Help, Hunting CRP and a Big Buck

[BRoth82]

Guys I need some advise, I've been watching this buck since early August I have a boat load of trail camera pictures of him and have glassed him on 7 different days. I thought I had a good bead on his direction of travel, and on what winds he comes into my setup. Last night I went in with what I thought was the one of the best winds for the buck and me (Straight E wind) to be able to hunt him. Whenever I saw him on this wind he always came from the NW and headed SE.

Well last night right at last light he busted me turning my head, I was watching the Alfalfa field where I saw him before and for whatever reason he came from straight East of me with the wind to his back. He blew at me once and trotted away maybe 50 yards before I lost sight of him, he was with another nice buck (he had no clue what was going on). I know he didn't wind me since he was upwind of me, I think he just caught that little bit of movement and didn't like it, what do you guys think will he be back in daylight? The wind is wrong to hunt that spot for the next 4 days. He's easily the biggest buck I've ever had the opportunity to hunt, I have pictures of him on 27 days since August 8th, and have put eyes on him 9 different times now, he usually comes in there with 5-10 mins of shooting light left.

The kicker is the guys that owns this land Guides Pheasant hunters so this CRP field will be hunted 3-4 days a week if not more, pheasant season starts on October 10th, so that leaves me roughly 2 weeks.

Here's a map of my setup, to explain I have permission to hunt the 60 acre CRP field, I set this spot up for my wife to gun hunt. I put in a mineral lick, water hole and food plot (no till food plots suck, nothing grew), I also have an elevate platform tucked into some of the taller trees/bushes with burlap around it, this is what I was sitting in last night.

There is a CRP field to the NW (suspected bedding area) Alfalfa to my North, Corn to the West and South, a farm grove to the East, then more CRP to the east of the farm grove. The only property I can hunt is the CRP field with the green dots, this CRP field was burned this spring so most of the grass is shoulder to head high.

Purple ovals - suspected bedding areas
Green circles - trees that are anywhere between 10'-15' tall
Light blue oval - My attempted food plot, really just all the grass is knocked down
Purple dot in light blue oval - water hole
Orange dot - elevated blind
Black line - Filed road my entrance
Pink dots - spots I've seen the buck

2020 crp.jpg

[<DK>]

I cant really help much. You sound really 'in-tune' with your spot so id say trust yout gut instincts! You had him and it just didnt go your way this time. Things happen with big deer.

He should be around more than just that wind direction. He didnt smell you and run fast. Still in the game id say

I have seen a 2-3 year old stay bedded as bird hunters/dogs walk by, get up and walk away after they pass. I have found mature bucks living in woodlots still after bird hunters hunt the AG around them. Actually bird hunters are great for getting Intel on bucks bc they jump them off of those fingers sticking out into the crops. They will have great security most of these cases tho

The best advice I can give is use the AG edges to catch tracks. They can bed in very odd places in farm land and have many beds. Access differently and hunt different trees when you think its needed. Stay in touch with the owner and use the bird hunters to your advantage, if possible. Dont be afraid to hunt from the ground.

[BRoth82]

Thanks for the reply, it's hard hunting these bucks in CRP grass that's for sure.

I thought more about what I would do next time out there and I feel like since he picked me off in that elevated platform that next time he's going to look at it to see if he sees movement.

So I plan to sit under it or on the ground around there depending upon wind direction, to maybe catch him off guard. As far as trees go the only ones that are big enough for me to get into have beds under them, and are Dan trees only 3-4" diameter, I don't mind heights at all but I just Invision me climbing up it only to have it start to bend down on my and I'm back on the ground

[backstraps]

I agree with DK
I think you’re in tune and still well into the game

Surely there are other winds you could ambush his travels with. Have you seen him under other wind directions, that were anywhere near any tree you can just get high enough to shoot over the CRP into his vitals?

As for where he seen you moving... im certain when he is around that area, he will for sure be eyeballing the platform you were in...may need to change you spot if ambush some

Good luck, sounds like you have done your home work on him. Now just close the deal

[matt1336]

Does he see your access? You said it was a road right? An old deer like that will usually bed so he can watch what’s coming his way. Maybe try a different access and definitely try different stand spots. Maybe on the ground? You for sure need to change the routine, cuz he’s got you. You only have a couple weeks so get aggressive!

[BRoth82]

Thanks guys the access is more of a path made by farm equipment through the grass. The grass to the east is over my head in most places, other spots it's shoulder high.

I will bounce around there a little bit depending on wind, I'm wondering if they're going to switch from that alfalfa field to the dry corn field to the south and west sides.

[Boogieman1]

Cases like this makes having extensive knowledge of a property key. For instance, knowing how mature bucks will act/go once pheasant hunters storm the gates. I’m certainly not saying fold up your tent it’s game over. Heck give it your best shot but don’t get suicidal hunting completely wrong winds.

If it were me this is what I would do..... Deploy every cam I got got on close near by thickets and suspecting spots and get curious and aggressive. I would still hunt him the next few weeks with a stick and move approach. My my main goal would be answer every question I have with cameras so I can get the sucker the following season. Even if this particular buck gets killed rest assure most mature bucks do the same diggity doo. Come start off rut I would pull all those cams and move em.

Another tip.... wear your hat sideways. Confuses them and makes em think u r looking the other way Good luck and go get him!

[mheichelbech]

Does he see your access? You said it was a road right? An old deer like that will usually bed so he can watch what’s coming his way. Maybe try a different access and definitely try different stand spots. Maybe on the ground? You for sure need to change the routine, cuz he’s got you. You only have a couple weeks so get aggressive!

What I though...he saw you coming in. Need to make sure he can’t see or hear you even park. Don’t be afraid to sit on the grand. I once killed a mature buck by sitting on the ground and pressing down the grass/weeds for my shot lanes.

[matt1336]

Thanks guys the access is more of a path made by farm equipment through the grass. The grass to the east is over my head in most places, other spots it's shoulder high.

I will bounce around there a little bit depending on wind, I'm wondering if they're going to switch from that alfalfa field to the dry corn field to the south and west sides.

No matter how high the grass is that buck is bedding so he can see what’s coming from what he determines to be a threat to his safety. Your access likely needs to change.
Bucks will bed for safety first and food second.

[Lockdown]

Does he see your access? You said it was a road right? An old deer like that will usually bed so he can watch what’s coming his way. Maybe try a different access and definitely try different stand spots. Maybe on the ground? You for sure need to change the routine, cuz he’s got you. You only have a couple weeks so get aggressive!

What I though...he saw you coming in. Need to make sure he can’t see or hear you even park. Don’t be afraid to sit on the grand. I once killed a mature buck by sitting on the ground and pressing down the grass/weeds for my shot lanes.

I don’t think he saw him coming in... if he did IMHO one of two things would likely happen.

1) he stays in his bed until after dark or sneaks away.
2) he approaches the plot from downwind to make sure the coast is clear.

I’ve had deer darn near do a half circle around me (intentionally) to get my wind before. I just don’t see him coming in wind to back if he thinks he saw danger.

Now that the gig is somewhat up, I think the chances are quite strong for him to scent check it before he enters. Instead of hunting over the plot, is there any way to get him as he swings down wind?

He will likely be on high alert if you’re lucky enough to catch him on that plot in daylight. Therefore the element of surprise is your best friend. But I know how hard CRP fields are. It’s impossible to blend in with big blue stem, and it’s far too tall to shoot through.

Do you still have your cam out there?

[JakeB]

I’m curious what everyone’s opinion on just going for broke and hunting every chance possible since the pheasant hunters will possibly push him out on October 10th. I know the general opinion is being somewhat cautious and not over hunting a spot, but in this particular scenario are you going to hunt on the verge of over hunting it? I’m not saying hunting the exact spot, but moving around where you can until the buck is down or gone.

Maybe the pheasant hunters won’t move him off the property, but can he really tell the difference in a deer hunter or pheasant hunter?

I feel like in this situation I personally would be hitting it hard and continue to monitor him after the 10th. They may even push him to an easier spot to kill him in. I also generally only kill basket racks though

[BRoth82]

Thank you everyone for the feedback, this is definitely the biggest buck I've ever knowingly pursued, here's my thoughts.

He knows he saw something in that blind that he didn't like, so is likely to check it out closely before coming in or circle downwind. So I'm going to hunt him from the ground, at least until my wife gun hunts then she can reach out further and kill him.

I park 1/4 mile down the road behind the standing corn field, so he can't see me parked, also my entrance I'm covered by head high grass all the way except a couple spots that are shoulder high for 10'. So I really don't think he saw me, otherwise he wouldn't have come in wind to back.

I looked back at some of my pictures I have 1,254 of just him since august 8th, I noticed that he checks out that blind almost everytime he's in there.

There are also 3 other bucks in there that I would gladly shoot as well, one was with him that night but was 10 yards behind him and had no clue what happened.

I still have my camera out there and checked it on yesterday, since I can drive my wheeler up to it and never set foot on the ground, he was back at 9:00 on Friday the day after.

I might be able to get out tomorrow night and maybe Thursday night, I'm going to push it a little since I can't get out and hunt very much, I have a very understanding wife but with 2 kids with special needs (emotional and behavioral) I can't get out as much as I would want.

I'll hunt from the ground and set up in a way that if he circles downwind I should be able to see him.

[JakeB]

Good luck man, I know how your feeling. I have 2 pretty special deer for around here somewhat figured out. And I can’t get them out my head trying to figure out how, when and where to kill them. There’s like 1,000 ways to screw it up and only 1 way to kill them. I guess that’s what makes it fun, but sometimes I question what’s fun about it.

[BRoth82]

I probably shouldn't post it but here's a few pictures of that buck I'm trying to get, I've just never seen a big buck so many times. I've glasses him or seen him from stand 9 different days this year now and have over 1000 pictures of him.

[JakeB]

That’s a good deer! Looking forward to the killzone post!