Getting Close to Bucks

[rrogers31]

I recently got my first bow from guy on her a Matthews V3 31 to replace my cheap crossbow with that I plan to bow hunt much more.

In most of my hunting the closest I've been to bucks not doe are about 70-150 yards. I've had one 30yd encounter with a shooter buck during bow season but that's it. How do you pick the tree to get closer to the bucks? Do most focus on a trail or a scrape? With my gun its just been more get close enough to see them. I hunt steepish terrain in North Alabama so quite access isn't always the easiest in getting really close to bedding. I guess this is more of a scouting question. Thanks for any advice.

 

[gcr0003]

I recently got my first bow from guy on her a Matthews V3 31 to replace my cheap crossbow with that I plan to bow hunt much more.

In most of my hunting the closest I've been to bucks not doe are about 70-150 yards. I've had one 30yd encounter with a shooter buck during bow season but that's it. How do you pick the tree to get closer to the bucks? Do most focus on a trail or a scrape? With my gun its just been more get close enough to see them. I hunt steepish terrain in North Alabama so quite access isn't always the easiest in getting really close to bedding. I guess this is more of a scouting question. Thanks for any advice.

I can't remember are you on private or Bankhead or Skyline? I hunted bankhead and got on some good bucks the last two years but was unable to seal the deal. That said I focused on pinch points and funnel type terrain features like saddles. These travel corridors worked well at giving me more opportunities at bucks passing through, especially during the rut. Doing this in conjunction with excellent feed trees in the early fall part of the season, had me in close contact with several decent bucks in hilly terrain.

I had 3 encounters with big bucks this year but I was hunting with a stick bow and was just outside my range 30-40 yards. I am working on figuring them out too but I have increase my big buck sightings by staying on good food, scouting good cover, and being where the does are during the rut. I am still fine tuning so looking forward to hearing others thoughts.

When scouting I have utilitized cell cameras to confirm the bedding, food sources, and travel corridors I found. They have been very valuable to me this year. The biggest improvement has been scouting more early season as well as throughout the season to stay on the deer. Pre-rut finding buck sign and utilizing the camera to gage when and how they are moving through the area is what I've been doing. I think it will pay off very soon.

 

[NimbleTimbo]

Finding the sign, where they feed and the travel corridors they use is one thing. Figuring out where to be to catch them during actual hunting hours is my struggle. You will have to find where a buck is bedding and get fairly close if he isn't moving until last light, or is back to his bedding area before first light. This is where having good access and being patient to hunt the right wind is paramount. Cameras do help give confidence you're in the right area, and clue you in to when they are becoming more active in daylight. The older the deer you are hunting, the more disciplined you have to be. You may have to get in several hours before daylight. It can be a lot of sitting with no action, waiting on that chance at a mature deer. Some years I enjoy that challenge, other years I just hunt where I know I'll see deer and am content to shoot the 1, 2 and 3 y/o bucks. It's a process, keep at it and you'll get better. I will say that I started keeping a journal that included wind, temp, food sign and conditions in the areas I hunt most, and what I saw each sit, and it has helped me learn how deer tended to use a parcel depending on conditions.

 

[wmahunterfl]

Before I bought my first treestand, I would sit on the ground. The wind is everything. Closest Deer encounter to a large doe sitting on the ground was 5 ft. Closet to a buck 20 Yards.

Blending in, not being skylighted, watching the wind. Do not let the tree size dictate if you use it or not. the Smallest tree I will use is 6 inch diameter.
The rest is luck.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

You must first identify your realistic, ethical shooting distance. After that you need to educate yourself on shot angles and vitals.
After that you have to be a student of wind behavior patterns
Then you need to find trees with good cover, quiet bark, and not covered in poison ivy.
After that you'll need to figure out if the access routes will work...both in AND out because access routes are often different for our entrance and exit.
After you have that figured out you need to analyze shooting lanes...can you even shoot to the spot on the trail?
I slightly jest but just barely slightly.
Picking a workable tree, IMO and IME is the most difficult aspect of bowhunting.
And when you have it all figured out, a 150" eight point will come in and make you turn 3 times to set up for the perceived shot location...only to turn at the last minute and come down the wrong side of the tree. Ask me how I know all about that scenario.

 

[rrogers31]

I can't remember are you on private or Bankhead or Skyline? I hunted bankhead and got on some good bucks the last two years but was unable to seal the deal. That said I focused on pinch points and funnel type terrain features like saddles. These travel corridors worked well at giving me more opportunities at bucks passing through, especially during the rut. Doing this in conjunction with excellent feed trees in the early fall part of the season, had me in close contact with several decent bucks in hilly terrain.

I had 3 encounters with big bucks this year but I was hunting with a stick bow and was just outside my range 30-40 yards. I am working on figuring them out too but I have increase my big buck sightings by staying on good food, scouting good cover, and being where the does are during the rut. I am still fine tuning so looking forward to hearing others thoughts.

When scouting I have utilitized cell cameras to confirm the bedding, food sources, and travel corridors I found. They have been very valuable to me this year. The biggest improvement has been scouting more early season as well as throughout the season to stay on the deer. Pre-rut finding buck sign and utilizing the camera to gage when and how they are moving through the area is what I've been doing. I think it will pay off very soon.

Im currently on private mostly. Im going to do some over in skyline and Bankhead both next year though. Had a day trip to Bankhead planned this year but had to cancel it. I grew up right on the edge of it in Moulton so I'm pretty familiar with it in general. Ive dropped a good 75 pins between those locations on certain terrain features such as saddles so its good to know you've had some success with that. I plan to out a lot scouting in after season.

 

[rrogers31]

Finding the sign, where they feed and the travel corridors they use is one thing. Figuring out where to be to catch them during actual hunting hours is my struggle. You will have to find where a buck is bedding and get fairly close if he isn't moving until last light, or is back to his bedding area before first light. This is where having good access and being patient to hunt the right wind is paramount. Cameras do help give confidence you're in the right area, and clue you in to when they are becoming more active in daylight. The older the deer you are hunting, the more disciplined you have to be. You may have to get in several hours before daylight. It can be a lot of sitting with no action, waiting on that chance at a mature deer. Some years I enjoy that challenge, other years I just hunt where I know I'll see deer and am content to shoot the 1, 2 and 3 y/o bucks. It's a process, keep at it and you'll get better. I will say that I started keeping a journal that included wind, temp, food sign and conditions in the areas I hunt most, and what I saw each sit, and it has helped me learn how deer tended to use a parcel depending on conditions.

Ive started doing similar in keeping up on my private tract which has been difficult to hunt. Ive recently started having consistent sighting and haven't had a sit I didn't see at least a doe. After 3 years of hardly having sightings its good to know what I've learned is starting to produce some results.