No buck yet....peak breeding strategies Nov.11-14

[BigHills BuckHunter]

Big congrats to everyone thats scored on a buck this fall! Unfortunatley I am not one of them yet. But I am determined. I had a great opportunity on Oct. 30 morning having a 140 class buck at 15 yards but no shot due to branches overhanging the vitals. He smelled me and ran off. It hurt.

But now with this upcoming weekend. Im wondering what strategies could be used for mature bucks? Nov. 11-14 in West Central Wisconsin. Im not sure what to do anymore. It seems like I have been cursed this year. Im disappointed but like I said determined to score.

For rut activity I havnt really seen much myself besides when Im shining at night. It seems like the period my area is in right now is chasing with a little bit of lockdown on the early estrus does. The prime movement is at 8:30-9:30 AM with a short burst of activity around noon. Evening hunts are very disappointing for me lately with very few deer seen or heard until the last 20 minutes of shooting light. There was a burst of activity all around from Oct. 25-Oct 31 but since then things have really quieted down. This weekend I hunted 9 hours seeing a total of 2 deer. One doe and a yearling 6 pointer. I just dont get it. I thought this weekend would be action packed.

Overall besides my griping about my season what would you guys reccomend for hunting strategies this weekend for me based what Ive described. Nov.11-14 West Central Wisconsin. Thanks all.

[James]

I hunted the last 4 days extremely hard in West Central WI in likely the same terrain. The times you posted are about spot on for when I was seeing the fair amount of activity, however it did vary a bit day to day.

On my two farms I saw a good deal of lock down going on and only yearling and 2yo bucks on the prowl. Sunday morning I finally saw a mature 3yo but he was on a mission and walking through a bedding area solo, no shot opportunity and couldn't hear my calls.

I'm hoping that by this weekend the older does are bred and the yearlings start coming into heat and that we get a little more action other than the 2yo's and yearlings. I'm sure they are out as guys are scoring but you have to be on a property or in an area where the lock down with big boys is actually taking place. I'm limited to 2 80 acre parcels and it just wasn't happening on either of those.

[Bucky]

Later into November I like to hunt funnels just like the cruzn stage. After the majority of does have been bred the big bucks roam looking for that last estrus doe... I think it might even be a better time in the hills to kill that buck of a lifetime (compared to early Nov)

[BigHills BuckHunter]

I tried hunting in a funnel this past weekend on public land. I thought I had the entire 400 acres to myself so I was pumped not seeing any cars coming in besides one, then after sitting 1.5 hours some teenage guy comes and sits within 40 yards (NOT KIDDING) of me. I figured well at least this guy knows where to hunt and what he is doing. Then I hear him call his dad on his cell and yelling into the phone I hear, "Hey Dad! I think im in the area where Shawn shot his T-zone doe but im not sure can you describe the area to me again?" Thats been my luck this hunting season. It can only get better tho right?

[lungbuster]

Hunt the does, find a couple of good doe bedding areas and put your stand on a pinch point between them........Or find a hot food source the does are hitting, sooner than later a mature buck should come looking for some tail. Sounds like your putting in some time, but maybe not enough time, public land is hard to hunt, you need to find areas no one else has hunted and scout it for sign. then pick your sets carefully so that wind and other factors don't mess you up........I've had multiple sits that totaled over 15 hours of stand time with 0 or maybe one good buck sighting, if it's a good buck I move to put myself in a position to kill him. If I am not seeing anything I scout for a better set.........Put in your time and the reward will follow. Good luck!

[dan]

Hunt the does, find a couple of good doe bedding areas and put your stand on a pinch point between them........Or find a hot food source the does are hitting, sooner than later a mature buck should come looking for some tail. Sounds like your putting in some time, but maybe not enough time, public land is hard to hunt, you need to find areas no one else has hunted and scout it for sign. then pick your sets carefully so that wind and other factors don't mess you up........I've had multiple sits that totaled over 15 hours of stand time with 0 or maybe one good buck sighting, if it's a good buck I move to put myself in a position to kill him. If I am not seeing anything I scout for a better set.........Put in your time and the reward will follow. Good luck!

X2
Bucks only spend a couple days with a doe that they are breeding. As soon as there done they are searching for the next. Doe bedding areas, or funnels inbetween. And every now and then a hot doe will wander around with her boyfriend in tow. There is no such thing as a total lock down.
Keep moving till you get action.

[BigHills BuckHunter]

Thanks for the input. I have a stand thats in between two thick brush doe bedding areas located on low points about 1/3 or 1/2 up the hill my stand is at the top of the ridge and the doe bedding is on both sides of me as well as both sides of the ridge, with the trail that interconnects them 20 yards from my stand. Now I need to figure in the wind. Right on top there is a trail that the bucks use but I almost wonder if the trail that is at 2/3 up and 20 yards from me should be the trail to hunt since the does use it and a buck might be following her trail. Yet if a buck is crusing he might stay up higher than me which puts me in a situation regarding wind. To hunt both trails I would need a South wind or north wind. But from what I have learned from everyone I think the trail to hunt is the doe trail right?