At what point do you have enough information?

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phade
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At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby phade » Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:40 am

I'm sure the obvious answer is: never...until the buck is shot.

It seems like it is certainly possible to know a buck's routine/pattern, etc. But, on some occassions, you simply don't know the whole story. At what point do you decide you have enough info to make a serious go at hunting a buck? Or, how about an area during the rut...curious to see how those answers differ.

Say you know bedding area, but no specific bed. Or, you know the bed location, but can't say with a reasonable expectation that you know where that buck is going. Or, maybe you've got some of his secondary beds, but haven't found that primary area/bed. Heck, maybe you know where he's entering a field, but no idea on bed location.

It's been said here many a time that confidence is king in success...but it seems like confidence comes in shades of gray (like everything else in life that is not black and white).


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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby Dor » Tue Aug 21, 2012 7:45 am

The answer to your question will vary greatly on many variables. Access, pressure, time of year, deer density....on and on.

As to confidence, if I know a big buck is in the area for sure, that's a huge booster. It is a rare hunt when things play out exactly according to plan.
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby dan » Tue Aug 21, 2012 8:10 am

I consider it a challenge when I find a buck and have no real intel on him... I start hunting imeadiatly if its in season, and certainly keep gathering intel till I get him.
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby trdtnlbwhntr » Tue Aug 21, 2012 9:58 am

This question was timed perfectly. I believe I just got my first BnC buck on video. I have exactly 2 trail cam pics of him and I believe he is the same deer I have seen twice now in the last two seasons. However the trail cam photos are not from the same area I had encounters with him the last couple of seasons. I believe I have the bedding area narrowed down, problem is it is not a property I have permission to hunt. With absolutely zero trees on my side of the property hunting him could be a bit of an issue. So I guess the real question is this, do I hunt him where I have seen him in seasons past, or do I hunt him where the most recent trail cam photo tells me he has been?

Also I share this property with another individual. I really dont want this person to know an antlered deer exists on this particular property. Let alone one of this caliber. So how do I go about gathering intel on a buck living in about 400 acres of corn field, without the other person knowing I am on to something special?

Dan the videos are helping and I appreciate you sending them.
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Tue Aug 21, 2012 10:13 am

Great question, can't wait to see where this discussion goes on the BEAST
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:21 am

Great question...!

To me - I've done what I can until I hunt that spot, and at this point it's some sort of confidence or gut feeling.
I may have to live with the reality of burning this spot and then try to in season scout while there.

If there's hot sign I will usually try to bump off this area a hundred yards or more in hopes of a second sit...
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby dan » Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:32 am

trdtnlbwhntr wrote:This question was timed perfectly. I believe I just got my first BnC buck on video. I have exactly 2 trail cam pics of him and I believe he is the same deer I have seen twice now in the last two seasons. However the trail cam photos are not from the same area I had encounters with him the last couple of seasons. I believe I have the bedding area narrowed down, problem is it is not a property I have permission to hunt. With absolutely zero trees on my side of the property hunting him could be a bit of an issue. So I guess the real question is this, do I hunt him where I have seen him in seasons past, or do I hunt him where the most recent trail cam photo tells me he has been?

Also I share this property with another individual. I really dont want this person to know an antlered deer exists on this particular property. Let alone one of this caliber. So how do I go about gathering intel on a buck living in about 400 acres of corn field, without the other person knowing I am on to something special?

Dan the videos are helping and I appreciate you sending them.

Thats a good question, and one thats tough to answer without looking thru your eyes...
I noticed you questioned which of two spots you have intel you should hunt... The answer seems obvious to me... Both. I would be spreading out and not putting to much pressure in either spot. Rather, than camping out in one spot or the other, I would make precision moves when the timeing and the wind is right. based on whats going on, on the property. For example, if acorns are dropping, he is likely going to be in the best bedding near the acorns, or corn, or ???. If your cameras are putting him on a certain side of the property nearest to daylight hours, well I would concentrate on that end. I would also be considering other places with good bedding that he might be bedding in, and how you might be able to get close...
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby phade » Tue Aug 21, 2012 11:45 pm

Interesting point brought up about the parcels and permission.

I think the parcel size/area changes how well you can really know a buck's pattern. Sure, you can glass at night where legal, and try to piece the puzzle together, but on most occassions where I hunt, I only have a small portion of a buck's travel corridor, bedding area, etc. The tough part becomes trying to determine if this buck is worth hunting based on your info - ie. is it a waste because he's only passing through at night, or showing up now whereas he likely won't during season because of food source changes or modification of his core area.

Things to ponder, I guess.
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby Bucky » Wed Aug 22, 2012 1:13 am

For me personally I try to learn as much as I can. I have been glassing at a distance weekly, running trail cams on edges (I use lots of trail cams, especially on a new property), I shed hunt and walk Jan-March 3-5x a week (usually 2-3hrs/time). On the private properties I hunt I know what trails particular deer often use, I know where they typically bed, I know all the food sources in the area... just a matter of weather and timing. So my answer is I never have enough info cause it constantly changes. Once a particular deer is dead I got 5-6 more in the hopper ready to follow/hunt

The week prior to opener I will be glassing 3-4 nights looking for an opportunity to capitalize on
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Wed Aug 22, 2012 2:22 pm

I never have enough info. I gather as much info from past seasons scouting, observations, and in season Intel. I've been using information from tracks a lot more than I ever have, but this year has been tough with all of the dry ground...
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby JV NC » Thu Aug 23, 2012 12:58 am

Say you know bedding area, but no specific bed. Or, you know the bed location, but can't say with a reasonable expectation that you know where that buck is going. Or, maybe you've got some of his secondary beds, but haven't found that primary area/bed.


IMO, timing is everything. Right place at the wrong time = bust.

I view this as a risk/reward endeavor when staying out of an area (not trying to accumulate intel) is sometimes the best move.
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Re: At what point do you have enough information?

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Aug 23, 2012 3:15 am

My thoughts on this subject. It can't be written in stone on how much intel we think a hunter believes he needs. Different hunters have different signature styles. Knowing your limitations can also lead to success. Some hunters are aggressive, some are passive, some are great bed hunters, some are great set up and ambush hunters, some are great patience hunters. Big woods hunters are completely different than Midwest farm country hunters. Hill hunters have a different skill set that equals success than say a guy up in the cold country of Saskatchewan. It would hard to determine how much information any one hunter needs. Some can do it with less than others. Experience plays a big key on what you are capable of doing with a certain amount of intel. The more you know the less you need sometimes.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.


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