Tactics for Mature Bucks

[OneCam]

I thought it would be a good idea to begin a thread to discuss and share tactics in pursuit of Mature bucks.

Here's one I've learned over the years:

1)As a rule of thumb I've learned that most successful hunters place their stands at least 20' up and at least 15 yards from where they expect the shot opportunity.

Let's here yours.

 

[PAHunter]

Never overhunt your best stand,and hunt it when the time is right, so you will have the element of surprise advantage.

 

[Shredder]

Your entry to your stand is as important or more important than your stand location (within reason). If you can make it to your stand undetected thru sight, sound or scent from any deer...you stand a far better chance at harvesting a mature animal. Mature bucks are masters at survival and will often times notice the "spooked" deer's body language and potentially avoid the area in which they just retreated.

 

[Central Iowa]

When the first comfortable oppurtunity presents itself close the deal. Waiting for a better or easier shot will cost you missed oppurtunities. Just when you think he might present a better shot, he will turn around and walk out of your life, or catch a little scent and so forth and so on. Be ready for the first oppurtunites as second chances are far and few between.

 

[ElkHunter]

I agree with PA. never use the stand unless conditions are perfect.You'll never get a better chance of killing a mature buck than the first time in the stand. We all know the big boys have a knack for sensing when something isn't quite right.

 

[Shedhuntermd]

From my experiences getting up early, STAYING LATE , hunting funnels, shed hunting your properties, pre season scouting and hunting all day during the rut are my best strategies O yeah and a bunch of luck.

 

[Kat]

All of the above, plus I’ve noticed that if a mature buck will do something one day, many times he will do the same thing for another day or two, then change his pattern. If you see a buck you’ve never seen before follow a certain trail try to intercept him there the same time next day, wind permitting. Of course all bets are off during the rut.

 

[wanab.c.]

Sometimes you can wait for a windy day to slip into stand thats close to his bedding area that would otherwise be hard to get into undetected.

 

[ironwood]

I like elkhunter's reply for the top of the list. Use a portable and don't over hunt a location. Move around. Last year with the exception of one stand location every large buck I spotted was on the first time I sat that location.

 

[muddy]

listen to the landowner...if he says he's been seeing a big buck somewhere more often than not he is. my past two bucks have come off of the same area and the landowner told me where he had been seeing the best deer activity. i went in and killed both bucks in one sitting each.

 

[Liv4Rut]

One thing i've learned is move with the deer, if i see deer constantly just out of range or on the next ridge, im gonna move over there, even if it is only 20-30 yards. i've witnessed too many people sitting in dead stands, hoping or thinking, well they will come by eventually, assess the situation a couple days, and move accordingly. a guy i know that is a die hard hunter always sets his stand up on a open ridge for an observation stand, he sits a couple days then just brings in a new stand and puts it up instead of taking down the one he is in(he says not to make excess noise), too make a long story shot, the 4th stand he hung in a 150 yard stretch landed him 2 150+ bucks and the same tactic landed him his 160+ buck last year

 

[alaskanwhtail]

Biggest mistake by most hunters is not hunting where theres a high density of them, any meat hunter can kill a big buck every year if theres alot of big bucks on his hunting grounds. Most will just accepte that they only have to hunt thier own and or public. Thats my biggest tactic..

 

[Bowhunt]

A few things that I have learned about hunting mature bucks.

1. You can not kill a deer that does not exist.

2. If you see a nice deer in a certain spot you had better be there the next time the conditions are right to hunt it, these deer are elusive and they do not make themselves vulnerable very often. Take advantage of it when they do.
3. Do not just hunt uncle Jim's farm just cause you like it and you hope a booner shows up. Be mobile and keep your mind open to hunting new and unfamilar areas.
4. Scout, if you have seen a deer in the summer or have trail camera pictures of him it sure makes it easier to sit all day in November!

 

[Critter]

One thing I've noticed is that some hunters think they have to have large tracts of timber without any houses or farms nearby to harvest a big buck. I've seen some really nice deer where most hunters would never even think about hunting. Find the right funnel, food source, or crossing and you can eliminate 80 percent of the big woods. I guess what I'm trying to say is that sometimes you need to think small to receive a large outcome.
CRITR