Rock and Hard Place

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


Jdaukontas
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:10 am
Status: Offline

Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby Jdaukontas » Tue Oct 02, 2018 3:22 am

Quick question...

Tonight will be my first sit and I am need of advise. I have a perfect wind which sets up great for smashing a doe tonight. Have watched from an observation sit the same two doe groups come out of bedding into the same field and work the same tree line every night for two weeks. I easily can take one tonight with 100% confidence.

However, I also know where there is a mature buck I have been chasing for years. I have locked him in on a ridge, which is small in length, and have found the bed. We have the exact wind I need, but there are many variable that make me nervous.
1 - I can't make it to the tree until about an hour before dark, which is pushing it IMO to the limit, because the bed is 100 yards away. AND that is hauling...
2 - The ridge is located downwind of a bean field and I can't see both the woods and the beans from any tree in there due to the thickness of the fence row, so I must pick the field or the woods. My gut says leave the field and overlook the woods as it drops into the ravine, but it is early season and the deer are hitting the beans still.
3 - If I mess this up, he will leave my hunting area and bed across the ravine on private corporate land. This has happened the past two years and this is his sanctuary once he senses hunting pressure.

On one hand I want the venison, but on the other I want to shoot a mature buck...

What would you do?


User avatar
crankn101
500 Club
Posts: 601
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2011 3:29 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby crankn101 » Tue Oct 02, 2018 3:38 am

Shoot a meat deer elsewhere or after you gave it your best chance at the buck.
Kcbuckeye22
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:12 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby Kcbuckeye22 » Tue Oct 02, 2018 3:39 am

Whats your sightings of him later in the year? Rut? Whats your plan if you don't hunt him now? I believe in waiting for the perfect timing, but you have to have confindence in your ability to kill him. If you have him that nailed down, I'd go in.

Are you sure he leaves due to pressure? Or is he rutting for does? If he's rutting for does, then this might be your chance. If the pressure will be coming, you might not have time to wait. However, you know more details than me.

Another important factor is the "hauling" if you cant have a great approach into your kill spot then you very well might blow him out. Whats the wind speed that day? Can it cover noise up? Also going in later means you might not have that wind, since it will be dying down for the evening.
mauser06
500 Club
Posts: 2074
Joined: Tue Oct 29, 2013 5:11 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby mauser06 » Tue Oct 02, 2018 4:46 am

Personally, I'd go after the buck...but, I can shoot doe clear through January and do so in many different places..

But, like was said....you mentioned hauling.

I'd wait for the right time to go after him.

My hunt Saturday was a good example. I knew the wind was JUST off his bedding. I knew the solar forecast was perfect for movement before dark. I knew the cluster of white oaks was within 100yds of his bedding. I knew my route would avoided his bedding and his exit route and my wind wasn't going to blow into the bedding. I had all day. I parked at 2. I didn't check my phone in my tree till 415. It was a flat half mile or so walk to put that into perspective. I wasn't in the tree for 2 hours and he was dead.

Very classic example of a "beast style hunt".


If you rush, you make noise. Noise and bedded bucks means you probably arent gunna see him.



I'd hunt elsewhere. It's important to have numerous spots planned for the season. Ideally I'd say double the spots for as many days as you think you'd hunt. Some close for days you are crunched for time..I have spots all over the western part of the state "just in case". I have spots by a satellite office because I know very fall I go there for training and I'm done by 10 or 11am. The day would be lost if I had to drive back home to hunt.


I'm learning...but my biggest take away is going in when the conditions are perfect and execute the hunt as perfectly as possible.
Autiger
500 Club
Posts: 551
Joined: Tue Nov 14, 2017 7:37 am
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby Autiger » Tue Oct 02, 2018 5:12 am

are you planning on hanging a stand or could you sneak in there and get him from the ground? If you can conceal yourself on the ground that might save you time in getting in there and setup
Jdaukontas
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:10 am
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby Jdaukontas » Tue Oct 02, 2018 5:19 am

After reading your replies, I am going to wait. This weekend forecast has the same south-east wind I need, so hopefully with no work Saturday, I can get in there without feeling rushed. My setup is 125ish yards from the bed, so I want to take my time. I am against the clock, because I am not the only person that hunts this farm and the other hunters have no idea about his bed, but they know he is in the area and will burn it out ASAP.

I am confident he is there now, because I have picture of him from the next field over coming off and going to the ridge on any eastern wind. Every year we see him early season and once we start hunting this ridge system, he disappears until the following summer. I snuck onto the corporate land last year once rifle ended with just a pack to check some spots I had circled on the map and jumped him off the first major point. Very worn bed, huge rubs, fresh droppings. That is why I think he ends up there through rifle. Their land is less than a half mile from ours.
Jdaukontas
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:10 am
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby Jdaukontas » Tue Oct 02, 2018 5:20 am

Didn't consider the ground, just because the thermals in the evening. I was hoping to get up high on the downward side of his trail to get my scent dropping away with falling thermals and leeward wind. Do you think ground is doable?
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby headgear » Tue Oct 02, 2018 5:32 am

If you can only get there an hour before dark that is pushing it, if you rush it you could blow the whole thing. Kind of a tough call because you have the right wind, like many have said, does can be shot any time. If you think you can get there quiet then maybe give it a shot.
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby headgear » Tue Oct 02, 2018 5:34 am

Jdaukontas wrote:Didn't consider the ground, just because the thermals in the evening. I was hoping to get up high on the downward side of his trail to get my scent dropping away with falling thermals and leeward wind. Do you think ground is doable?


It's doable, just make sure you have enough cover to draw with him in tight, most of the time that is easier said than done.
Kcbuckeye22
Posts: 44
Joined: Thu Aug 16, 2018 2:12 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby Kcbuckeye22 » Tue Oct 02, 2018 6:03 am

Jdaukontas wrote:Didn't consider the ground, just because the thermals in the evening. I was hoping to get up high on the downward side of his trail to get my scent dropping away with falling thermals and leeward wind. Do you think ground is doable?


This depends on the ground where you would set up. If its open, then it would be hard. If you have a rock bluff it could be easy. I like an attack on the ground when the deer can't see me until they are quartering slightly away. I can usually get away with drawing my bow.
User avatar
Lockdown
Moderator
Posts: 9957
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 4:16 pm
Location: MN
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby Lockdown » Tue Oct 02, 2018 6:10 am

Valid concerns. I would say wait on the doe. Here’s my big question: what do you gain by waiting for a later date to go after him? List the advantages...
User avatar
may21581
500 Club
Posts: 1186
Joined: Mon May 28, 2018 12:48 pm
Location: north east ohio
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby may21581 » Tue Oct 02, 2018 9:03 am

Why not both? Shoot the doe and leave her lay. If the bucks walks out shoot him too. Once your in that spot its only good for a few sits anyway once you stink it up. If the beans are green I'd hunt over them, if they are starting to brown then hes prolly elsewhere. My advice to you though if you do decide to shoot a doe dont use a nocternal nock on her. At closing time the light sticks out like a sore thumb and any buck with common sense isn't coming towards it.
Dont be afraid to push the limits. If your after a specific buck then go for it. If your after some meat too then go for it. There is no wrong answer here just dilemas we hunters have to deal with as they come. Good luck!
"Failure is the price for entry for achieving something great"
Jdaukontas
Posts: 272
Joined: Sat Dec 13, 2014 5:10 am
Status: Offline

Re: Rock and Hard Place

Unread postby Jdaukontas » Tue Oct 02, 2018 12:32 pm

Decided to go in. Saw him at last light but too far to shoot. Ended up getting too dark to see so I waited an hour to come out. Dont know if he spotted me or I spooked him, but it is raining here now which may be a blessing. I am optimistic.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 80 guests