All you need to do is just these 500 things! Guaranteed to kill a mature or older buck for your area! 
Having a little fun here. I was thinking of "small to big" all the crazy elements that need to come together to kill mature bucks. Things from Strategy to MATHEMATICS (yes, MATH!). Here's a start!
So, say your area produces 2 year olds on consistency but you want to hunt a "rare" 4 year old. Or, there's only a buck or 2 in the area that gets 5+ (or even if there's more) - how do you get a crack at that "older & more rare class of bucks"?
1) MATH..... Usually, you need to pass, let's say for example, 10 younger bucks for 1 older buck you finally see. If you shot the 1st buck you saw, 10 out of 11 times, it would be a younger buck. Simply because older usually means: RARE & SMARTER. I'll give you an example.... Growing up in HORRIBLE HUNTING - MICHIGAN.... as a kid, I saw about 12 bucks a year. A YEAR! Some years I saw all 1.5 year olds. When I got a 2 year old, I literally had to pass 7-10 1.5 year olds before I got a crack at the 2.5 year old. Same in better areas, IMO..... You want to shoot a "5+" for example.... I'd GUESS a person will have to pass 10-20 3-4 year olds, on average, before you get a crack at a 5 year old. SOME YEARS YOU WON'T KILL A BUCK TOO!!!! KEEP THIS IN MIND!!! IF YOU CAN'T EAT A TAG- this all might not relate here.
2) Hunting where mature bucks live. If you want to shoot a 5 year old BUT hunt where 2 year olds get blown to bits - you may be wasting your time or need to figure out what's "older" for that area & realistic.
3) UNDERSTANDING: Mature bucks DO NOT LIKE PEOPLE! Mature bucks are a vastly different animal. You might be able to go in an area often & the deer come back... Most folks don't realize, the mature bucks won't.
4) Pressure, entrances, exits.... Too much pressure on mature bucks: push em out, avoid that area or they go nockturnal. I used to hunt the same stand way too much. Couldn't figure out why the bucks I "knew were there" never made an appearance.
5) If able - killing a fully mature & extremely aggressive buck so as many as 2-3 bucks might fill the vacuum of this old warrior, thus increasing how many mature bucks are there to hunt.
6) Anything you can do to create thick or undisturbed sanctuaries & undisturbed desireable food nearby. Year round food if planted correctly. Not everyone can do this, I realize it.
7) Making the shot.... obvious, just takes experience to have "calmer" nerves & keep composer & not make as many mistakes. I literally had to shoot a lot of does growing up to help my nerves & help me learn from MANY mistakes. I'll still make mistakes but thank goodness I goofed up on a lot of does (say moving, not drawing at right time, getting really nervous, whatever) & helps now when a mature buck comes in.
8) Finding ways to avoid the crowds or find spots where a mature buck is that's overlooked. I grew up hunting a lot of public. Some is overlooked. Some areas are so far back, you lose the people/pressure. Sometimes a little draw in a field has not had a hunter in it all season, it's hard to hunt BUT rare/odd things like that can be the key. Getting permission on better farms, simply TIME & HARD WORK.
9) Days and days of hunting. I used to think: 7 days in stand, DONE DEAL! No way. Not gonna get it done with consistency on limited time/effort or schedule. Life is busy BUT - not skipping those cold Oct hunts or a cold AM & sleeping in, you simply need to put in a lot of sits to make it work. Making sure you are out in the key best days too- don’t get burned out hunting days that are predictably poor days.
10) Hunting is CHALLENGING but rewarding & enjoyable - it should be to all, IMO. Nothing in life is EASY. Would we want it to be? Having the attitude that FUN & hard work/Challenge can go hand in hand. Does it suck to not see a deer for 3 days straight? SURE. The guys that overcome that & keep plugging usually end up overcoming it and being successful. If challenge isn't a part of hunting, go buy some beef at the store & save some $!
10) Learn from guys who do kill mature or older bucks for area with consistency. Some of the guys that taught me the most had a unique passion and knowledge for hunting. They made mistakes. Still do to this day. But, be a sponge with these people, pick their brains. COINCIDENCES in hunting aren't really coincidences.
I was going to stick to 10 BUT, I'm gonna hit 11....
11) TRYING to move past & overcome "big buck jealousy". I'll admit it to all.... When i was younger, someone I knew shot a giant, I got jealous. I did. Nothing I can do to "just not do it".... with age & success & maturing, it does go away. I'm genuinely happy for others who shoot old deer. This is HARD!!!!!! I've been there & overcome it and it's not easy. Few will admit it's prevalent but it is. I say to folks I know "Hunting is a Man's Soap Opera" "Drama for dudes". Always has been, always will be. Do you best to overcome this and work through it. Spend the time in the timber, get away from the crowds the best you can. Realize, it doesn't matter if everyone you know shoots 50 deer over 250" or no one you know shoots a single buck. This is NOT what hunting is about. It's an experience about yourself & the great outdoors God created for us to manage, enjoy and be at peace with.
Those are my 11 thoughts on killing or getting a crack at mature or older bucks for your area with "some consistency". Only "500 things" to do so you're successful so we only have about 489 more to go!! GO, what's some to add?
Having a little fun here. I was thinking of "small to big" all the crazy elements that need to come together to kill mature bucks. Things from Strategy to MATHEMATICS (yes, MATH!). Here's a start!
So, say your area produces 2 year olds on consistency but you want to hunt a "rare" 4 year old. Or, there's only a buck or 2 in the area that gets 5+ (or even if there's more) - how do you get a crack at that "older & more rare class of bucks"?
1) MATH..... Usually, you need to pass, let's say for example, 10 younger bucks for 1 older buck you finally see. If you shot the 1st buck you saw, 10 out of 11 times, it would be a younger buck. Simply because older usually means: RARE & SMARTER. I'll give you an example.... Growing up in HORRIBLE HUNTING - MICHIGAN.... as a kid, I saw about 12 bucks a year. A YEAR! Some years I saw all 1.5 year olds. When I got a 2 year old, I literally had to pass 7-10 1.5 year olds before I got a crack at the 2.5 year old. Same in better areas, IMO..... You want to shoot a "5+" for example.... I'd GUESS a person will have to pass 10-20 3-4 year olds, on average, before you get a crack at a 5 year old. SOME YEARS YOU WON'T KILL A BUCK TOO!!!! KEEP THIS IN MIND!!! IF YOU CAN'T EAT A TAG- this all might not relate here.
2) Hunting where mature bucks live. If you want to shoot a 5 year old BUT hunt where 2 year olds get blown to bits - you may be wasting your time or need to figure out what's "older" for that area & realistic.
3) UNDERSTANDING: Mature bucks DO NOT LIKE PEOPLE! Mature bucks are a vastly different animal. You might be able to go in an area often & the deer come back... Most folks don't realize, the mature bucks won't.
4) Pressure, entrances, exits.... Too much pressure on mature bucks: push em out, avoid that area or they go nockturnal. I used to hunt the same stand way too much. Couldn't figure out why the bucks I "knew were there" never made an appearance.
5) If able - killing a fully mature & extremely aggressive buck so as many as 2-3 bucks might fill the vacuum of this old warrior, thus increasing how many mature bucks are there to hunt.
6) Anything you can do to create thick or undisturbed sanctuaries & undisturbed desireable food nearby. Year round food if planted correctly. Not everyone can do this, I realize it.
7) Making the shot.... obvious, just takes experience to have "calmer" nerves & keep composer & not make as many mistakes. I literally had to shoot a lot of does growing up to help my nerves & help me learn from MANY mistakes. I'll still make mistakes but thank goodness I goofed up on a lot of does (say moving, not drawing at right time, getting really nervous, whatever) & helps now when a mature buck comes in.
8) Finding ways to avoid the crowds or find spots where a mature buck is that's overlooked. I grew up hunting a lot of public. Some is overlooked. Some areas are so far back, you lose the people/pressure. Sometimes a little draw in a field has not had a hunter in it all season, it's hard to hunt BUT rare/odd things like that can be the key. Getting permission on better farms, simply TIME & HARD WORK.
9) Days and days of hunting. I used to think: 7 days in stand, DONE DEAL! No way. Not gonna get it done with consistency on limited time/effort or schedule. Life is busy BUT - not skipping those cold Oct hunts or a cold AM & sleeping in, you simply need to put in a lot of sits to make it work. Making sure you are out in the key best days too- don’t get burned out hunting days that are predictably poor days.
10) Hunting is CHALLENGING but rewarding & enjoyable - it should be to all, IMO. Nothing in life is EASY. Would we want it to be? Having the attitude that FUN & hard work/Challenge can go hand in hand. Does it suck to not see a deer for 3 days straight? SURE. The guys that overcome that & keep plugging usually end up overcoming it and being successful. If challenge isn't a part of hunting, go buy some beef at the store & save some $!
10) Learn from guys who do kill mature or older bucks for area with consistency. Some of the guys that taught me the most had a unique passion and knowledge for hunting. They made mistakes. Still do to this day. But, be a sponge with these people, pick their brains. COINCIDENCES in hunting aren't really coincidences.
I was going to stick to 10 BUT, I'm gonna hit 11
....11) TRYING to move past & overcome "big buck jealousy". I'll admit it to all.... When i was younger, someone I knew shot a giant, I got jealous. I did. Nothing I can do to "just not do it".... with age & success & maturing, it does go away. I'm genuinely happy for others who shoot old deer. This is HARD!!!!!! I've been there & overcome it and it's not easy. Few will admit it's prevalent but it is. I say to folks I know "Hunting is a Man's Soap Opera" "Drama for dudes". Always has been, always will be. Do you best to overcome this and work through it. Spend the time in the timber, get away from the crowds the best you can. Realize, it doesn't matter if everyone you know shoots 50 deer over 250" or no one you know shoots a single buck. This is NOT what hunting is about. It's an experience about yourself & the great outdoors God created for us to manage, enjoy and be at peace with.
Those are my 11 thoughts on killing or getting a crack at mature or older bucks for your area with "some consistency". Only "500 things" to do so you're successful so we only have about 489 more to go!!
GO, what's some to add?
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