Best time to hunt mature bucks

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Rob loper
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Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby Rob loper » Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:13 am

I read alot at least i have been in last year looking for a better way to hunt bucks (as ive stated in previous posts )
If its about bucks or bucks behavior. There isnt much i havent watched or read. I keep hearing or reading that the rut is the best time to kill a mature buck
Well. From what ive learned just in last few months please correct me if im wrong
I would have to disagree to a point
Isnt or doesnt bucks travel really far for extended periods of time looking for hot does? To me the rut is so unpredictable on buck movement you would think it would be harder to kill a mature buck. I know they are up and moving all day and night.but if you do kill one is that a buck that lives in that core area that you hunt. Not that this matters a buck is a buck But once again. Correct me if im wrong isn't it easier non rut times to find mature bucks primary beds food sources etc? And set up just outside the eyes nose and ears areas of bedding to kill him being wind savy of course. Just wondering on opinins


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brancher147
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby brancher147 » Wed Dec 13, 2017 8:44 am

Some areas like big woods big mountains that I hunt, it is very hard to find primary mature buck beds and primary food sources they are using in daylight during non-rut times. It is hard to find a primary mature buck bed period, especially one that is worth hunting or that you can physically get close to without spooking the buck. These bucks have so much room to roam and different food sources and so many different bedding locations they are tough to pattern. For me, the rut is the best time to see or shoot a mature buck because of these reasons. I had 4 mature buck encounters (and one kill) during the rut and only one outside of the rut this year. During the rut they will be on their feet during daylight and covering a lot of ground. If you have a really good terrain feature or funnel really close to doe bedding, then for me anyway, this is the best time and place to kill a buck. Yeah, a buck may wander out of it's normal range, but other bucks will wander in. I had pictures of two bucks moving more than 3 miles this year during the rut. One covered that distance in 12 hours. Buck movement during the rut is unpredictable, but the doe bedding is predictable, and that is where the bucks will be.

I do hunt some more farm type country backed up to big woods, and there is some more consistent food, bedding, and it easier to pattern a buck. I am still working on hunting buck beds in these areas outside of the rut, and I am sure others will tell you this is the way to go. Doesn't work for me yet. What does work, and is more consistent than anything is doe bedding in these farm woods. And for me, that doe bedding, in the right area near a really good funnel is the key to hunting mature bucks, and the time to do that is the rut.
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby Bucky » Wed Dec 13, 2017 9:13 am

In WI.... I’d say opening weekend - first week and again last 5 days of Oct. If u can hunt with a longer range weapon and have a late season food source and weather late late is good too (I’m referring to Iowa muzzleloader, IL 2nd season, WI muzzleloader).
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby PK_ » Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:09 am

If you are able to gather the right intel and know what you are doing I think early Sept is really good, also the ‘lull’ timeframe. Late season can be really good on the right pieces of ground.

If you haven’t done your homework and don’t know how to hunt mature bucks during these timeframes you are SOL and need to hunt the rut IMO.

I think the rut is definitely best chance for majority of us hunters just looking for a mature buck. For guys hunting a specific buck or have intimate knowledge of local buck behavior and bedding outside of rut, they can capatilize on a mature bucks habits.

Hope this post made some sense. Lol.
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby <DK> » Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:33 am

I agree w Bucky & PK

In general my goal every year is to get it done before most even think about picking up a bow for practice. Thats not to say the rut doesnt bring out big bucks or maybe the rut is needed to kill a buck that wont show but the goal is to be on those caliber of bucks sooner than later. IMO were talking about one of the harder parts of chasing whitetails. One thing I get a kick out of is hearing people close by say things like - "Iv only heard of Sept bucks." I think that is a major compliment...?

All that said, I dont think there is a better time to be in a tree than the last weeks of Oct - first weeks of Nov.
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby Stanley » Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:42 am

The absolute best time, is if you can find a buck on a pattern. Really doesn't matter time of year, if you can figure out a buck on a pattern. A buck in a bed and a known direction he will head are pretty hard to beat. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Doesn't matter really.
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby tgreeno » Wed Dec 13, 2017 10:43 am

I like the 1st week of the season and the last week of Oct.

The first week of the season because the bucks are clueless anyone is even hunting. And the last week of Oct because, I have personally had my best luck on mature bucks during that time.
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby jman22 » Wed Dec 13, 2017 11:21 am

I've had my best luck with big bucks and big buck encounters the last week of oct. I have also had the most success with calls on mature bucks during this same time.
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby Hawthorne » Wed Dec 13, 2017 11:38 am

I think the best time is when you see a shooter buck go into bedding in the am. Now you know he’s in there. You’ll have a real good chance for an encounter in the pm. I’ve had better luck with that than them repeating what they did the afternoon before from an observation set. Calendar time the last few days of oct first week of November
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby checkerfred » Wed Dec 13, 2017 2:28 pm

brancher147 wrote:Some areas like big woods big mountains that I hunt, it is very hard to find primary mature buck beds and primary food sources they are using in daylight during non-rut times. It is hard to find a primary mature buck bed period, especially one that is worth hunting or that you can physically get close to without spooking the buck. These bucks have so much room to roam and different food sources and so many different bedding locations they are tough to pattern. For me, the rut is the best time to see or shoot a mature buck because of these reasons. I had 4 mature buck encounters (and one kill) during the rut and only one outside of the rut this year. During the rut they will be on their feet during daylight and covering a lot of ground. If you have a really good terrain feature or funnel really close to doe bedding, then for me anyway, this is the best time and place to kill a buck. Yeah, a buck may wander out of it's normal range, but other bucks will wander in. I had pictures of two bucks moving more than 3 miles this year during the rut. One covered that distance in 12 hours. Buck movement during the rut is unpredictable, but the doe bedding is predictable, and that is where the bucks will be.

I do hunt some more farm type country backed up to big woods, and there is some more consistent food, bedding, and it easier to pattern a buck. I am still working on hunting buck beds in these areas outside of the rut, and I am sure others will tell you this is the way to go. Doesn't work for me yet. What does work, and is more consistent than anything is doe bedding in these farm woods. And for me, that doe bedding, in the right area near a really good funnel is the key to hunting mature bucks, and the time to do that is the rut.


Exactly what I’ve seen with hills and big woods. I can find beds all day long no problem. But knowing it’s a primary mature buck bed is hard and then even harder to hunt. These bucks here don’t have to move far to get food and water. Getting close is tough and that’s even if they’re home. I’ve had a little success early mornings over bed but have also been busted quite a bit too. Our big woods hills there’s just so much food that it’s like a needle in a haystack if you find a good food source. I’ve pretty much decided I need to focus on rut and on pinch points and terrain features related to bedding
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Re: Best time to hunt mature bucks

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Wed Dec 13, 2017 5:06 pm

In my area hands down the early stages of the rut when a bruiser is just working over his core area is the best time if u r looking for a specific buck, now if u r looking for just any buck that meets your requirements I like long distance travel corridors at the tail end of rut. Any time b4 the rut in my area I feel u r doing more harm than good, there's acouple reasons I suspect this in my case. For starters the bucks have been left alone all summer and early fall, then 2 weeks b4 the opener the timber gets flooded with people setting stands,filling feeders, cameras, scouting etc... By the time the opener is here these deer are on high alert then couple that with the first few weeks of the season the woods get pounded. I stay out of my spots and let bucks find a new home, and I wait until there volnurable my trees are prepped a year in advance and I do not go in until conditions are right. Usually the week after thanksgiving the local hunters have had enough and fold up there tent. Well b4 conditions are ever what I consider good. Come first week of December I hit em with everything I got
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