Have pics of this buck the last two years, and his rack hasn't changed a bit. I think he's at least 4.5 years old, and given how thick he is and not much hope of his rack growing he's 1 of 2 bucks I'd really like to get. He's shown the last two nights about 10 min after legal shooting light. I think he's bedded about 50-100 yds above this scrape on a SE facing slope, and there's really no way for me to get up there without alerting him. I was thinking with this cold front coming in next week, maybe get out there Monday and Tuesday night hoping that the colder weather would get him moving earlier. Any suggestions?

 

[Ski]

10min after shooting light tells me he's probably bedded farther away than 50-100yds. But I'm not there so I can't say for sure. You could just wait for him to eventually come in earlier, or you could go after him. Either way risks not getting him. That's one of hunting's biggest dilemmas. Only you can decide. If you move in closer you risk busting him out. If you just sit back & wait then he very well may change his pattern before ever offering a shot.

If it were me I'd set up TONIGHT on a tangent. I'd swing wide out to the side of his suspected travel where I could watch both where I think he's bedding and where I'm catching him on cam. Watch to see if he's actually bedding there or coming from somewhere else, and if he's using the travel path you suspect or doing something totally off your radar. I've been able to close in a lot of bucks by doing this, especially during bed-to-feed patterns. Some folks call it an observation sit. That's a pretty good name for because you're not necessarily planning to kill him, just gathering information to help you kill him.

 

[Mcboom]

Go in early. I have one piece of property I have the same problem with. I will be on stand a hour and half before I can see to shoot. I can't count the times I've been sitting in the dark and listen to them walk on by. It going in at light was blowing thin out

 

[lafn96]

10min after shooting light tells me he's probably bedded farther away than 50-100yds. But I'm not there so I can't say for sure. You could just wait for him to eventually come in earlier, or you could go after him. Either way risks not getting him. That's one of hunting's biggest dilemmas. Only you can decide. If you move in closer you risk busting him out. If you just sit back & wait then he very well may change his pattern before ever offering a shot.

If it were me I'd set up TONIGHT on a tangent. I'd swing wide out to the side of his suspected travel where I could watch both where I think he's bedding and where I'm catching him on cam. Watch to see if he's actually bedding there or coming from somewhere else, and if he's using the travel path you suspect or doing something totally off your radar. I've been able to close in a lot of bucks by doing this, especially during bed-to-feed patterns. Some folks call it an observation sit. That's a pretty good name for because you're not necessarily planning to kill him, just gathering information to help you kill him.

Thank you! The other problem is it is THICK in there and steep; can't see more than 30 yards and usually much less. Going up in the tree and doesn't help because of all the foliage and you're looking directly into the hill. Growing up on a farm in NE, I've done alot of observation sits, but always where I have a good field of view to see where the deer are coming out at - never in thick woods so this type of hunting is new to me.

 

[Ski]

The other problem is it is THICK in there and steep; can't see more than 30 yards and usually much less.

That's why he's there. It's safe. Like they say in fishing, if you ain't snagging you ain't catching.

 

[74MOPAR]

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

I believe he is older than 4.5

 

[Boll Weevil]

Wait til the time changes...then he'll move an hour earlier.

 

[Kirk]

Wait for a rainy day.

 

[DeerCamp]

I think he's bedded about 50-100 yds above this scrape on a SE facing slope, and there's really no way for me to get up there without alerting him

 

[Snake]

I believe he is older than 4.5

Sure looks it .

 

[Iglow]

A windy afternoon with it blowing from him to you, but you're only gonna get 1 chance if you don't kill him I'd bet. Go 10 min of daylight in his direction and hunt from the ground.

 

[Dumbluck]

If he is showing just before or after legal light stick to your plan and hunt him when the front comes in. It may be just what you need to push him over into hunting light. I have killed a lot of big deer doing exactly what your doing. I keep track of them and when they start showing up with in an hour or two of hunting light I start pressuring them.

Good luck

 

[tree_ghost]

It's plenty early in the season. Sounds like you're in the right location to me. I'd wait and watch that cell cam if he shows in daylight slide in there and hunt him the following 2-3 days and see what happens…gives you plenty of time to make another move on him if it doesn't work out. In the meantime go scout and find another buck is my advice! Good luck!

 

[lafn96]

Wind was exactly opposite of what I need for that spot, so didn't go in there last night. Got a pic of a dog sent to me at about 6pm, and didn't get a single picture of any deer till this morning which is a first. Hopefully that dog won't make him change his pattern/area.