Heading into the velvet rut...

[Lockdown]

Even though I still have a lot of stand prep to do, I’m looking forward to the velvet rut. Corn fields are sprouting... it won’t be long.

There are a few bucks that have my attention, although I have no clue if they are still alive. There was a big ten with tight wrapping main beams at the sugar patch, and a couple good bucks at Wasteland... “Perfect 10” is one in particular that I will be putting some time into.

I do think Wilson is still alive but hunting him is purely hope and pray during rut. I first saw him in 2015... he’ll be 6.5 possibly 7.5 this year

Thought it would be a fun topic to discuss. Do you have any bucks already on your radar for 2018? You have history with him? Is he verified alive or are you left with questions like I am?

Let’s hear your story and game plan details if you’ve got them!

[wolverinebuckman]

I've only got history with one buck, seen him on stand 10/26/17. He certainly may be dead. I'm going to be looking out for him. I judged him to be a 2.5 year old last year. Already a decent 10 pointer. I passed on him at 10 yards or so because I already had a 9 point his size aging at home from my 10/21 kill. There was no word of a 10 point being killed in this location (which I understand 10s are very rare here, word probably would have gotten around). I believe I found where he was bedding that night, about 40 yards away, during spring scouting.

I also have an unseen buck, who will be my #1 target for this year's opener. I found his lair during spring scouting, an amazing overlooked spot with BIG tracks, BIG rubs from multiple years , multiple large beds with hair, and 1 very large jumped deer! We couldn't see each other through the cattails , he bolted from his bed hearing me sloshing through. This will be the first deer I try to summer pattern and kill beast style.

[bowfreak8]

I have a few nice bucks that I am watching... One that I am extra curious about is a big 10 point I shoulder shot and got only an inch of penetration. He never showed back up on camera the rest of the year. I'm really hoping he didn't leave the property permanently or get killed by another hunter. Last year I had a ton of summer pics of that deer so i'll probably learn his fate early on.

[llcooljames]

I have 3 bucks from last year Im hoping to see again this year. We dont have any pictures of them since after gun season. I dont think any were shot but its definitely possible. We also had 3 year and a half or 2 year olds running around last year, all 3 were shot last gun season.

[thwack16]

I don't really have anything on my main piece of private that I'm looking forward to. Had a 3.5 year old ten last year that I was praying would crawl in a hole and make it.... he did not and a neighbor killed him. Had a few up and comers last year but they're all still likely another year away. History says something worth chasing will show up though.

My other piece of private had one that could be a priority if he makes the right jump.

No telling on all my public pieces at home or my out of state public. Can't run cams on the majority.

[Hawthorne]

I love the velvet rut. I’ve got two I’m after. One I know made it the other I had right after gun season on camera. Never found his shed. He’s was 140s last season. Only problem is I don’t have access to his main sanctuary. But he travels thru my hunting property on occasion. Will have to get lucky during the rut most likely

[elk yinzer]

What exactly is the velvet rut? Never heard that term before?

As of right now this dude is my #1. I just like him for some reason. I like the weird antler configurations. Never targeted a specific deer before, and don't think I am quite there with this buck but as close as I've ever been. I have a pretty good pattern on him in the rut but I have no idea where he lives the rest of the year. No confirmation he survived either but really hoping he did.

https://youtu.be/cgbk_y17s_A
(the date is wrong on the video but I got him over a dozen times on two cameras during the rut. None in summer.)

[Lockdown]

What exactly is the velvet rut? Never heard that term before?

Just a slang term for summertime glassing. Doesn’t have anything to do with the actual whitetail rut.

[Lockdown]

I love the velvet rut. I’ve got two I’m after. One I know made it the other I had right after gun season on camera. Never found his shed. He’s was 140s last season. Only problem is I don’t have access to his main sanctuary. But he travels thru my hunting property on occasion. Will have to get lucky during the rut most likely

I have lots of problems with this. This is Wilson’s situation to a tee. Neighbors don’t even bowhunt. I think he runs one cam and lives even further from that property than I do so he’s never messing around out there.

[Dewey]

I have a score to settle with a buck I missed on Jan. 1st.

I know for a fact he’s alive yet. Here are his sheds from March.



He will likely be in the 140’s this fall, maybe bigger. Nice buck for this area.

It’s a fairly remote spot from any roads so glassing him is highly unlikely. I have a cam set up since March to monitor but probably won’t disturb it till the first time I hunt there in September. Right now I would need chest waders to get out to the island.

[Whitetailaddict]

I have a few on the radar but none confirmed alive yet. Now that I'm moving closer to that area it will be my summer mission to see if they're still around with trail cams, glassing and shining. If not in always looking for the next target.

[Twenty Up]

This is my first summer not doing an internship\ living in some far off place so I’m actually pumped about it. Going to do some serious glassing and run a lot of cameras somewhat actively.

As far as bucks.. I have an idea on certain tracts (if they made it), others will be a complete surprise

[tgreeno]

I have a bunch of new areas this season that I'm pretty pumped about. Summer glassing has never been real successful for me, but I'm hoping to turn it around this season!

[UofLbowhunter]

I have 3 maybe 4 that i know that are still on the hoof now, i have found only fresh track and turds but i feel 100% that it belongs to them. But anything can happen between now and season opener! im still looking for new bucks as well also, my summer time glassing will start mid july sometime!

[tbunao]

With a full schedule for June the cams will go up this weekend in hopes of catching a healthy buck I have 3 years history with. No clue if he survived. I did and still am constantly scrolling fb big buck pages and other sites with hopes someone posts a hero pic, no luck so far. He never shows up until the first week of July so if he is indeed in another area my intrusion will be a distant stench to his nose. One cam will go in the same area as before just a different tree with a new access. Another will go into the opposite side of his core area, access to the cam is excellent.

My first pa scout of the year turned up a 48in shed in a bed. Game plan for that is a camp out on my way back from the total archery challenge and cam deployment after a continued scout. Looking at the area on a small scale had me scratching my head but looking at it with the big picture makes sense and eliminates areas.

Second ny area will get a cam over a community scrape in a hub. Will hopefully drive by the closest ag to get an idea of what crops look like ( please be beans lol)

Sadly with only a hand full of scouts under my belt this year and not looking promising in the future I’m definitely forced to practice those high odd quality sits over quantity. Just another piece of ammo needed to be learned