Elusive Target Buck

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GeneralLee
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:39 am
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Elusive Target Buck

Unread postby GeneralLee » Thu Oct 15, 2020 6:49 am

Fellow Beasts,

I'm new to this style of hunting, and hoping by sharing this scenario with you I can gain some insight into potential bedding area of this target buck. I've laid out all of the current info that I have from a previous trail camera photo. I have history with this deer, and he's eluded me for years now. He has frequented this area for years now, so I do believe this is his main stomping grounds. I've had night pictures of him all over the area over the past few years, but the most consistent is in this core area. He becomes nearly nocturnal very shortly after season starts. But I do believe with careful consideration I can get him. Unfortunately, I do not have access to be able to hunt this deer this season, but next season I will. I will spend my time in the offseason hunting down his bedding areas and making a plan from there. I know getting hung up on a particular buck isn't the best idea, but this one I'm willing to waste another year or two on before I give up on him. I will know if he is taken by another hunter, as I am close with the lease members. I feel like if I can use the beast tactics to hunt this deer down, my confidence as a hunter will go up tremendously, and I will continue to hunt like a beast for the forseeable future.

What I can say is the last time he was found on camera during season, was in the location that is shown. Before sunrise that morning there was a ENE wind @ 5 mph. When he arrived at the location at 7 pm that evening the wind was out of the south. As best that I can tell, he approached my camera with the wind at his back. However, being that it was right at dark, would it be safe to say that with such a mild wind he could've relied on the thermals from approaching from a lower point in topography to scent check the area prior to entering? Thermals are a new subject to me, I've always been under the understanding that thermals don't really apply to my mostly flatland area, but I think that may have been an ignorant thought that was given to me by a lazy hunter at a young age and I never paid them any mind after that. I've attached two marked up photos, an aerial view, along with a shaded relief view of the area. I'm here to learn, so any information you can give me I will be glad to accept. I'm mainly presenting this scenario as a learning opportunity to be able to apply to future scenarios and attempt to scout in a more efficient manner in the future.

A little background information, this is a SE Texas pineywoods area. Timber company property that is majority planted pines with a few oaks mixed in along the creeks. The planted pines across the area are all in mixed phases. The area that is shown in the aerial as a clear cut is now planted pines that average approximately 6-10 ft in height. The area that the deer was encountered by camera is a small stand of mixed oaks, with a larger oak flat to the south west that is on a neighbors property.

I've never had a personal encounter with this deer, but have had him on camera for years. I believe he is very cautious, but also I believe it is due in part to my sloppiness as a hunter in previous years. I'm looking to change that over the course of this season and the many to come to follow.

Thanks for any information shared. I'm diving headfirst into the beast style hunting as i'm certain many before me have tried.
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GeneralLee
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:39 am
Status: Offline

Re: Elusive Target Buck

Unread postby GeneralLee » Thu Oct 15, 2020 7:01 am

I would like to note, that right now this is the only encounter that I can reference to previous weather data to allow me to present scenarios. I'm working on retrieving other photos from my Dad's computer but will have to wait a couple days before I can analyze the dates/locations to historical data. I'm hoping that when that happens, I have a more clear picture of his pattern in the area. I will update the post as I obtain more information.
GeneralLee
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:39 am
Status: Offline

Re: Elusive Target Buck

Unread postby GeneralLee » Wed Oct 21, 2020 5:58 am

Went back to the area with my buddy last Friday afternoon to try to get a clearer picture on things. To help him, but also to gather more info for next season incase he can't deal the deal. Bedding is hard to find in SETX, atleast for my untrained eye, but I do believe based off of what I've learned that I found one of his beds. It's 295 ft from the blue marked stand in that area. The scrape marked on OnX was one I found last year, and the rubs are actually from last year as well, but when moving through the area the other day I noticed it had been opened back up with even bigger rubs than last year. Also along the transition line between the planted pines and the oak flat I found some very fresh rubs on pine saplings that I didn't mark, they were small, would've thought it was a four-wheeler that ran over them had it been a traveled area, but it isnt. They were fresh enough to have sap oozing out of them, but I'm not totally certain that they're his as small as they were. Then I continued down the transition line until I found a trail that went back into the woods lot. Right inside I the woodline I found a small area backing up to a laid over tree with a good frontal view (from what I could tell in the dark) and matted down pine straw. I'm certain a deer has been bedding there. Whether or not it's him idk, but it would surely make sense as to why he's showing up when we aren't there and isn't when we are there. I'm almost certain that if my friend was sitting in the stand and I was in the bucks bed I could probably watch him climb the tree into that stand. With his current situation not having a mobile setup, I'm pretty confident that if this deer has us patterned, and he can survive through the rut, if I can play my cards right, I stand a chance at killing him next year early season. I'm going to continue posting my thoughts here, even if I don't get a reply I'll atleast have something to go back and look at next year :D
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GeneralLee
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Oct 10, 2020 6:39 am
Status: Offline

Re: Elusive Target Buck

Unread postby GeneralLee » Wed Nov 25, 2020 10:11 am

Well he finally slipped up yesterday evening. Another lease member got him. 129" 8 point 13" inside spread. He was a heck of a East Texas mature buck.
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