Let me preface this post with first saying that I tend to over think things. So please feel free to set me straight here. But as I look at the vast land of deer habitat on aerials and listen to the advice given here and on countless podcasts, YouTube, etc., "mature bucks will be in places where the people aren't."
When I think about this, I start to question why the heck a mature deer would decide to live on public land that is open for people to hunt and kill animals on when he can easily move over into a state park with no hunting or an anti-hunting landowners private parcel? Especially when most of the public around you is under 1k acres.
I am finding it hard to say that saving your PTO for the rut is a bad idea. At least the rut would give you a chance at a cruising deer that normally wouldn't show up on public . Maybe I am answering my own question and its time to make longer drives to bigger pieces of public!
The Struggle Timing Vacation
- NorthStar
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The Struggle Timing Vacation
“The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”
Proverbs 12:27 NIV
Proverbs 12:27 NIV
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
I have the opposite problem too much land to decipher but face similar dilemmas of wondering where they,those old mature bucks, hang out. I will say that most of the times I'm finding them right next to the road with 60000 acres to run they still go to the over looked spaces. Anyways back to the dilema we all have, where are they. Well when I can't figure it out, which is almost always I still have the doe bedding to fall back on in November. They are slightly more tolerant so if you can locate them your still in the game come November. Atleast once a year I'll find myself out of spots out of ideas and will just walk in stand on back wind in face and go slow until I bump a group of doe out of bed and climb right up the nearest tree downwind and it usually produces a few buck sightings. Few shooters out of range but at least I got a play for the next day. And then I shoot the first 2.5 yo in sight because I burnt myself out with only 2 days to go
- Hawthorne
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
Thick , wet , and nasty is why they survive on public land if there is heavy hunting pressure. The best habitat I have to hunt is public land. I have 3 private farms I can hunt. One is dynamite with no swamp but the location is awesome with low pressure. The public beats the other 2 private pieces
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
A mature buck is going to the best place that he feels most secure. Where he has (in no particular order)his sight, sound, and smell covered. They can't decipher between public or private, just where there is the less pressure from humans and predators etc. A lot of times it IS those overlooked spots that happen to be on public next to a road or whatnot, but where there is dense security cover. Also if you have a river system or ponds somewhere on public with thick & nasty ravines- you'll find them there more times than not.
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
Hawthorne wrote:Thick , wet , and nasty is why they survive on public land if there is heavy hunting pressure. The best habitat I have to hunt is public land. I have 3 private farms I can hunt. One is dynamite with no swamp but the location is awesome with low pressure. The public beats the other 2 private pieces
Yup- Couldn't agree more. Well said
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
Late October is my favorite time, bucks are still patternable and hunting pressure isn't as high. Rut has more action and can be more fun. If you hunt the rut you can always change it up next year.
- Tribute80
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
If your asking why deer live in public property and don’t just wonder off to private where it could have less pressure. I think this is because the habitat diversity on public is better. Even if there is hunting pressure the deer learn to adapt to it some even make it work for them. A lot of private is over pressured and that pushes the deer on to public.
Now as far as when to use PTO. I guess it depends on if your hunting local or taking trips. When I was hunting local or within a few hours I would use it based on weather and hunting pressure. When I travel I target the biggest block of time during the rut but try to arrive before peak. I leave home oct 31st and return the day before thanksgiving.
Now as far as when to use PTO. I guess it depends on if your hunting local or taking trips. When I was hunting local or within a few hours I would use it based on weather and hunting pressure. When I travel I target the biggest block of time during the rut but try to arrive before peak. I leave home oct 31st and return the day before thanksgiving.
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
I actually seen the opposite happen in a lot of areas I stomp around. The biggest bucks DO love on the public and venture to the private at night to feed. But, everywhere is different and that's not always the case. You're probably right...if there's areas off limits to hunting period, sure you'll find big bucks there.
In my case, private is probably more over-hunted than public and usually it lacks good secure bedding. The public is usually public because it's too steep, too wet, too nasty to develope or farm.
Definitely situational.
What you'll see from Dan's videos and tactics on this forum will usually lead you to where the biggest/oldest bucks on any given property are bedding. They bed in these places for specific security purposes and that's why they are located there.
The rut is just so hit or miss IMO. If you're in the right spot on the right day, it can be a parade. 100yds away from that spot and you can sit dark to dark and not see a thing. Plus weather and other factors mess with the actual timing... atleast here.
I've learned to spread my time off out. And I'm learned different tactics that'll help get me into the biggest deer no matter what time of year. My goal is to be well rounded. From day 1 in early October or late September till the end of January...I wanna be confident and able to go out and atleast be in the game.
In my case, private is probably more over-hunted than public and usually it lacks good secure bedding. The public is usually public because it's too steep, too wet, too nasty to develope or farm.
Definitely situational.
What you'll see from Dan's videos and tactics on this forum will usually lead you to where the biggest/oldest bucks on any given property are bedding. They bed in these places for specific security purposes and that's why they are located there.
The rut is just so hit or miss IMO. If you're in the right spot on the right day, it can be a parade. 100yds away from that spot and you can sit dark to dark and not see a thing. Plus weather and other factors mess with the actual timing... atleast here.
I've learned to spread my time off out. And I'm learned different tactics that'll help get me into the biggest deer no matter what time of year. My goal is to be well rounded. From day 1 in early October or late September till the end of January...I wanna be confident and able to go out and atleast be in the game.
- NorthStar
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
I really like what people are saying about public hunting land usually being thick, nasty, and wet. Let’s face it, public land is chosen because you can’t usually build there for these reasons. So that makes total sense to me.
I just have to keep pushing the envelope and look for unconventional spots where no one goes on public. I need to do a better job of recording hunter sign when in the field.
I just have to keep pushing the envelope and look for unconventional spots where no one goes on public. I need to do a better job of recording hunter sign when in the field.
“The lazy do not roast any game, but the diligent feed on the riches of the hunt.”
Proverbs 12:27 NIV
Proverbs 12:27 NIV
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
If I had to pick dates I'd be torn between the last week of October or whatever week the 5-9 of November mostly falls into. If you don't have to schedule it too far ahead let the weather decide. I've definitely had the most opportunities on Nov 5-9
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Re: The Struggle Timing Vacation
North Star,
You're on the right track it sounds like. I run OnX on my phone but I carry my Garmin Oregon everywhere. I find it nice to have both and mark both. I find my Garmin is more accurate...but I don't leave OnX running and that might be why...it hasn't 100% caught up to a pinpoint location on me. But ya...I mark every single stand I find. And it's beneficial to know. I also like to look for their access routes...often marked by flagging tape and/or reflective tacks.
You don't always have to walk far or deep or up and down the hills or across water to find overlooked spots.
Just a couple days ago I was out scouting and hanging cameras. I noticed something very interesting as I drove out a half hour before dark. I saw several groups of deer. Every single group was between parking areas. Got to thinking, and I've seen that a lot through the years. The majority of your hunters are parking and walking straight in. They aren't walking up or down the road. They are literally walking right by the deer and the deer are likely watching it happen.
Little things like that can be huge. Think outside the box.
I'm not an accomplished big buck serial killer...but I've learned a lot the hard way. I started hunting this way before any of this was really online or in videos. My first season really hunting alone and bow hunting was 2007. I hunted the SAME tree probably a dozen or more times in 4 or 5 weeks. Saw deer the first sit or 2 and mostly didn't see anything. The one big buck I was after was in the field every night.... I let it go for a few weeks. Opening morning of gun season I was back in my tree. Sure enough he came by before legal light. Then he came back by at 10am or so. Of course I blew that and spooked him lol. Lessons learned. But that's when the lightbulb went off for me.
Started hunting the next farm over. Anytime I walked from somewhere else there was deer in the fields and usually one of the biggest bucks around. When I drove back the driveway and parked, I rarely seen a deer. Couldn't figure it out. I was literally parking at someone's house. I started parking and hiking in and the difference was unbelievable. Another lightbulb. Deer watch/listen for things out of the norm. They knew I was there when I parked back there.
Something I found helps me is act like a kid. Ask yourself WHY. Why everything. Figure out WHY. Why was there a buck bed in this spot? What advantages does he have? Where is he likely going when he gets up? How can I take advantage of everything I learned.
This stuff consumes me and that's why. It's a puzzle. I love putting pieces together. And I love trying to figure it all out.
You're on the right track it sounds like. I run OnX on my phone but I carry my Garmin Oregon everywhere. I find it nice to have both and mark both. I find my Garmin is more accurate...but I don't leave OnX running and that might be why...it hasn't 100% caught up to a pinpoint location on me. But ya...I mark every single stand I find. And it's beneficial to know. I also like to look for their access routes...often marked by flagging tape and/or reflective tacks.
You don't always have to walk far or deep or up and down the hills or across water to find overlooked spots.
Just a couple days ago I was out scouting and hanging cameras. I noticed something very interesting as I drove out a half hour before dark. I saw several groups of deer. Every single group was between parking areas. Got to thinking, and I've seen that a lot through the years. The majority of your hunters are parking and walking straight in. They aren't walking up or down the road. They are literally walking right by the deer and the deer are likely watching it happen.
Little things like that can be huge. Think outside the box.
I'm not an accomplished big buck serial killer...but I've learned a lot the hard way. I started hunting this way before any of this was really online or in videos. My first season really hunting alone and bow hunting was 2007. I hunted the SAME tree probably a dozen or more times in 4 or 5 weeks. Saw deer the first sit or 2 and mostly didn't see anything. The one big buck I was after was in the field every night.... I let it go for a few weeks. Opening morning of gun season I was back in my tree. Sure enough he came by before legal light. Then he came back by at 10am or so. Of course I blew that and spooked him lol. Lessons learned. But that's when the lightbulb went off for me.
Started hunting the next farm over. Anytime I walked from somewhere else there was deer in the fields and usually one of the biggest bucks around. When I drove back the driveway and parked, I rarely seen a deer. Couldn't figure it out. I was literally parking at someone's house. I started parking and hiking in and the difference was unbelievable. Another lightbulb. Deer watch/listen for things out of the norm. They knew I was there when I parked back there.
Something I found helps me is act like a kid. Ask yourself WHY. Why everything. Figure out WHY. Why was there a buck bed in this spot? What advantages does he have? Where is he likely going when he gets up? How can I take advantage of everything I learned.
This stuff consumes me and that's why. It's a puzzle. I love putting pieces together. And I love trying to figure it all out.
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