The hardest part about killing big buck is...

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Arrowbender
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Arrowbender » Sat Jun 05, 2021 2:25 am

In my experience spring beds, June beds, Sept beds and rut bedding are not always the same or even similar. That’s not to say any intel is waaay better than none. I just can’t get excited about it.
I also like to hang cams around 4July. I like to see bone!


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Lockdown
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Lockdown » Sat Jun 05, 2021 4:53 am

Arrowbender wrote:In my experience spring beds, June beds, Sept beds and rut bedding are not always the same or even similar. That’s not to say any intel is waaay better than none. I just can’t get excited about it.
I also like to hang cams around 4July. I like to see bone!


I hear ya. What are your experiences with mid summer bucks hanging out until season opens?

Back in the day, I’d be all kinds of excited then Mr Big would give me the slip right around velvet shed. Granted, I wasn’t doing things the right way either. I was running cams by my stands and checking them way too often.

For me it seems like any big shooters that I spot in July and August have about a 1 in 3 chance of being in the same general area come September.

The buck I was after last year disappeared around velvet shed (I did see him with velvet hanging) then showed back up early October.
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Tim H
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Tim H » Sat Jun 05, 2021 5:40 am

One thing I really am waiting on is my spotting scope to come in the mail. Once I get that I'm sure I'll get out glassing as soon as I can. I have plans to put in observation sits and already have trees picked out. :D
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Findian » Sat Jun 05, 2021 6:22 am

My biggest thing is having the free time to hunt. I have a lot of time to scout/hunt mid day but I don’t got the time to hunt mornings to mid morning / evenings. Have had to much going on the last few years to really give a season a good grind. On the flip side when I do take my week of vacation to hunt I usually get it done.

My take on it would be that the ability to first locate a mature buck through scouting/observation.

Then the time to be able to hunt in a methodical way, because most the time a hunt doesn’t go as planned and you don’t kill the mature buck on the first set of your first hunt. It may take multiple hunts or even seasons of hunting to figure him out.
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Arrowbender » Sat Jun 05, 2021 9:10 am

[/quote]

I hear ya. What are your experiences with mid summer bucks hanging out until season opens? .[/quote]


My experience killing them is way less than that of chasing them. But even chasing them is fun. I usually figure I have a chance at Late summer scouted bucks until @ Oct05th.
Give or take.
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Moose » Sat Jun 05, 2021 11:13 am

I was just thinking about there's really no reason for me not to start setting out cameras and doing a little scouting now since I do have some free time instead of waiting till July. I have been messing around with the ranch fairy kit and paper tuning.
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Dhoff » Sat Jun 05, 2021 12:03 pm

Arrowbender wrote:In my experience spring beds, June beds, Sept beds and rut bedding are not always the same or even similar. That’s not to say any intel is waaay better than none. I just can’t get excited about it.
I also like to hang cams around 4July. I like to see bone!

I have the same mentality. Seems like a lot of the summer bucks i can pick up on early disperse quite often. By me it seems like every field this year is being planted in corn. Wont be many bean fields anywhere close to where i hunt to keep tabs. Last year was little acorns so maybe i can check those white oak location and bedding spots if we have some fall.
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Uncle Lou » Sat Jun 05, 2021 1:01 pm

Time to do it and talent to take it to the level many of you are at. So I will just keep it fun. Watch out buttons and spikes, I am gunning for you if I can make a bowl of chilli out of you
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Ol Split ( ) Toes » Sat Jun 05, 2021 1:44 pm

Draggin him out of the swamp after ya get him.. duh :lol:
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Dewey » Sat Jun 05, 2021 1:55 pm

Ol Split ( ) Toes wrote:Draggin him out of the swamp after ya get him.. duh :lol:

That about sums it up. :D
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Elite » Sat Jun 05, 2021 3:07 pm

Opening night of last year I had an encounter with a 4.5 y/o 8 point, decently wide 3.5 8 and several does and fawns. The problem was I wasn’t close enough for a shot. The bucks were about 80 east of me when they came out heading to oaks.
My biggest struggle is picking a tree and/or being close enough. I’ve had shooter encounters every year but it’s always the tree I choose that has too many branches in front, or just not close enough :violin:
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby E72 » Sun Jun 06, 2021 1:26 am

I can find them , always been good at that ....killing them seems to be the hardest part for me . :doh:
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Sun Jun 06, 2021 1:37 am

I thought it was picking out what form to mount them on :think:
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby Chuck B » Sun Jun 06, 2021 4:30 pm

Finding their exact beds. At least in the area I hunt (river bottoms mostly). Just so many bedding options.

That’s the toughest thing for me anyways.
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Re: The hardest part about killing big buck is...

Unread postby PAbowhunter10 » Sun Jun 06, 2021 11:39 pm

Locating one that’s actually sticks around the area once hunting season opens. I have had a lot of success finding mature bucks the past few season by shining and glassing but can never figure out where they disappear to once season starts. The season here in Pennsylvania normally opens the first week of October and that seems to be about the time when those July and August bucks you been seeing in bean fields change their habits and find new ground. We also get alot of hunting pressure in archery season so it might be the introduction of human scent into the woods that tells the big boys it’s time to find new homes. I feel the mature bucks (3+ Years) in the area know when season opens just like the hunters. I also find that the majority of the mature bucks in the area become nocturnal after the first week of season, sometimes sooner. Then it becomes a waiting game until the last week of October. Seems like 10 years ago there wasn’t as much pressure the opening week of season as their is now. I contribute it to crossbows based on what the local pro shops tell me. More guys are picking one up and hopping into their rifle stands like it’s the first day of buck rifle season. I have certain feelings about that but don’t feel like opening that can of worms on this thread.


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