Biggest Buck I've Seen

[Jrichard]

This isn't the biggest buck I have seen in general. I went along for a walk in the woods with one of my friends that has been hunting all his life to track a nice 10 point he harvested last year. But This is the biggest buck that I have gotten on camera or seen while sitting in a stand in Rhode Island.

I was just wondering if you guys could tell me what the odds of a big 8 pointer being around later on at the beginning of bow season on September 15th. Its a night photo, but I got a couple of pictures of 3 or 4 more deer that look a little different then him but are super wide and one has 6 points and one looked like he has 10. But the picture was around 8 when the sun was going down so there was no flash and the picture will only get bright enough on my tablet and even then it gets pix-elated. Total, I think I got 7 or 8 different bucks on camera. and 4 or 5 of them were larger than what I have ever seen before on public land. Not to mention the cameras had only been up for a week. I can't imagine how many I will get after letting them sit of a month. So I am excited, I just don't want to get my hopes up.

On that note, I want to try to hunt these guys for sure. But I am honestly just trying to harvest my first deer. I want that more than anything else right now. I don't care if its a 2 year old doe. Or a 7 year old buck. lol Even though I am sure I would probably miss him or get busted before he got close enough to me. lol So if you guys have any tips you have learned over the years that you wish you knew when you harvested your first deer, I would love to hear them. This way I don't keep getting skunked. lol I just want one :p (for now) (P.S.: I have been reading A LOT of the forums as well as posted the thermals thread, and I understand that wind is a huge factor I need the take into consideration. I am just looking for those other technical things you veterans could share.)

Also I understand that I am disturbing this area when I go in and check cameras. But I just found this spot 3 weeks ago so I am trying to do as much scouting as I can before August 15 so I can let the area rest as much as possible before the season. But like I said its public land so who knows who might be running around this spot on the weekends and such. But I am going to go in next weekend (it'll have been 4 weeks not this Monday but next Monday. I am going to collect in-tell. Then I am going to go in 3 weeks after that. Find my tree and pull my cameras to let the area cool down completely. And hopefully on September 15th I can set up in a tree and potentially take my first deer. The bummer about it, is that in that first week I only saw 2 does and 1 fawn. So I am hoping for more than that this next card pull. But I am telling you guys there are 4 or 5 BEATEN down runs, they look like highways, So I am doubting that there are only 2 or 3 does and 5 or 6 bucks in this area. I feel like there are a lot more deer than I am seeing.

Thanks a lot again guys! I appreciate everyone being so patient with me.

[JoeRE]

So your camera is on a trail to a food source? What food? Will it be still preferred food come bow season? Where is the buck coming from - ie bedding? Ignore the doe sign and focus on what the bucks are doing. All these questions you want answer to have a chance at the buck.

If you are going in there every week to check your camera now till season, I can pretty confidently say he will not be showing up in daylight at that spot...but if buck bedding is in a secure area, and you can figure out where it is but still resist the urge to go stomping around in it between now and then, you have a chance to pick him off mid September. Good luck!

[Jrichard]

Yeah its an open field. They just mowed the grass and they usually do every two weeks or so. I walked through to look to see where the oak trees will be. But a lot of the oak trees have all been decimated by the gypsy moths. It honestly looks like winter time here in RI except its 100 degrees out right now lol. all the oak trees are picked clean. But I know with 99.99% certainty that the deer are bedding down a hill and across a stream. Because the public land ends right at the stream. Then when you cross the stream, there are a bunch of big hills and thick brush. So I am betting that's where these deer are bedding. I crossed the stream really quickly and just looked around with my binoculars. And I noticed it was really hilly and thick so I thought to myself that seems like a perfect buck spot. So I just backed off before I bumped them out. And then that's when I got them on camera.

The public area seems pretty good. Its kind of thick but not really a place these deer would bed. I only go in every few weeks. And Im only going back in to grab my cameras and find a tree.

[justdirtyfun]

Heavy trails can be misleading. A doe group of any size will put a noticeable trail down very easily.
Undisturbed and on a summer pattern they might use it in and out of that area. 3-6 does with 4 feet equals a deer highway.
If you want to get away from the first time jitters try this. Go to a public Park or nature preserve and stalk a few deer,get a feel for eye to eye distance.
It will give you a head start on the season and show how flighty and nervous they are.

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[Tufrthnails]

Heavy trails can be misleading. A doe group of any size will put a noticeable trail down very easily.
Undisturbed and on a summer pattern they might use it in and out of that area. 3-6 does with 4 feet equals a deer highway.
If you want to get away from the first time jitters try this. Go to a public Park or nature preserve and stalk a few deer,get a feel for eye to eye distance.
It will give you a head start on the season and show how flighty and nervous they are.

[ Post made via Android ]

This is good advice. I got my son started on a state park putting a stalk on a group of does with a camera I knew would be there every evening. It took one wrong approach for him to figure out the importance of the wind at 9yo. He sat back and watched me move to within 12 ft of the closest doe the next day with the right wind during a small sprinkle. Now he is getting pretty good at figuring out how to close the distance on them. I will say state park does are no where near open hunting land does, but you can still tell when they bust you. I'm not a master by any means of stalking, but I wish I had learned a little bit of it when I first started hunting.

[JohnFunn]

Heavy trails can be misleading. A doe group of any size will put a noticeable trail down very easily.
Undisturbed and on a summer pattern they might use it in and out of that area. 3-6 does with 4 feet equals a deer highway.
If you want to get away from the first time jitters try this. Go to a public Park or nature preserve and stalk a few deer,get a feel for eye to eye distance.
It will give you a head start on the season and show how flighty and nervous they are.

[ Post made via Android ]

This is good advice. I got my son started on a state park putting a stalk on a group of does with a camera I knew would be there every evening. It took one wrong approach for him to figure out the importance of the wind at 9yo. He sat back and watched me move to within 12 ft of the closest doe the next day with the right wind during a small sprinkle. Now he is getting pretty good at figuring out how to close the distance on them. I will say state park does are no where near open hunting land does, but you can still tell when they bust you. I'm not a master by any means of stalking, but I wish I had learned a little bit of it when I first started hunting.

Very cool!

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[Swampbuck]

I think I would back off on going in the area so much or it will more than.likely be burnt by the opener. And in looking for your first deer I would do that elsewhere and save this area. Sounds like it has huge potential.

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[Bonecrusher101]

I would try to cyber scout all public land hunting areas, within an hour and a half of where you live. Have multiple backup plans for when an area gets over pressured. If a truck or two are already where I intended to hunt that day it's easy for me to move to plan B. Don't dwell on mishaps, they happen. Try to learn an improve and enjoy every little step that takes you closer to your first deer. It took me a 3 or 4 seasons before it came together and I killed my first deer. Everyone on this forum has struggled with the challenges of deer hunting at some point in their lives. Stay positive and determined!

Of course, practice, practice, practice. i usually shoot my bow daily a month in advance of opening morning. Also try a few dress rehearsals where u setup your stand and shoot out of it in what you intend to wear hunting. Try to find the snags in your gear during practice and get them fixed before the hunt. Good luck!

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