Serial Mature Buck Killer !! Opinions?

[MattR]

Ok, this is in reply to an article most of you hopefully read that Bsk posted. So, in short it talks about these "serial mature buck killers" or people that consistently kill mature deer and he profiles these hunters, and sees a common list of traits that the best deer hunters he knows has.

I am wondering what some of your opinions are on what traits some of the best deer hunters you know have.


I will start it off. I haven't had the opportunity to be around what I would consider a great deer hunter but I have been around some pretty good ones.

1) They are persistant, they have what they believe to be a good idea and they stick to it, even if it doesn't work out right away.

2) They are willing to put in the work. Alot of people I know want to kill big mature deer but they don't want to put in the work for it. It isn't something that is given to you unless your hunt for the Tv shows. xD j/k

3) I really think for some people it just comes natural. They are all about finding ways to get a deer closer and do not over do it or spook deer by doing so.

4) They are knowledgeable in deer behavior and how the weather and habitat affect deer and what to expect out of deer when one of these isn't "normal"

Like I said I'm no expert, this is just my opinion, I would like to see what other more experienced hunters think. Thanks

 

[Shed Hunter]

High goals, worn out boots, God given intelligence, knowledge, and determination.

*btw Poser posted the article, not that it matters

 

[tickweed]

No matter how good, or much a person hunts, nor where, still takes some luck.

 

[Snake]

First and formost you have to have the right set-up. Now don't get me wrong I know of people who have killed monster mature bucks on public land but not real consistent . These people really have my respect because they hunt were any Joe can hunt mostly in the mountains but believe me they earn these bucks !Don't know of a single pro or not that can kill a mature buck consistently on public land that has severe pressure unless lady Luck is on their side . Hunters that have property that they can afford to let younger bucks pass knowing that unless nature takes them out they will return for another year can consistently take mature bucks but it is not a given because some can become virualy un-killable . 1.Serial mature buck hunters often learn from their mistakes and don't keep making them . 2. Not hunting a stand unless the wind is exactly right.3. Not over hunting a stand .4.Passing on a good buck even though it is the last hunting day and your tag is unfilled but not the buck on your hit list .5. Keeping human scent down to the very minimum drawing near to opening day. 6. Being persistent . I know alot of you know these very things I have listed but we all know it takes a person that is commited to their goals to consistently take mature bucks and this is someone I am not . The good Lord has blessed me with alot of deer in my years and some really decent bucks but I am a hunter first so if I score then I can holdout for a decent buck but going empty haned for a while the old hunter returns .A serial mature hunter is not for me but for those who can Godspeed to them !

 

[Diehard Hunter]

It takes a lot of knowledge and skill, but first and foremost, it takes TIME in the field. The kind of time very few people have.

 

[Headhunter]

I would bet many of these people do not have a day job or have to work 40 hour weeks to make a living. Time is probably one of the most important factors.

 

[TheLBLman]

It takes a lot of knowledge and skill, but first and foremost, it takes TIME in the field. The kind of time very few people have.

Not sure just what is THE most important thing, but it might be hunting where mature bucks actually exist in "huntable" numbers.

Or put this way: It often doesn't take much TIME to kill one in places they exist in relatively natural numbers. TIMING is often more important than TIME. And all the TIME in the world won't help if you're hunting in a place where very few bucks live to 3 1/2 or older.

The good news is that "huntable" numbers of mature bucks now exist in much of TN, albeit the survivors to maturity tend to be the ones born with below average antler genetics. With a growing number of hunters voluntarily "letting walk" most yearling and most 2 1/2's, we're seeing a high percentage of bucks surviving to 3 1/2. But that said, I'm amazed at the collective hunters' skills in taking out those 3 1/2's with above average antlers each year --- very few of the larger antlered 3 1/2's are living to 4 1/2.

 

[MattR]

.

*btw Poser posted the article, not that it matters

My bad, I was in a hurry because I was about to leave and didn't double check it

 

[diamond hunter]

Hunt in the thickest thicket you have but not in it,outside it and don't bump it.

 

[BSK]

It takes a lot of knowledge and skill, but first and foremost, it takes TIME in the field. The kind of time very few people have.

I tend to disagree with this. Yes, some of the best big buck killers I know hunt a lot, but they do so because hunting is their passion. However, in my opinion, the absolute worst advice I see given about being a successful older buck hunter is HUNT HARD. That advice suggests that those who consistently kill older bucks do so simply because they spend more time in the woods. CONSISTENTLY killing older bucks is not about lucky encounters, with more time in the woods resulting in more lucky encounters with older bucks. Consistently killing older bucks is about knowing how to hunt them. Spending more time HUNTING THE WRONG WAY is not going to make you more successful.

 

[MattR]

It takes a lot of knowledge and skill, but first and foremost, it takes TIME in the field. The kind of time very few people have.

I tend to disagree with this. Yes, some of the best big buck killers I know hunt a lot, but they do so because hunting is their passion. However, in my opinion, the absolute worst advice I see given about being a successful older buck hunter is HUNT HARD. That advice suggests that those who consistently kill older bucks do so simply because they spend more time in the woods. CONSISTENTLY killing older bucks is not about lucky encounters, with more time in the woods resulting in more lucky encounters with older bucks. Consistently killing older bucks is about knowing how to hunt them. Spending more time HUNTING THE WRONG WAY is not going to make you more successful.

I agree. I think this is opne thing I need to work on. I think I see some good sign and get excited about it but then I want to just hunt it and hunt it hard. I know if I would of waited for better conditions last year I would of killed a mature buck.

Sometimes it is hard to hunt under optimal conditions unless you have a lot of time off. You have to hunt what you can and not worry about the days you can't go. Some of the better hunters I know seem like they almost have a stand or spot for every condition. And their best spots, they don't even go in unless everything lines up. That gives them the best chance to kill the buck that is in that location. It seems every year a deer ages the less chances they are going to give you to kill them. So, I think it has more to do with TIMING than TIME, as someone mentioned before.

So, maybe Patience and self control I should add to my list lol. I'm not an expert, and don't have tons of experience but it makes sense.

 

[rukiddin]

Common ground with the guys I know that consistantly kill big deer?
1. They all have very flexible jobs or own their own business.
2. They have multiple properties they can hunt exclusively.
3. They don't tell anybody about a big'un until its in the back of their truck.
4. They don't take themselves to seriously, it does'nt consume them. Laid back, easy going. They have fun, first and foremost.
5. Lastly, it sounds dumb, but they hunt areas WITH big deer.

 

[Football Hunter]

Not overhunting a property,BIG ONE!

 

[BSK]

I case in point to my previous post: although I'm by no means a consistently successful mature buck hunter, for awhile, I did focus on killing mature bucks and I killed a number of them over an 8 year period. ALL OF THESE MATURE BUCKS WERE KILLED WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF TRYING TO KILL THEM. Now we've all seen on TV and read the articles about the guys who work all year to kill a specific buck and finally kill that buck on the last day of the season after months of working towards that goal, but this certainly hasn't been my experience.

But I was able to kill those mature bucks so quickly because I did a couple of things:

1) I waited to hunt them until the absolute best time to hunt mature bucks (just prior to peak breeding).

2) I had multiple stand set-ups so that when the best time came to hunt, I could hunt under any weather conditions or wind directions that might be occurring at that time.

3) I did not overhunt stands--once or twice was it for each stand location, and never on back-to-back hunts.

4) I played the highest odds travel patterns as close to sanctuary cover as possible (often hunting within shooting distance of the edge of the cover).

 

[Diehard Hunter]

It takes a lot of knowledge and skill, but first and foremost, it takes TIME in the field. The kind of time very few people have.

I tend to disagree with this. Yes, some of the best big buck killers I know hunt a lot, but they do so because hunting is their passion. However, in my opinion, the absolute worst advice I see given about being a successful older buck hunter is HUNT HARD. That advice suggests that those who consistently kill older bucks do so simply because they spend more time in the woods. CONSISTENTLY killing older bucks is not about lucky encounters, with more time in the woods resulting in more lucky encounters with older bucks. Consistently killing older bucks is about knowing how to hunt them. Spending more time HUNTING THE WRONG WAY is not going to make you more successful.

I agree. I think this is opne thing I need to work on. I think I see some good sign and get excited about it but then I want to just hunt it and hunt it hard. I know if I would of waited for better conditions last year I would of killed a mature buck.

Sometimes it is hard to hunt under optimal conditions unless you have a lot of time off. You have to hunt what you can and not worry about the days you can't go. Some of the better hunters I know seem like they almost have a stand or spot for every condition. And their best spots, they don't even go in unless everything lines up. That gives them the best chance to kill the buck that is in that location. It seems every year a deer ages the less chances they are going to give you to kill them. So, I think it has more to do with TIMING than TIME, as someone mentioned before.

So, maybe Patience and self control I should add to my list lol. I'm not an expert, and don't have tons of experience but it makes sense.

I think both of you took my post the wrong way. I am not suggesting that spending more time doing the wrong things will make you better. I am saying no matter how good you are, if you do not have the time to scout, if you do not have a flexible enough schedule to hunt the stands at the right time, and you do not have the time to spend on stand, you are not going to kill as many mature deer as someone that does have the time and flexibility.

People that kill these mature deer consistently, on their own, do not have the time constraints normal people have. Pure and simple. They have the extra time and flexibility to hunt when they need to hunt to kill that particular deer. I don't care how good your skill set is, if you do not have the time to scout that deer and hunt that deer when and where he is most vulnerable, you will not kill him except by pure luck.

 

[BSK]

Diehard Hunter,

Sure, if you can't get out to hunt, you can't kill anything. But I know some sure 'nuff big buck killers who take a week off each year to big buck hunt. Is a week's vacation really that out of the question? I think too many hunters have the idea that the consistently successful are hunting every day of the year.

 

[Diehard Hunter]

I case in point to my previous post: although I'm by no means a consistently successful mature buck hunter, for awhile, I did focus on killing mature bucks and I killed a number of them over an 8 year period. ALL OF THESE MATURE BUCKS WERE KILLED WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF TRYING TO KILL THEM. Now we've all seen on TV and read the articles about the guys who work all year to kill a specific buck and finally kill that buck on the last day of the season after months of working towards that goal, but this certainly hasn't been my experience.

But I was able to kill those mature bucks so quickly because I did a couple of things:

1) I waited to hunt them until the absolute best time to hunt mature bucks (just prior to peak breeding).

2) I had multiple stand set-ups so that when the best time came to hunt, I could hunt under any weather conditions or wind directions that might be occurring at that time.

3) I did not overhunt stands--once or twice was it for each stand location, and never on back-to-back hunts.

4) I played the highest odds travel patterns as close to sanctuary cover as possible (often hunting within shooting distance of the edge of the cover).

You,are the case I was suggesting.

1) you must have a very flexible work schedule.

2) you must have plenty of time before the season to scout those stand set ups and to learn the travel patterns of the deer.

3) Something I did not talk about......you have plenty of room to hunt without worrying about pressure from other hunters.

4) again, you have plenty of time to learn those travel patterns, and to learn where the sanctuary cover is. I bet you even had the time to create some of that cover.

Now I ask.....if I gave you a full time job, with no vacation time during the pre rut or rut, and you learned what days and hours you would be working one week in advance, how would you like your odds? Lets throw a couple of kids playing sports in there, and maybe you have a parent that needs you to help take care of them. You have the knowledge and ability, but now you don't have the time. What do you give up o kill that deer? Your parents? Your family? Your job?

 

[Diehard Hunter]

Diehard Hunter,

Sure, if you can't get out to hunt, you can't kill anything. But I know some sure 'nuff big buck killers who take a week off each year to big buck hunt. Is a week's vacation really that out of the question? I think too many hunters have the idea that the consistently successful are hunting every day of the year.

A weeks vacation during prime time is totally out of the question for me....oh wait, vacation does not exist for me, because I get summers off. So yes. Same for every other teacher I know. Technically, I could take sick time, but if they found out, I would get fired.

 

[BSK]

I case in point to my previous post: although I'm by no means a consistently successful mature buck hunter, for awhile, I did focus on killing mature bucks and I killed a number of them over an 8 year period. ALL OF THESE MATURE BUCKS WERE KILLED WITHIN THE FIRST WEEK OF TRYING TO KILL THEM. Now we've all seen on TV and read the articles about the guys who work all year to kill a specific buck and finally kill that buck on the last day of the season after months of working towards that goal, but this certainly hasn't been my experience.

But I was able to kill those mature bucks so quickly because I did a couple of things:

1) I waited to hunt them until the absolute best time to hunt mature bucks (just prior to peak breeding).

2) I had multiple stand set-ups so that when the best time came to hunt, I could hunt under any weather conditions or wind directions that might be occurring at that time.

3) I did not overhunt stands--once or twice was it for each stand location, and never on back-to-back hunts.

4) I played the highest odds travel patterns as close to sanctuary cover as possible (often hunting within shooting distance of the edge of the cover).

You,are the case I was suggesting.

1) you must have a very flexible work schedule.

Not at the time. I just took a week's vacation each year scheduled for the right calendar period of the rut.

2) you must have plenty of time before the season to scout those stand set ups and to learn the travel patterns of the deer.

A couple of weekends post-hunt in February, a couple of weekends in August or September. is that really a lot? And by the way, I'm NOT a "sign" hunter. I hunt "best odds" terrain and habitat situations, regardless of sign, and could determine those locations long before the season started.

3) Something I did not talk about......you have plenty of room to hunt without worrying about pressure from other hunters.

I have family members that fly in from all over the country to hunt that same period. We have FAR more pressure on our property at that time than any of our neighbors.

4) again, you have plenty of time to learn those travel patterns, and to learn where the sanctuary cover is. I bet you even had the time to create some of that cover.

Yes, I'm hunting property I own and manage, and know VERY well. But being limited to just one property makes successful mature buck hunting MUCH harder. Look at the most successful mature buck hunters and you will find they hunt multiple properties and are always looking for new property. They hunt where the most mature bucks are at the time. I hunt where I hunt regardless of buck populations or age.

Now I ask.....if I gave you a full time job, with no vacation time during the pre rut or rut, and you learned what days and hours you would be working one week in advance, how would you like your odds? Lets throw a couple of kids playing sports in there, and maybe you have a parent that needs you to help take care of them. You have the knowledge and ability, but now you don't have the time. What do you give up o kill that deer? Your parents? Your family? Your job?

I would not like them at all. If I were a "couple of weekends per year" deer hunter, I think my odds of consistently killing mature bucks would be close to nada.

But per the topic of this thread, what are traits of successful big buck killers? Another to add would be that pursuing these bucks is a passion to these people, and they make sacrifices in life to pursue their passion. However, that means SOME sacrifices. They do not have to be EXTRAORDINARY sacrifices. They don't have to have a job where they can leave on a whim every time the weather is right. But taking a week or two of vacation during the right time to hunt may be required. I don't consider this an extraordinary sacrifice. Many, many hunters do this every year.

 

[BSK]

I think that, if deer hunting is absolutely your number one priority, then you figure it out. Maybe you don't have kids. Maybe you take a job that you are less than qualified for so that you have a flexible schedule. You make sacrifices. -not saying that's the best way to live life or that any one person should be cut out for it, but that's the reality of it. Many people who follow their passions seriously, forego or delay getting married, having kids, having health insurance, owning a house etc.

And there you have it. You make sacrifices. For some, they make extreme sacrifices, but I've seen others be successful without what I would consider extreme sacrifices.

Although some may consider it extreme, before I got married I had a long conversation with my potential wife about just how important deer hunting was to me. I wanted her to understand this was not a pass-time or a hobby that could easily be pushed aside. Deer hunting was a lifestyle I was not going to give up. We talked about how we could live our lives and raise a family around this lifestyle. If she had not been able to understand and accept that about me, I would have never married her.

 

[deerhunter10]

hunt smarter not harder. if you don't hunt smart and play the wind and understand what deer behavior is it doesn't matter how hard you hunt or how many hours you put in the stand you will not kill the mature deer year after year after year. you may luck up on some but you wont consistently kill them. also your property must hold mature deer and some properties don't. cant kill them if they aren't there.

 

[TheLBLman]

Let me add something else here, that has little to do with how much time one spends in the woods, but has had a lot to do with my success on taking mature bucks:

NOT hunting the best "sign".

What?

You see, like most, we are sharing the woods with other hunters, most of whom also notice the best big buck "sign". So where do more of the hunters tend to gravitate to do their hunting? Where they see or find the most big buck sign?

Now, BSK will call this tactic "spatial analysis". I just call it focusing in on those areas other hunters are not hunting (commonly because there is a lack of deer sign in those areas). It usually doesn't matter the reason why other hunters are avoiding these areas, but a common one is "too close to the road", or "deer wouldn't be there when there such better places for them to be".

Here's what happens.
OLDER deer are very quick to gravitate to the areas that offer the least human intrusion. These are the areas they spend most of their daylight hours --- the areas where other hunters hunt least.

How many times have we heard stories of novice hunters killing these monster bucks where no "experienced" hunter would have been hunting?

TIME and TIMING are typically important factors, but sometimes identifying other factors can trump all. Regarding any tactic, never say "never", never say "always". Just try to be versatile and not too focused on any one factor or tactic. Sometimes I hunt right where I find the most big buck sign. But I've killed more mature bucks where there wasn't any.

 

[BSK]

Now, BSK will call this tactic "spatial analysis". I just call it focusing in on those areas other hunters are not hunting (commonly because there is a lack of deer sign in those areas). It usually doesn't matter the reason why other hunters are avoiding these areas, but a common one is "too close to the road", or "deer wouldn't be there when there such better places for them to be".

As I've written about on this site many, many times, in areas that experience moderate to heavy hunting pressure, THE single most successful technique I use to kill mature bucks is to figure out where no one else is hunting, and HUNT THERE, sign or no sign. And often one of the reasons no one is hunting there is "no sign."

 

[Headhunter]

Now, BSK will call this tactic "spatial analysis". I just call it focusing in on those areas other hunters are not hunting (commonly because there is a lack of deer sign in those areas). It usually doesn't matter the reason why other hunters are avoiding these areas, but a common one is "too close to the road", or "deer wouldn't be there when there such better places for them to be".

As I've written about on this site many, many times, in areas that experience moderate to heavy hunting pressure, THE single most successful technique I use to kill mature bucks is to figure out where no one else is hunting, and HUNT THERE, sign or no sign. And often one of the reasons no one is hunting there is "no sign."

That can include and many times means a wide open area. Deer, especially mature bucks are great at hiding in the open.

 

[TheLBLman]

Which kinda shoots to heck the idea that one must put in lots of time to find all the good sign and kill all the big bucks.

Older deer (both mature bucks and does) simply and quickly gravitate to those areas where they are least disturbed ---- even when those areas are very open mature hardwoods almost void of cover beyond an occasional dead fallen tree ---- even when that means bedding 125 yards from a trail head where multiple hunters park their trucks!

P.S. For whatever reasons, deer do not seem too "disturbed" by passing vehicles, and will often bed within 75 yards of a major road with steady vehicle traffic.

 

[Roost 1]

The guys I kno who consistently kill mature bucks on private land,are the guys that hunt the best places...they may not spend as much time hunting or scouting, they don't have too. Like someone said the more mature bucks you have the easier it is to kill one..
Now the guys I kno who consistently take mature bucks on public land.... Put lots of time in...and a little luck always helps.

 

[AT Hiker]

Every hunter I know that consistently kills "big" or mature bucks have one or two traits about themselves that other hunters dont, or dont posses in the right amount. Oddly, not one of these hunters share the same traits per say, i.e. one may have an excellent location to hunt that others simply cannot hunt, know the area well, kept pressure low and simply wanted to kill only mature deer. Another hunter I know seems to be able to walk onto to a piece of property and can kill a mature deer within the year, this guy is sloppy (smokes on stand,etc) but he is not married and has no kids and all he does is hunt and has a lot of places to hunt. Most of those other places he hunts he also shares with others that are not truly mature deer hunters, so he prob hunts the hunters on those occasions. Although this guy kills mature deer every year, he also takes his fair share of any legal deer. I honestly think this guy falls under the pure luck category. Another guy I know doesnt kill mature deer every year, but he gets at least one every 3 years or so and that is all he will shoot, unless he is invited on a doe hunt. He bowhunts most of his time, hunts properties that most of us can hunt but I think his attribute is he dedicates all his free time to knowing these areas and what is there, then he hunts them when the time is "right".

So with that said, I think there are generally two things that mature deer hunters have, some may have both. That is; 1.) They WANT to kill mature deer and will almost stop at nothing to do so (some poachers could fall into this as well) 2.) PURE LUCK, I know only a small percentage of mature deer hunters posses only this trait, but I am almost positive I know a guy who is just simply lucky. You could give him permission to hunt a heavily pressured piece of public land in east TN and he would kill a 180" in the first year, along with 10 doe and 2 spikes...this guy is just one of those guys (he also does not come across as a "pro" hunter or big buck hunter, this guy mainly hunts in jeans and drinks coffee with his cigs during the TN MZL opener.

 

[Elmer]

I just turned down a great job to keep the flexible one I have, I have no health insurance, hunting took a toll on a failed marriage, I am 29 and may never have the opportunity at children which to me is nothing short of a tragedy. I am addicted to giant whitetails. I'm ate up with it and ducks are not far behind.

I'm not the stereotype to would think either. I'm well educated and I have dated models, a miss tn, rich girls, good girls and really bad girls. When I was younger I was a well accomplished athlete. NOTHING makes me feel alive like the blood trail to my next buck or really feeling the crisp fall air 20 ft up mid morning in November after a good rain.

I have two 150s, three other p and y deer, two others over 200 lbs, and one highly pressured 11 year old all from the volunteer state. I get my deer, but it's at a high price and that's the lifestyle I choose. I have to work hard for every one I get, and to me it's worth it.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I agree with many on here. I will keep this short. The ones that I know that consistently kill mature deer are the ones that 1) hunt where they exist and 2) have the work schedule to hunt when they need to and 3) know the right times to be where they should be at that specific time. If you have and know these 3 things, you will be successful.

 

[Headhunter]

There is no way I am agreeing with Bowriter, but I feel the same way he does about this article.