When to fold'em when hunting a certain buck?

[Chasman]

I got trail cam pics of a buck from velvet through Sept 30. Then camera went dead. About every 4-7 days apart. Not real late most days. In early Aug. coming in just after dark. I am thinking he must be somewhat close. There is also another 8 point that is a shooter too. I sat different locations for the last 3 days, not the best conditions but when my time allowed and seen 4 doe. I did not sit high doe areas. I was sitting just for one of these two bucks.

My question is when do you guys pull the plug and hunt elsewhere? These two bucks do not bed on our land. Truth is I do not know where they bed. Private land all around, and there is a lot of it that never gets touched until maybe gun. No pressure. I think I need to be more realistic about my approach and not get to hung up on the one buck in particular. How do some of you approach a deal like this?

[phade]

Tough situation. This specific issue has caused me to eat two tags, one was last season.

I had mature bucks passing through a small parcel, but would bed/feed on other ground. Saw a giant last year and actually believed I had a good shot to kill him based on his movements. He was shot the morning after the first time I laid eyes on him from the stand. I hunted that buck pretty agressive over the next two weeks and didn't find out until near the end of bow season. Could very well have moved on to another buck to target...

This year I connected on one of the two that I have my eyes on. I am prepping for gun season to get the other. I hope to see him later in bow season to confirm he has made it through the rut before gun.

I think hunting specific bucks is one of the hardest feats imo. Especially in high pressure, small parcel situations. Very impressive when done.

[JJWI]

First off, a buck in August is a different buck in October. He may of moved off or is completely out of that area now. I have done the same thing as you last year. I was hunting a buck that wasn't there. We had a buck that was bedding in the creek bottom the previous year. BUT his primary bed was a mile north of us. His primary bed was on an island of pines surrounded by corn fields a mile north of the woods I was hunting. He would only start bedding by me when the corn surrounding that island was taken off. Last year that corn field didn't get taken off until early Dec, and I wasn't seeing the huge rubs and tracks in the creek bottom like the year before. A hunting group shot that buck in those pines during rifle season. I hunted that 60 acre section hard. In fact that was the only area I focused on. I had to be set in that area in case he showed up. The problem was, he never did. What I learned, is to not hunt an area until your target animal is in there. Be it with tracks near by, trail camera photos, or rubs. But having that sign that they are in that area helps dramaticly! But if your area doesn't get much pressure until the gun season. I would wait until late pre rut or rut when these bucks are on their feet and cruising. Then I would get set on those downwind sides of the doe bedding areas or the cruising pinch points.

[Stanley]

If you are hunting where your cameras are set up I think you are shooting yourself in the foot. Here's the deal, the first time hunting a stand/set is normally the best. If you have been in there checking cameras, you have already burned the first time in. Cameras used properly can help you immensely. Cameras used improperly can be a detriment.

[Chasman]

I have had pics as late as Sept 30. My land is an hour and half away so I have a sealed 12v battery so I don't check it for up to a month. I have had this camera in one spot for over 3 years. I rarely hunt where camera is located. If I do its for a doe, or to just see some deer and get a little video. Smaller bucks, deer interaction, and just plan watching any deer is cool to me. Its a social area, only 15 yards off of a field edge. I can drive up to it and take a couple of steps in and out. My Dad had a run in walking in from stand with the large 8 pt. Last week. He came from a across the street, a known bedding area. I power scouted a little yesterday and did not see any heavy sign of buck activity. I did not dive in to deep to 10 year old 5 acre clear cut, known bedding area. Using this info and his knowledge of my Dad I sat other trail coming from this area. Nothing. Our land does not get hunted by anyone else. It has been hunted a grand total of 6-8 sits this year. And my Dad does not venture to far from house. The land is 100 acres, 30 -40 acres woods, rest open fields.

I have looked at direction shooter bucks enter to camera and the way they leave. What time they arrive, how often, and the dates. It is just a tool to see what is around. It seems our property is only a occasional stop before the rut. But have had some true SLOBS the last 3 years come through. The million dollar question is when? I will try and post an areial photo if I can figure it out.

[Stanley]

I have had pics as late as Sept 30. My land is an hour and half away so I have a sealed 12v battery so I don't check it for up to a month. I have had this camera in one spot for over 3 years. I rarely hunt where camera is located. If I do its for a doe, or to just see some deer and get a little video. Smaller bucks, deer interaction, and just plan watching any deer is cool to me. Its a social area, only 15 yards off of a field edge. I can drive up to it and take a couple of steps in and out. My Dad had a run in walking in from stand with the large 8 pt. Last week. He came from a across the street, a known bedding area. I power scouted a little yesterday and did not see any heavy sign of buck activity. I did not dive in to deep to 10 year old 5 acre clear cut, known bedding area. Using this info and his knowledge of my Dad I sat other trail coming from this area. Nothing. Our land does not get hunted by anyone else. It has been hunted a grand total of 6-8 sits this year. And my Dad does not venture to far from house. The land is 100 acres, 30 -40 acres woods, rest open fields.

I have looked at direction shooter bucks enter to camera and the way they leave. What time they arrive, how often, and the dates. It is just a tool to see what is around. It seems our property is only a occasional stop before the rut. But have had some true SLOBS the last 3 years come through. The million dollar question is when? I will try and post an areial photo if I can figure it out.

In my opinion 30 - 40 acres of timber must be treated with kids gloves. I would not step foot into there with out a stand in hand set up and hunt. Small timbers are some of the hardest to hunt by my thinking. 6-8 hunts in 40 acres is a bunch if your goal is to knock down a big one. I do think you are doing some things right by letting the cameras run for long periods of time. My thought process is low impact hunting (not necessarily the best but works for me).

[dan]

Checking the camera once a month is to much pressure in my opinion... especially if your going to hunt there regardless.

You can't undo that now though... My advice would be to hunt with concern to timing. If the deer are not bedding there, but you got some daylight pic's, that means he is bedding close enough to catch in daylight when the right conditions arise... If you got daylight pictures in September, remember that next year if the area opens in September, I would also think about that last week of October when they are still bedding in the same spots but moving early. I would wait for a front to move in that will get him up and moving early, or a good moon day. And lastly, a hunt right before a heavy rain that will was your scent away...
You can only get a few hunts in and the buck will be on to you, so you need to choose those days wisely, and don't burn the spot with a camera before you even have a bow in your hand.

[Bucky]

Private is nice.... but if you are hunting ground that does not contain bedding areas you are just kinda hoping. My advise if u can is timber stand improvement... open up the canopy and get the underbrush thick.

Then explore local public in search of ground that contains bedding cover... I would say after 4 hunts plus intrusion that timber need about 10 days or so....

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[Chasman]

Good stuff guys. One of the reasons I have been seeing some of the good quality bucks is that there was selective harvest done to the land around 6 years ago. Not all of it. My uncle owns 80 acres of the 100 acres. He does not bowhunt, and only hunts gun a few days. Mostly oaks, red and white mixed with pine. Red oaks produced the most acorns I have ever seen this year. Like marbles, and still some falling. The bedding and buck habitat is getting great. Nasty thorns, small pines, and all the cover that comes with doing a cut. There are plenty of does using this bedding, and other areas of land that was cut. We have an abundance of does. One camera card I had close to 1000 pics. Granted many repeat deer. Of all those pics there were around 15 bucks. Since the early velvet pics the bucks have gone down to the two big shooter bucks and like 4 little bucks. When I get some time and figure out how to post a pic of land and adding info to it I will. Until then I won't hunt until later this month.

[Chasman]

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Here is a rough and small pic of my hunting land. The yellow boxes are clearcut locations from 6 years ago. Very thick getting thicker. Does bed here year around. Black outline is border of the 100 acres. Small field is part of our 20 acres within the 100. I have gone back and forth with my Dad and uncle to get this planted with some food plots. No one is on the same page. I want to do it the right way from the start. Soil test etc. My uncle on the other hand throws anything out there thats either free or cheap. No prep, no soil test, no weedkiller. Not good. The field was leased by farmer, he stopped because it was too small for him. We have all the equipment to plant. I am going to stand my ground this spring and do it. I will be paying for everything most likely. Pink star is trail camera.

The land has a lot going for it besides the human intrusion to often. This is the reason I think the big ones don't bed full time. Cutting firewood, running through areas with brushhog, just too much.

I wish I could shoot a good one this year because it has had the least amount of pressure than previous years. And use this as evidence for my uncle. Stay out and the big ones stay put.

[phade]

Are you getting bucks in the bean/wheat fields after being picked?

What is the usual wind direction?

[Chasman]

I don't live on property any longer its is about hour and half away. I was up there for 3 days this week and shined one night around the area. There were 4 does in picked wheat field. Nothing in bean field at 9pm. Farmer may have dressed wheat field with some winter wheat or something. A lot of beans in picked field because pods were so dry they were popping before combine got them. I know he will chisel plow though. And over the years deer wont touch it until they have to. Crops to west and and north also. Wind is usually Northwest to west.