I need to vent guys...

[BowtechHunting]

Thats good news that the landowner always sees him. Now that you know hes made that his home any game plan?

I got two plans...put a trail cam up by a telephone pole that i've see numerous tracks by (about 5 1/4 long) that way I don't get near his bedding area and try to hunt him during mid-day. Any oppositions on why not putting up a camera? The landowner says the he's sees him in the field at 10am bedding down like I said near a ditch. So, maybe a 9-dark hunt. Can't wait to get out there when the wind is right and a good front moves through.

[Darin]

Ive never had noticeable problems with putting out trail cams. I dont know why, but every time a hang a trail cam in a spot I always break a tree branch or 2 near my cam... Like I said I dont know why but on my land the deer seem to become noisy in a way and always smell the fresh split wood and they dont spook out of there and they dont notice the cam or my scent. Its just my little trick that I like.

Spray down with some scent killer, make sure to wear some rubber boots, get in and set it and get out. Dont hang around. Let er roll for a few days, I prefer a solid week to really get a good idea on paterns.

[BowtechHunting]

Well, I picked my cam up this afternoon and I had 2 pics of the buck I'm after at 15 yds. He looks to be about 115-120 spindlely and tall. He uses a trail religously and it's rutted deep. The first pic was at 1130pm, and the following day at 730pm. I'm guessing that he is coming from his bedding and making his loop for the night. My other pics 90 pics were messed up because I had it pointed to much to the south east, so alot of nothing on those except the sun.

Here's my problem........How do I hunt him?! I don't know where he is bedding, but I have a good idea and second a large wide creek runs through the property and it's deep, so getting to the other side poses a isssue, it terms of being quiet.

Any suggestions? I plan on hunting mid-day (9-3ish) for the most part about 60-70 yds from where I "think" he is bedding towards the southeast side of the property in a cane thicket agaisnt a large embankment. Hopefully he'll be getting up during that time to stretch and hit some food...from what I can tell there maybe be a oak or two but mostly thicket and shrubs. I'm loosing sleep over this buck! I'm always a step away!

By the way, it's a southwind tomorrow so i'm good for scent hopefully.

[Darin]

Go with your instinct and set up where you think he is. The buck I shot this year, I never seen him during the daylight. Only had night pics of him and I found his exact travel route from bedding and setup on it. It was only 50 yards away from the trail camera that he never showed in daylight. If you cant find his exact bed, its gonna be some trial and error but keep at it! Post up a trail cam pic of the guy

[Darin]

Good luck tomorrow!

[dan]

Your doing it right... Look at the area and think "where could he be bedding?" and start eliminating them by hunting each spot one at a time till you kill him or run out of time.

[BowtechHunting]

Go with your instinct and set up where you think he is. The buck I shot this year, I never seen him during the daylight. Only had night pics of him and I found his exact travel route from bedding and setup on it. It was only 50 yards away from the trail camera that he never showed in daylight. If you cant find his exact bed, its gonna be some trial and error but keep at it! Post up a trail cam pic of the guy

Thanks man, that's kinda my thinkin' too. There's not too many trees to pick from so I'm limited to maybe 5 trees too set-up in. Trial and error I suppose. My stinkin' SD card went corrupt when I tried to pull the pics off this morning! This is the second time it's happened! Hopefully I'll have pics of him on the ground today!

[BowtechHunting]

Your doing it right... Look at the area and think "where could he be bedding?" and start eliminating them by hunting each spot one at a time till you kill him or run out of time.

I watched the film where you lost that buck after the shot in the cat-tails, and that's the approach Im going after. I don't think I'm going to be able to get to close, or even see him for that matter. I'm banking on him getting up to stretch. It's only 12 acre woodlot in back in woods surronded by fields on all sides. It's going to be tough.

[Autumn Ninja]

Hey Brian....get in there and see if those guys are running the feeders now. If they are, do a grid search around them looking for big bed's in the 100-200 yard rang off those feeders. Set up as close to the bed's as you can....These guys are prolly hunting right on top of the corn, they could help put that buck in your hands buddy. Good Luck!!!

[BowtechHunting]

Hey Brian....get in there and see if those guys are running the feeders now. If they are, do a grid search around them looking for big bed's in the 100-200 yard rang off those feeders. Set up as close to the bed's as you can....These guys are prolly hunting right on top of the corn, they could help put that buck in your hands buddy. Good Luck!!!

I am probably sometime this week. They only hunt around the weekends, which means I can hunt there during the week. They don't use climbers, just some homemade ladder stands. I hunted there on Sat, but a bit away from the feeder, just by observation, and as I was leaving 6 doe were coming out of the oak flat near the feeder and stand. They spotted me and bolted, so it looked like they already hit the feeder just before dark and was headed back across the field. I'm going to do just what you said, but hopefully I can find a buck bed. I don't have much luck finding those....

[BowtechHunting]

Well, I'm back from the hunt. I didn't see a thing. Which I expected. Wind was coming out of the South when I got there then switched to straight West by noon. I sat form 9-1:15. That was about as long as my bladder would allow me. I stayed on the exterior of the woods, but I think I need to get more interior, but I'm afraid that may kick out the buck. I'm going to try Wednesday again.

Here is the pic I got, but the more I look at it, this isn't the same buck that I seen at the beginning of the season. And I have another pic of a buck that is off in the distance, it doesn't look like this one, but it could be...hard to tell.

[Darin]

Well Ghost is a great nickname for the buck! Fill us in Wednesday after the hunt again. Move in more interior like you said

[dan]

I sat form 9-1:15.

Just curious why you chose these hours to hunt? At this time of year I would generally be done morning hunting before 9:00 and would not even be in the woods at 1:15 yet... Seems like hours the deer are most likely bedded... ?

[BowtechHunting]

I sat form 9-1:15.

Just curious why you chose these hours to hunt? At this time of year I would generally be done morning hunting before 9:00 and would not even be in the woods at 1:15 yet... Seems like hours the deer are most likely bedded... ?

Ah, great questions dan. First, the land owner seen him bedding about 15 yards from my setup tree at 10am on 2 seperate occassions, right on the edge of a small field, while he was bird hunting. Second, I figured there were 2 oak trees about 20 yards across a creek and I was banking on im getting up and feeding around noonish. But, since that didn't work, I'm going to shift to evening. I seen the buck about a month ago crossing the road as I was going to park, he was gonig to his bed and that was at 5am in the morning, and I was getting there EARLY to begin with. I have a 15 yard chip shot where deer have been crossing this creek and they use it everyday. So, I was hoping that this buck was going to cross at some point. But with the wind shifting like it did, I figured my chances were blown. What do you think?

[dan]

I sat form 9-1:15.

Just curious why you chose these hours to hunt? At this time of year I would generally be done morning hunting before 9:00 and would not even be in the woods at 1:15 yet... Seems like hours the deer are most likely bedded... ?

Ah, great questions dan. First, the land owner seen him bedding about 15 yards from my setup tree at 10am on 2 seperate occassions, right on the edge of a small field, while he was bird hunting. Second, I figured there were 2 oak trees about 20 yards across a creek and I was banking on im getting up and feeding around noonish. But, since that didn't work, I'm going to shift to evening. I seen the buck about a month ago crossing the road as I was going to park, he was gonig to his bed and that was at 5am in the morning, and I was getting there EARLY to begin with. I have a 15 yard chip shot where deer have been crossing this creek and they use it everyday. So, I was hoping that this buck was going to cross at some point. But with the wind shifting like it did, I figured my chances were blown. What do you think?

I see... Guess it was worth a try. I think best shot right now is going to be evening. But if the land owner, or you is seeing some off pattern, you should give it a try.