Suburban Bucks

[Twenty Up]

Somewhat recently a young gentlemen and his “crew” began bowhunting the suburbs of Atlanta GA. What they’ve accomplished has honestly blown my mind, and turned every 2+ acre lot here into a frenzy.

His names Lee Ellis and their group is called Seek One Productions. I’ll post their YouTube link for those interested..

More importantly... It’s blown my mind at the size of these deer. In the past 2-3 years Lee alone has harvested 5 deer over 150” and one this past season over 200”... in Georgia. His buddies have done the same.

Are your suburban areas similar to this or is there just freak genetics around the North Atlanta suburbs...

Link:They do a good job with the videography & back story.. Not a fan of hunting strangers backyards but to each their own!
https://youtu.be/EuQeMImECzc

[purebowhunting]

Listened to a podcast with these guys recently. They plan to hunt different cities in the future. They put a lot of time in locating areas with the genetics that grow big deer, they said different areas have very different top end genetic potential. Also had trail camera evidence that even in cities buck can move a lot, had a buck on a camera the same day 7 miles apart. I think what they do is impressive and shows how amazingly adaptable whitetail are.

[purebowhunting]

I think most urban areas with green spaces that have whitetail habitat will hold good bucks. Wausau WI a city near me had a 200 class buck about 5 years ago, know the guy who found his sheds and was on the news a few times. I know Duluth and Green Bay holds big bucks. It would have its challenges for sure.

[Motivated]

I heard that podcast on gritty bowen as well. Interesting stuff for sure.

[jporcello]

he must not be a beast follower cause that looked like a primary bed to me. if only 10 acres that he is living in he could definitely move in on him in his bed to get him.

[Mike32]

These guys have some good videos.

[headgear]

Been trending this way for a long time now, huge bucks in suburbia. Still not enough to get me to move to a big city but if you live there I would be taking full advantage.

[Jonny]

Biggest bucks I have ever seen are in the milwaukee county parks. No chance of ever hunting those deer though.

You really need to strike gold for suburban hunting. Not many places have properties big enough to allow hunting, and how many of them would be a total bust anyways. Also need to be in an area that allows hunting.

Just don’t buy everything you see online. Lots of negativity around them. Not saying I believe it or don’t believe it. But there are some serious accusations out there, and I personally am not a fan of their videos (different reasons).

They shoot nice deer and know how to get it done. Can’t take that away from them. Can definitely learn a thing or two about suburban hunting.

[Hawthorne]

There are 300lbs booners in the suburbs of Detroit where no hunting is allowed.I’ve seen pics from friends and family that live in those areas. I got to walk on one property in that area. 2 acre piece with a huge sign post rub 10 yds from the House. At least 50 rubs some up to my neck. Genetics are here I can tell you that

[Twenty Up]

he must not be a beast follower cause that looked like a primary bed to me. if only 10 acres that he is living in he could definitely move in on him in his bed to get him.

I said the same thing to myself

[Twenty Up]

I think what’s most interesting is there is no agirculture even remotely close to where they are hunting, or near suburbia in general. Letting them “grow” only goes so far with poor nutrition... so what are these deer eating to become absolute slobs?

Heck I’m an hour from where these guys hunt and the biggest bucks we’ve seen barely touched 140”

[Sailfish_WC]

My old hometown in MI has a nice “herd” of deer.
Some quality bucks.
Damn things are out in the middle of the day year round
Right next to the main drag, between houses, shopping center etc

It’s like they know they are untouchable

Last Nov I saw a dandy

Luv just one day with the bow :-)

[J Gilbert]

I'm trying to do the suburban thing in Atlanta this season, and have picked Lee's brain on getting permission and tactics for this type of venture- the pictures he's looking at on his phone in the first or second Zeus show are actually mine, from my in-law's back yard. Unfortunately, there was no way for me to hunt him there and Lee had the area locked down otherwise. As for hunting the deer where he bedded, the owners of that block of timber wouldn't let anyone hunt it, so it was just on the fringes and in the travel corridors leaving it that he had permission.

It is pretty amazing what these suburban deer do and how they live- I've been following a particular deer herd in the city for 4-5 years now and see bucks in the 130-150 range every year (4 this year alone including one right at that 150 mark and still alive, and around a dozen bucks total), just have to work out the permission to hunt them now. I had permission for a week or so at one piece in the area before the owner's wife changed her mind, just have to keep knocking on doors- I think it can be done.

One thing I picked up from Lee (and again from Drew when I met him when they were shooting the hero shots of Zeus) is that to be consistently successful, you can't lock in on one area- you have to be mobile and find new areas and places to hunt constantly. I actually heard the same thing in one of Dan's YouTube video's yesterday and found the parallel interesting given that the situations are incredibly different.

[dan]

The reason suburbs and back yards have huge bucks is simply hunting pressure. Where people can't hunt bucks grow old. With that said, huge bucks in populated areas get noticed in a hurry. Everyone seeing them ( except maybe a few salad munchers) wants to hunt them, so the hardest part is getting permission. If these guys think they can go to different cities and do the same, good luck.

[muddy]

Some of the bucks that have come out of the Des Moines urban hunt will fill your pants.