Shining and buck numbers

[whitetail4ever]

How many of you go out and shine? I guess what I am wondering is...is shining, besides trail cameras, an effective way to get an idea of what bucks are on the property you are hunting? I have shined and have only seen one decent buck so far. I guess I thought there would be more. My trail cams pics do suggest that there are others, but I also know during the rut bucks come and go. Do you guys also think bucks move as far as they say they do during the rut? (up to 5-6 miles away from core area) If so, what type of terrain do they move on? Flat or elevation? Loaded set of ideas to think about...thanks yall!

[BCam]

I have shined since i was just a little feller. It is kind of like a past time around here. I think it is a real effective tool to see where the bucks are and help get a pattern on them. We r limited here since we can't shine past 11 PM and not at all during the month of November. Be careful not to shine a spot too much, if you are in heavily hunted areas. My experiences with that seem to have a negative impact on the area. ( Just my observations, could be different in different regions?) I usually find food sources and shine them from the road, i try not to do any offroad shining.

Right after dark is a good time to find where the big ones are bedding near. Never really put that together until i heard Dan say it... then it was kind of like "Duh!" how the heck did i never put that together.

I'm used to hunting heavily pressured farm / swamp land in southern michigan so that is the only areas i have shined. I'm curious to hear about other terrains.

Right now you can find the hot food sources for the does and hunt the doe bedding near them.

As far as the buck movement, i think there travel patterns get smaller as they get older. There are a lot of variables tho... food sources available and pressure being big ones. As far as the full blown rut goes, i am not sure? As i said we can't shine in November which is when it really gets good here.

Any how, these are some of my observations.....

[BCam]

Almost forgot........Areas like mine, i think you can usually see pretty much all the bucks in an area( Not all in one night tho). This area consists of 1mile square blocks with a lot of fields. I could see in more dense areas with less roads or big woods country where a buck would never get shined...don't know that for sure tho.

[Milk Weed Seed]

Shinning is a great tactic, especially during the summer months pre season. Gives you a good inventory of what is on your property. I have a spotlight on the passenger floor of my truck 365 days and nights a year. Bucks will travel long distances depending on various circumstances. I know someone who had trail cam pics of a buck that was shot almost 10 miles (as the crow flies) from the camera at his house??? I still find it hard to believe but the area is heavily hunted hill country and I would guess pressure is what moved that buck so far, but can't say for sure.That buck was killed in late Nov last year and he got the pics late Oct.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[BCam]

Shinning is a great tactic, especially during the summer months pre season. Gives you a good inventory of what is on your property. I have a spotlight on the passenger floor of my truck 365 days and nights a year. Bucks will travel long distances depending on various circumstances. I know someone who had trail cam pics of a buck that was shot almost 10 miles (as the crow flies) from the camera at his house??? I still find it hard to believe but the area is heavily hunted hill country and I would guess pressure is what moved that buck so far, but can't say for sure.That buck was killed in late Nov last year and he got the pics late Oct.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

wow. was it a mature buck?

[BigHunt]

every chance i get man ...last night was awasome night ...saw tuns of does and five huge bucks got two on film the biggest on jodi couldnt get the camera on id say he was 150