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I think I need to adjust my tactics... suggestions wanted.

M

mattdenney07

Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2020
Messages
43
For the first time, I have a bonafide target buck. For South Carolina public land, he's a giant. It's a deer I had on camera several times last year for pretty much the entire season, even through the rut, and now he's shown himself again this year.

I guess my question is for those that like to hunt specific bucks... What kinds of strategies do you employ that make you successful?

I've shot a ton of does over the years and one spike, but told myself I'd only shoot does until I came across a "shooter" buck. Outside of hunting cold fronts and managing wind/scent, I pretty much hunt when I can which boils down to after work during the week and Saturdays, but I have several different areas that I rotate through. No public land hunting in SC on Sundays, so that's out. I try and put myself between known doe bedding and probable buck bedding or food sources. Muscadines are always ripe around the archery opener on Sept 15th, but the problem is that they're absolutely everywhere in this stretch of timber.

Pressure isn't really a concern in the area I hunt. This is my third year hunting this spot and I've never had anyone on my cameras or seen any other boot prints, so that's nice at least. That should give me the flexibility to hunt this deer how I need to.

I can post more specifics about the layout of the area if I need to, but I figured I'd just ping the masses first and see if there's any overarching suggestions. Hopefully the intent of my post is clear enough.

Capture1.PNG
 
Here's the video that I have of him from this year. Also, these two videos were taken about 100 yards apart.

 
So this is just before sunrise? So where is he headed? I would ask that question.. Look at a map. He has to be getting close to a good place to bed he likes. Then Ask why is he bedded there. Can he see your access? Are there any other trails headed out of that bedding area? Any day light pictures?
 
MattMan81 said:
So this is just before sunrise? So where is he headed? I would ask that question.. Look at a map. He has to be getting close to a good place to bed he likes. Then Ask why is he bedded there. Can he see your access? Are there any other trails headed out of that bedding area? Any day light pictures?
Click to expand...

Tons of trails everywhere leading in and out of this area. There's a big swamp bottom nearby, a huge CRP field that's 6-10 feet high in most places that is full of doe bedding. The area I'm hunting is a long skinny stretch of mixed hardwoods and old growth pine between the swamp and CRP field. If I had to guess, this time of year he's probably sticking close to bedding, which I'm almost certain is in the swamp downwind of where this camera is placed. Also, the camera from this year's video is placed at a creek crossing... the creek in question is fed by a pond that's about 200 yards south of this camera. The whole area around that pond is probably the most dense vegetation on the entire property which would probably be some primo buck bedding as well.
 
Here's my 5 year old style drawing for reference. The red dot is where that camera is located. Yellow line from the pin is where I park and my route to the area. Forgot to mention there's also a huge corn field on the property that DNR plants every year. Wind is almost always west/southwest, but occasionally switches to east in the evenings. The CRP field is nearly impassable as well.

**Deleted picture just in case, thanks @Deerkins
 
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How impassable is the CRP? If the does are bedding there I promise there will be at least one trail that is easy to use. If you want to be aggressive I would walk through where you think he’s bedded the day before season. Don’t worry about being sneaky or anything, the goal is to bump him from his bed, find it and be in the tree above it come daylight the next morning. He’ll probably come back. Look up “the bump and dump” strategy
 
Hunter260 said:
How impassable is the CRP? If the does are bedding there I promise there will be at least one trail that is easy to use. If you want to be aggressive I would walk through where you think he’s bedded the day before season. Don’t worry about being sneaky or anything, the goal is to bump him from his bed, find it and be in the tree above it come daylight the next morning. He’ll probably come back. Look up “the bump and dump” strategy
Click to expand...

CRP field was 4-5 feet tall a couple years ago and I bushwhacked across it once to go directly north of my parking spot, but it hasn't been bush-hogged at all since then and it's 7-10 feet high in most places now.

I may try the bump & dump. Might still be in velvet on the15th too.
 
mattdenney07 said:
CRP field was 4-5 feet tall a couple years ago and I bushwhacked across it once to go directly north of my parking spot, but it hasn't been bush-hogged at all since then and it's 7-10 feet high in most places now.

I may try the bump & dump. Might still be in velvet on the15th too.
Click to expand...
If you try it then you have the rest of the season to find him if it doesn’t work
 
What direction is the deer moving in relation to the red dot marking the pin? Is he daylighting at all where the cam is?
 
I would put a camera on each side of that narrow strip of hardwoods or where you think he’s coming through at night. Very important to keep away from the probable bedding, and keep away from heavy vegetation, put them out mid morning, so some of your scent dissipates throughout the day..hide the camera best you can.

Try to find terrain pinch points or anything that funnels his movement around. From there, you should be able to get a line of travel on his movements that will help you narrow down his daytime haunt.

If you’re consistently getting him just after dark, or just before daylight, the cameras done their job at that point, and you should be pretty confident on putting a move on him. ,if the weather is good.

also, I’d definitely delete the aerial pic, you posted, a lot of eyes out there and scummers will jump in on that spot, if they’re in your area..
 
BTaylor said:
What direction is the deer moving in relation to the red dot marking the pin? Is he daylighting at all where the cam is?
Click to expand...
I hunted this same area last year and saw several buck cruising that strip of timber from south to north, keeping the wind in their favor. Like I said, pretty sure the bucks are bedded either in the swamp or around the pond area.
 
Hunter260 said:
How impassable is the CRP? If the does are bedding there I promise there will be at least one trail that is easy to use. If you want to be aggressive I would walk through where you think he’s bedded the day before season. Don’t worry about being sneaky or anything, the goal is to bump him from his bed, find it and be in the tree above it come daylight the next morning. He’ll probably come back. Look up “the bump and dump” strategy
Click to expand...
Good strategy. If you do this just watch the jhook when he comes around the bed
 
If I had to hunt him and he's in the same area in the fall/ winter as your summer photos, I wouldn't touch it or go near the area until the rut. Know your doe bedding and set up in the best funnel in that area the allows him to keep tabs on the doe, and hunt that funnel the rut ALL day, every day you can.
 
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