How i manage my deer

[iowa whitetail]

Yes you are right i will never bed hunt no madder who thinks its a good thing just me. You say not all bucks chase does out of there bedding area? I will tell you a couple stories of big bucks getting shot not in there beds. Had a friend that went in with one of his buddies and rented some land to hunt, I knew the land knew what was on it and if i hunted knew how to get the deer. I told him a piece of land that there was a buck on the year before i told him he was a 200 inch 12 point. The kid set his cam up on the outside like I told him put no pics he was going to pull his cam i talked him into keeping it up until oct 1. sure enough he showed up I told him to watch the doe's he did just that the buck came out 3 times in pre rut but didnt get a shot the 4th time he killed him 195 inches and change. His friend took my advice the next year diff spot that i knew there was a big boy again i was figuring around 190 to 200. He put his cam up and again nothing finally nov 1st he showed he got were the does were 2nd day out 13 points 198 and change. Have another friend that hunts just like I do followed the doe's nov 22 shot the 8 I had pics of 196 and change. I could go on and on about 170 180 190 inch deer killed chasing doe's. It may not be 100 perc that every mature buck chases doe's but I would bet that the chances of them chasing is way higher than a mature buck sleeping in the same bed day in day out. my opinion good luck to all

You should not change a thing killing all those 180 - 200 inch class bucks. You have no reason to change in my opinion. I know I can't tell you anything to up your game. You are successfully hunting/killing way above my pay grade. Keep up the good work and keep posting, it is a pleasure to be associated with a monster buck killer.

I would say you cant teach me anything not for a second no one knows everything about these animals. Owning your own ground also doesnt mean you will have no competition I bought my farm 5 years ago since then I have had 3 cams stolen and a hunter that decided he was going to sit in my stand the only way i knew he was there is he forgot his grunt call. Also we have a shotgun season people do deer drives during that time caught them in there ten min after i told them no. Just a little insight on how its not just you all the time.

[JoeRE]

I would say you cant teach me anything not for a second no one knows everything about these animals. Owning your own ground also doesnt mean you will have no competition I bought my farm 5 years ago since then I have had 3 cams stolen and a hunter that decided he was going to sit in my stand the only way i knew he was there is he forgot his grunt call. Also we have a shotgun season people do deer drives during that time caught them in there ten min after i told them no. Just a little insight on how its not just you all the time.

Yea that sounds about average anymore Honey draws flies and some scumbags never learn. I have learned to put the local conservation officer's number in my phone for where ever I am hunting. I don't think it has near the impact on deer movement that having a hunter sitting every 200 yards in every direction and on every property has though.

[iowa whitetail]

I would say you cant teach me anything not for a second no one knows everything about these animals. Owning your own ground also doesnt mean you will have no competition I bought my farm 5 years ago since then I have had 3 cams stolen and a hunter that decided he was going to sit in my stand the only way i knew he was there is he forgot his grunt call. Also we have a shotgun season people do deer drives during that time caught them in there ten min after i told them no. Just a little insight on how its not just you all the time.

Yea that sounds about average anymore Honey draws flies and some scumbags never learn. I have learned to put the local conservation officer's number in my phone for where ever I am hunting. I don't think it has near the impact on deer movement that having a hunter sitting every 200 yards in every direction and on every property has though.

Oh of course not but still its not like some picture

[BigHills BuckHunter]

So do you hunt specifically on food sources/foodplots or do you hunt in pinch points or funnels?

BTW Those bucks you killed are Huge and very impressive. Whatever you are doing keep doing it.

[iowa whitetail]

So do you hunt specifically on food sources/foodplots or do you hunt in pinch points or funnels?

BTW Those bucks you killed are Huge and very impressive. Whatever you are doing keep doing it.

Well I will find out what places I can hunt early by cams if I have nothing on cam that i would go after as far as bucks i spend my time on the doe management part of it to insure not to scare the buck i want to go after. When pre rut hits go were ever the doe's are at last light most of the time in a food source. If you dont kill him and rut has began this is the time when funnels and that little patch of nothing really come into play the place that a deer never is. This is the place you never would think of putting a stand.This is why, ok picture yourself chasing a doe and you have a big rack on top of your head. you are fighting other bucks while keeping track of this doe she can run threw trees way faster than you, why, cause you have this rack that is not easy to go some of the spots she can go. So this is the reason those patches of nothing come in, the bucks almost always take the doe's to a place no other buck will find them it might be a tiny plum thicket a little draw fence line one lone tree out in the middle of nothing.How would you like to chase her threw a big timber with that big rack? This is not something you will figure out in one year but if you pay attention to the little spots like that i promise you will see way more big deer during the rut people spend way to much time in the timber after a big buck. This is another big reason i dont hunt in the timber. I love the edge and little draws, fence lines during the rut. Ok for the late season I will plant my plot late like oct so the food is green for the deer i love soy beans when they are green deer go crazy over them.When it comes to putting your stand up to kill i guess it dep on what you are useing gun, bow. I late muzz hunt so I will put my stand almost at the end of the plot. The reason is because they will start eating it from the timber out. By putting the stand that far back you are less likely to get busted and the deer will have the first half ate and will have to work there way to the end and alot of the time its later before it gets cold enough for the big boys to show themselves so when they do they will see a field full of doe's in the middle and will feel safe but he will have to walk to you before there is any food cause the first part of the plot is ate up.Good luck

[Craaaig]

The fact that they change locations throughout the year is not in debate, most everyone knows they have different patterns related to weather and food. When they move locations due to weather/food sources, they have preferred areas to bed in based off security. They don't just pick a random spot to bed, the beds are set up just right to put the buck at an advantage. So yes they change locations throughout the year, but when they do move in to a new spot, they have specific beds or specific areas where they spend their daylight hours.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[iowa whitetail]

The fact that they change locations throughout the year is not in debate, most everyone knows they have different patterns related to weather and food. When they move locations due to weather/food sources, they have preferred areas to bed in based off security. They don't just pick a random spot to bed, the beds are set up just right to put the buck at an advantage. So yes they change locations throughout the year, but when they do move in to a new spot, they have specific beds or specific areas where they spend their daylight hours.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

I remember a post you typed that said you find the beds in the spring. So you find the beds in the spring knowing they will change locations?So this means you have to look for the bed when season comes witch in my opinion is a bad bad idea.The fact of it is the buck will go to his bed, doe's during rut,and food doing it my way there is no way you will spook this buck in his home and your way well you cant say the same. I kill most of my deer from people who spook the deer so as far as that goes keep them headed my way.Good luck to all

[MOBIGBUCKS]

The fact that they change locations throughout the year is not in debate, most everyone knows they have different patterns related to weather and food. When they move locations due to weather/food sources, they have preferred areas to bed in based off security. They don't just pick a random spot to bed, the beds are set up just right to put the buck at an advantage. So yes they change locations throughout the year, but when they do move in to a new spot, they have specific beds or specific areas where they spend their daylight hours.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

I remember a post you typed that said you find the beds in the spring. So you find the beds in the spring knowing they will change locations?So this means you have to look for the bed when season comes witch in my opinion is a bad bad idea.The fact of it is the buck will go to his bed, doe's during rut,and food doing it my way there is no way you will spook this buck in his home and your way well you cant say the same. I kill most of my deer from people who spook the deer so as far as that goes keep them headed my way.Good luck to all

The beds he is finding are used in the Fall. He just looks in the spring because that is the small window of time from the end of hunting season to greenup. I don't think anyone that bed hunts is out looking for beds in September and October.

[iowa whitetail]

The fact that they change locations throughout the year is not in debate, most everyone knows they have different patterns related to weather and food. When they move locations due to weather/food sources, they have preferred areas to bed in based off security. They don't just pick a random spot to bed, the beds are set up just right to put the buck at an advantage. So yes they change locations throughout the year, but when they do move in to a new spot, they have specific beds or specific areas where they spend their daylight hours.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

I remember a post you typed that said you find the beds in the spring. So you find the beds in the spring knowing they will change locations?So this means you have to look for the bed when season comes witch in my opinion is a bad bad idea.The fact of it is the buck will go to his bed, doe's during rut,and food doing it my way there is no way you will spook this buck in his home and your way well you cant say the same. I kill most of my deer from people who spook the deer so as far as that goes keep them headed my way.Good luck to all

The beds he is finding are used in the Fall. He just looks in the spring because that is the small window of time from the end of hunting season to greenup. I don't think anyone that bed hunts is out looking for beds in September and October.

Makes no since we agree they change there location so how is finding a bed in the spring doing any good?

[MOBIGBUCKS]

I understand what you're saying about looking for beds where deer spend the end of winter into Spring. Of course their home range is gonna shift a bit from spring to Fall. I think you have to use a combination of information to ascertain that a buck is using a property during the Fall. Number one is sightings, trail camera pics, etc. Number two fresh tracks. I think it sometimes will take a guy a couple years to figure out the how, when, why a buck uses a property.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

The fact that they change locations throughout the year is not in debate, most everyone knows they have different patterns related to weather and food. When they move locations due to weather/food sources, they have preferred areas to bed in based off security. They don't just pick a random spot to bed, the beds are set up just right to put the buck at an advantage. So yes they change locations throughout the year, but when they do move in to a new spot, they have specific beds or specific areas where they spend their daylight hours.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

I remember a post you typed that said you find the beds in the spring. So you find the beds in the spring knowing they will change locations?So this means you have to look for the bed when season comes witch in my opinion is a bad bad idea.The fact of it is the buck will go to his bed, doe's during rut,and food doing it my way there is no way you will spook this buck in his home and your way well you cant say the same. I kill most of my deer from people who spook the deer so as far as that goes keep them headed my way.Good luck to all

The beds he is finding are used in the Fall. He just looks in the spring because that is the small window of time from the end of hunting season to greenup. I don't think anyone that bed hunts is out looking for beds in September and October.

Makes no since we agree they change there location so how is finding a bed in the spring doing any good?

I think it just comes down to finding areas that a buck can strategically bed on a given property. Does that buck actually use the property during the Fall when hunting season is open? That's the big question I alluded to in my previous post. I think you really have to have some solid intel like sightings, trail cams, fresh tracks to back that up.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

Personally, I think your tactics are awesome. Hunting beds isn't the only way to hunt and you have definately proven that. Like a lot of the other guys on here, I just have to hunt closer to where the bed to get a shot at them. I just have lots of other hunters to deal with at times. I'm not against trying out some of your ideas though! You have definately opened up some ideas to me. Good thread

[iowa whitetail]

You set up close to the bed and you could have doe's come in from every direction no getting around that this is bad do to wind and when that old doe starts snorting at you you will stick out like a turd in a punch bowl to that buck. Like I said I have killed alot of my deer due to people scaring them into my turf.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

You set up close to the bed and you could have doe's come in from every direction no getting around that this is bad do to wind and when that old doe starts snorting at you you will stick out like a turd in a punch bowl to that buck. Like I said I have killed alot of my deer due to people scaring them into my turf.

Yeah, the antlerless deer can be a problem. However, some of the farmland bucks I hunt bed out in the isolated stuff you talked about in one of your earlier posts. I think you were talking about a big buck taking a doe out there to be alone so to speak. My findings indicate that alot of these big bucks are strategically bedding there to either watch you, or keep track of the antlerless deer that may be coming into estrous. Honestly, I don't see many does when I hunt bucks near their beds.

[JoeRE]

Makes no since we agree they change there location so how is finding a bed in the spring doing any good?

You find the places they were bedding last fall in the spring when it is easiest to find. May times there will be rubs right around well worn beds meaning bucks bedded there last fall. Those beds you find in the spring may or may not have really fresh sign around them made in the spring.

I think you miss-interpret what this strategy is. Most bucks do not bed in one single place every single day for weeks at a time, but when they are in an area there are only a few places - probably only a couple - that they will likely bed. Find those places in the spring scouting and hunt in such a way in the fall near there as to intercept the buck. Its not a strategy where you come in two weeks before the season, hang a stand, cut a bunch of shooting lanes, and hunt half a dozen times and then get the buck - by then as you know he is on to you.

Bed hunting is by no means "the right" strategy and no one on here will try to say that. It is one of many effective strategy and like all others it is dependent on hunting conditions so don't dismiss it all together. A lot of guys on this site have shot a lot of big bucks doing bed hunting. I am not trying to convince you to try it, just want you to understand why others are doing it. Believe me, don't mess with what you are doing when you guys are laying down the biggest bucks in the neighborhood already!