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Big deer. Need advice

Yak’n’Saddle

Yak’n’Saddle

New Member
Joined
Jan 10, 2019
Messages
26
I’ve had this deer on camera since early July, maybe 130-140”. A giant for me. I have a moderately good understanding of the are he’s bedding in but don’t yet know all of his runways. No real historical data.

It’s a hill area with slight thermals and swirling winds (go figure).

I made move on him opening morning (9/18 in SE PA). He came in from a trail about 10 yds from me while still dark. He was close enough I could hear him eating acorns. He didn’t jump out of the area but I must have shifted too loudly and he got cold feet. He slipped out and broke his routine from the 3 previous weeks. No wind at the time (maybe 5am).


I just now (9/28) got another trail picture of him but not in his normal relaxed state, just passed by the area quickly.

Here’s the question:

Do I make a move on him before he maybe migrates away during rut?

Or

Do I wait him out till November and hope he plows back in with less concern. (I won’t have many all day hunting opportunities).

Thanks for the input


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I am with Nutter on this one. If he didn’t spook bad he will still be around if the food is still available. Last year the pre rut, food source changing and other hunting pressure moved the deer I was hunting all over the place and I had different bucks in my area starting mid October. He could leave any time. Get after him sooner than later while he is still around. Good luck!
 
Thanks for the quick input.

I’ve been on that same page so far but not having a lot of hands on experience with a mature animal I thought it was smart to ask.

My thoughts behind hunting now is that I at least have some sort of beat on him. Also if I blow him out of the area I there’s a chance that he survives till next season and I’ll get a better education on the area by then.

Still interested in any other opinions. No wrong answers here as far as I’m concerned


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I'd hunt him too. I've been chasing a buck for 3 years (he has a very unique side on his rack) that keeps giving me the slip. I live in heavily hunted land too and he's made it. I've spooked him but he still returns. It takes time but he comes back.
Hunt the same/similar conditions you've seen him in and if you end up bumping him and he doesn't return then oh well! If you're bumping him you're getting close enough and you should still consider that very successful!
 
@Yak’n’Saddle Like my good friend @Bwhana says, "You can't kill what you don't shoot at!" Point being, go for it! I've made the mistake of waiting too much at times, and felt like I paid for that mistake. That being said, you want "quality" hunts, not quantity of hunts. In my opinion, going too often and in the wrong conditions will hurt your chances, ESPECIALLY with a mature buck. Hunt only when the wind is in your favor, and focus on the weather (if possible). Watch for any dramatic temp drops (10+ degrees over a couple days), and hunt a couple days before any weather front comes in. Those are musts in my opinion. Good luck, and above all have fun!
 
I agree with the gang here, by late October his pattern is very likely to change and for that time period I’d be looking for good doe bedding nearby. But hunt him now, here.

I too am working a buck in a swirling river valley… two things you might consider are (1) making sure you are using milkweed to learn exactly what that wind is doing. Wind / scent is an unforgiving game, and (2) use a couple no glow trail cameras slightly elevated, if you can install with low intrusion (and don’t check em often, and ideally before a rain), to get a better sense of what he’s doing ASAP.
 
I’d be patient and wait for the right weather conditions and hunt him again before the rut. I’d also look for where nearby doe groups spend most of their time. November rolls around I’d transition to hunting those doe in the expectation he will be monitoring them and checking on them to come into estrus.
 
neonomad said:
I agree with the gang here, by late October his pattern is very likely to change and for that time period I’d be looking for good doe bedding nearby. But hunt him now, here.

I too am working a buck in a swirling river valley… two things you might consider are (1) making sure you are using milkweed to learn exactly what that wind is doing. Wind / scent is an unforgiving game, and (2) use a couple no glow trail cameras slightly elevated, if you can install with low intrusion (and don’t check em often, and ideally before a rain), to get a better sense of what he’s doing ASAP.
Click to expand...

I think I will hunt the next front if schedules align. Has to be an all day sit, too tight and too tough to slip in during afternoon while he’s already bedded. He has a good view in front and wind behind daily (several beds in the area)

Here’s the twist, there is some doe bedding in the area, it seems he setup shop where a few bucks like to summer and now I occasionally catch on camera. Thinking it could be fairly active that time of year.

I owe you a photo I figure for all the help. Once I figure out how to post one From the phone I will.



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Last edited:
You gotta hunt him. If you know a buck is in the area and you want to kill him, the answer is always to hunt him. This does not mean be in the stand daylight to dark regardless of wind. Hunt smart. Be in his area everytime the wind is right. If that doesn’t work hunt the other side of his bedding, crawl in his bedding one morning. Get aggressive
 
Hunt him cuz he’ll still be in the area for now , just probably shifted his bedding and travel path slightly

Try to set up where u think he shifted to

During rut he may get happy feet and follow a doe by another hunter

If u spook him again now, then u still have chances during the rut


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You started saddle hunting to be mobile right?
If he's moved, you move with him...

Hunt smart !
 
Thanks for the confidence boost on the aggressive option. After a year or two of listening to interviews and videos of Infalt/Eberhart it’s where I wanted to go but didn’t want to jump the gun like the young bull.

It took along time to get here so don’t want to screw it up.

I’d be interested in what your best guesstimates are on this guy, I could be over estimating his size.

This is from early September but it’s the best view of him. His most recent photo was at 3:08pm.
b323640d20d6fa53523d7862c3a72570.jpg



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