I was thinking today about observation sits and I was wondering do you guys do them during the rut or only early season? It seems like by the next day your intel might be outdated if the buck has moved on chasing does elsewhere. Am I right to think this? Also I was wondering does anyone do them during the late season? Here our deer migrate during the deep snow sometimes up to 50 miles. I wonder if observation sits would be good during December since some bucks have likely traveled into the area from other places.
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Observation during the rut
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- DaveT1963
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Re: Observation during the rut
I dont usually as bucks are just to unpredictable... pre rut yes.... rut not so much.
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- Stanley
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Re: Observation during the rut
On very small properties I might put up a stand to get a feel for what the bucks are doing. For the most part I just hunt during the rut.
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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Re: Observation during the rut
During the rut I set up on spots I am confident will result in a kill and won't purposely sit for only observation just due to the unpredictable nature of the bucks. The thing is sometimes it ends up that way since you could be as little as 50-100 yards off and can only watch the action from a distance. Relocating same day to the action based on observation has payed off for me with my two largest bucks during the rut. If you observe a hot doe in the area an aggressive move can and will pay off.
Early season especially early October is when I will do observation sits to move in on bucks that I'm not 100% sure of their exact bedding location.
Early season especially early October is when I will do observation sits to move in on bucks that I'm not 100% sure of their exact bedding location.
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Re: Observation during the rut
During the rut I think is the time to hunt exactly where you think is best. A person can always adjust if movement is somewhere else but I usually would not set up intentionally away from all the action from the start. At worst just hunt one side of an area you think is good and work your way in as needed. Most years there are only a few days of good cruising activity in the rut, hate to burn those up. The only pure observation sits I have done in the rut are with a camera after I filled my tag...would highly recommend doing that, figuring out new spots.
Late season bucks, once you finally find them, are extremely pattern-able around here, and that is the time of year I see new bucks show up because yes they can move miles for food even in farm country. I do some late season observation sits, glassing and such, but my hunting and observations usually blend together hunting with a muzzleloader given the longer effective range. If I think I can slip in to 200 yards I am going for it right there. If I was late season bow hunting observation sits would play a bigger role.
Late season bucks, once you finally find them, are extremely pattern-able around here, and that is the time of year I see new bucks show up because yes they can move miles for food even in farm country. I do some late season observation sits, glassing and such, but my hunting and observations usually blend together hunting with a muzzleloader given the longer effective range. If I think I can slip in to 200 yards I am going for it right there. If I was late season bow hunting observation sits would play a bigger role.
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Re: Observation during the rut
cedarsavage wrote:I was thinking today about observation sits and I was wondering do you guys do them during the rut or only early season? It seems like by the next day your intel might be outdated if the buck has moved on chasing does elsewhere. Am I right to think this? Also I was wondering does anyone do them during the late season? Here our deer migrate during the deep snow sometimes up to 50 miles. I wonder if observation sits would be good during December since some bucks have likely traveled into the area from other places.
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In the pre rut, rut I do not sit observation stands, unless it's overlooking doe bedding inside a travel corridor and in December, Michigan usually has snow which makes it much easier to locate what food sources deer are pounding. Observation sits in late season can be productive if your overlooking food source to see if a particular buck or a buck is using it and what time he's coming out and you can predict a pattern. Then set up first available opportunity you get. Deer become very patternable, maybe even the most patternable during late season with the need to feed. I'll add that public is extremely tough during the late season because of the lack of food and most ag lands are private and it's not uncommon to see deer yarded up in these locations.
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Re: Observation during the rut
I agree with the others that I would never intentionally set-up where I didn't think I had a shot at where I thought deer movement may be during the rut.
I also think it can be critical to react to what you are observing during the rut. I've had plenty of days where you see action out of range and never make the move and keep seeing the same travel patterns, probably because of a hot doe, over and over. I've learned that unless I'm hunting a specific spot for a specific buck or reason, always make the move if you're just out of the game. It has paid off for me well a couple of times. Sometimes its as little as 20-30 yards, but with a bow that can be huge.
I also think it can be critical to react to what you are observing during the rut. I've had plenty of days where you see action out of range and never make the move and keep seeing the same travel patterns, probably because of a hot doe, over and over. I've learned that unless I'm hunting a specific spot for a specific buck or reason, always make the move if you're just out of the game. It has paid off for me well a couple of times. Sometimes its as little as 20-30 yards, but with a bow that can be huge.
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Re: Observation during the rut
Thanks for the info guys
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Re: Observation during the rut
I have one observation. A lot of bucks get killed during the rut. And that's about it.
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- Hawthorne
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Re: Observation during the rut
I put myself in the game during the rut but I'll move if I see something. 2 years ago during rut the farmer started combining the corn about 10am Nov 8th. Thought to myself this is a golden oppurtunity. I pulled my stand to an area I thought the deer would move from the combine. Sure enough I shot a nice 8 point moving away from the combin at 11:15. He was bedded on the edge of thick brush and corn. While i was tagging him 2 other bucks came by me and a group of does.
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