Morning or Evening

[Jdaukontas]

With the extreme pressure from gun season, I am sure most bucks are holed up in the thick stuff. I have many thick pockets that I know people have not ventured, but I am not sure how to get into them. Do I go in before light and try to set up for morning or go in during the afternoon hoping to see him on his feet and not spook him out. I feel like there is zero morning movement so they are in their beds before light, so afternoon seems to make most sense?

How do you guys get into these places without busting him out?

[Peeps22]

Afternoon... get in rrrreeeaaaaalll early and go very slow getting in. Youre going to have to push the envelope up tight on bedding to see any daytime movement

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[Jdaukontas]

At this point, would it be better to push the bedding area and hunt with a partner on the exit route? I want to do this beast style, but at the same time, I want to fill my buck tag before the season ends lol I am afraid if I bust him out, I will burn that spot for the rest of the year. Pressure right now is borderline insane from every direction.

Also, do deer know the difference between someone just walking through the area or someone hunting the area?

[mauser06]

If you start pushing the area they'll quickly (usually) stop using it..not an issue if you have more spots to relocate them..


We push deer all of rifle and flintlock seasons....

I can walk to Marsh beds...I can walk to hill country beds....I cannot walk to buck beds in the area I hunt the most and know the best...

Why?


We taught them how to survive...especially the older mature deer...year after year they were chased and shot at...they know where we don't go...and we don't leave much for them...I know where they go and its places we absolutely cannot hunt or get close to...and that's where they bed even in archery season...


So...what I see...we kill off every dumb one...occasionally a big one..but usually end up seeing bigguns spotting and on camera and sometimes during the rut or high pressure sending them in etc...but on the norm they are absolutely ghosts...


Example...I have like 10 different mature bucks on camera in the area...my buddy has pushed everything he could think of and didn't see a shooter until late the 3rd day...and he was simply pushed in there from somewhere else and isn't local to that block...


I don't believe they always go for thick...

They go where they have the advantage...and they go where they are left alone...

I've seen mature bucks bedded in weird spots..lots of times I around here in suburban farmland its peoples yards...you know the 15 tree patch of woods between the driveway and road...or the cluster of trees in the back yard...sometimes those spots are thick or good hides...others they are sitting there watching people and cats and are in plain view...but...noone bothers them and they feel safe...

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[Jdaukontas]

Hmmm...you make some great point mauser, now I am on the fence. To push or not to push, that is the question.

[BowHusker]

Lots of good info above. However if it was me and the season is drawing to a close I would try at least one push and see what happens. You could always set up early afternoon and have a hunting buddy come in from the up wind side and cast his scent over the area in a "soft" drive technique. Or have him actually try to bump or drive the deer in your direction. Either way if the season is nearing it's end you have nothing to lose IMO, I always get pretty aggressive when the season is almost over. Worst case scenario is you bump him off the property but if the season is over soon it doesn't matter anyway. Just my .02$.

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