Sometimes it's better to be lucky

[BSK]

It seems I saw where you mentioned that y'all either kill bucks the first week of ML or not at all. Is he an outlier or have you been seeing more bucks this year than in the past?

When it comes to mature bucks, a real outlier. We kill 2 1/2s and 3 1/2s all November, especially just before and after peak breeding. But 90% of mature bucks fall pre-peak breeding, during the frantic "cruising/seeking" phase.

 

[huvrman]

congrats!

 

[PWoody]

Great deer! Congrats to you.

 

[Rick Dillard]

Congratulations BSK! Great buck!

 

[batten_down]

It has to feel good to close the book on a buck like that after a couple year pursuit. Maybe I'll know that feeling in a few years; I'm just getting into cams (all public)

Great deer
Congratulations

 

[Hillbilly Hunter]

Congratulations on catching up with that beautiful buck!

 

[backyardtndeer]

Very nice. Congratulations.

 

[spinal tap]

Congratulations!

 

[JCDEERMAN]

When it comes to mature bucks, a real outlier. We kill 2 1/2s and 3 1/2s all November, especially just before and after peak breeding. But 90% of mature bucks fall pre-peak breeding, during the frantic "cruising/seeking" phase.

Same here. That cruising/seeking phase is around November 7th - 14th where we are. Boy was it heavy this year. Likely more than I've ever seen.

 

[BSK]

Same here. That cruising/seeking phase is around November 7th - 14th where we are. Boy was it heavy this year. Likely more than I've ever seen.

Ours is a tad earlier, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 11. It was amazing this year. I actually saw the above buck the opening Sunday of MZ season. I had him at 25 yards and couldn't get the shot due to thick beeches.

 

[RUGER]

Awesome man, congrats !

 

[Gravey]

Great buck. Congrats on getting your tag on him.

 

[Deck78]

congrats on a great harvest!!

 

[TN1BUCK]

Nice one

 

[Lincoln Co Archer]

Congrats! Hard work pays off.

 

[tellico4x4]

Good job, congrats!

 

[volsfan1976]

Wow. Awesome buck

 

[TheLBLman]

Congratulations, BSK!
That's a really special hunting experience.
Not "a" hunt, but a multi-year hunting experience.
Ain't much better than "tracking" a specific buck,
eventually catching up with him.

. . . . after I had decided to stay in stand just a few extra minutes, here he comes...

Sounds like he had you patterned?

Been telling you for years:
Stay on stand all day during the rut!

 

[BSK]

Sounds like he had you patterned?

The only thing I had patterned was his primary area. He would only show up on camera in one section of the property, and that stayed consistent both years. I had been focusing my hunting on the dozen or so stands we had in that section of the property.

 

[BSK]

Been telling you for years:
Stay on stand all day during the rut!

I know, I know!

But the strange thing is, in all past years, I would NEVER get mature bucks moving midday. NEVER. Then this year, and everything changed. I can't believe how many older and mature bucks I got on camera moving from 9 AM to 11 AM. I would bet it is the majority of trail-cam videos. And I have no idea why sudden movement pattern change. Don't think it was just the acorn crop, as we've had bumper acorn crops before. It must have to do with the massive habitat changes we implemented since last year.

I'm going to go back and graph out the movement times from this year versus the past couple of years. I can assure you it is a dramatic difference. But explaining it will prove difficult, if not impossible.