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Post by ncboman on Apr 29, 2005 12:50:07 GMT -5
How would you go about locating a mature buck(s) on new ground this time of year if you have access to miles and miles of timbered land and scattered slots of time(2 or 3 days at a time) available over the summer to zero in on something decent?
consider deer are very abundant everywhere but the big bucks are just 'around'.
All land is flat, mostly wooded pine fields, with swamps and bands of hardwood throughout. Some cropfields always around.
How would you go about it?
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Post by DaveHawk on Apr 29, 2005 13:03:54 GMT -5
NC, this new peace Of property I'm turkey hunting up county is loaded with deer. I have been walking it and while looking for turkey sign I am also paying close attention to deer sign. I hit the mother load Tuesday afternoon. I found hoof prints leading to a very heavy dence thicket and inside it were major rubs . The hoof prints belonged to a buck that would go 350 at least. I am seeing numerous other prints that are over 300 pounds on the hoof. Next time your up we'll take a walk. I would like to see your face when you see them. LOL I was told there is a buck back there that a few guys have tried to take the last few years but can't get on to him. He is reported to be 20 + points as of last season. MAybe I should keep my big mouth shut LOL
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Post by ncboman on Apr 29, 2005 13:25:38 GMT -5
A 300 pound deer would be a shooter for me regardless of his antlers. ;D
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Post by Buckfever on Apr 29, 2005 20:16:31 GMT -5
That's the thing about you nc that's always impressed me, you're not intimidated by the size of the challenge. No question I drew inspiration from it and indeed started hunting public land to move onto larger grounds to improve my knowledge base. Previously I hunted small woodlots exclusively, oh sure they were connected and the entire range needed to be understood, but the terrain features so very much dictated how the habitat was used and the sign really told the story, that the task at hand was not so hard.
Now I'm still not onto huge properties, the largest being 5000 acres, but we're not talking miles and miles.
What I tend to start with, is to define a range if I can based on terrain features. First I'll start with aerial photos and then I'll get on the ground and walk the perimeter of what i think might act as a range and try to more clearly define the range. Then I'll try to nail down the major travel routes working from the outside in and note the location of the rubs as they relate to the travel routes. Then I'll backtrack rub/scrapes and with that info I try to ascertain potential bedding areas.
This is the very thing I've been doing recently on a brand new property. Actually I like this time of year better, before things get thick. And also just spending time on the property and glassing in the early evening and seeing where they're moving and feeding. They're much more relaxed this time of year.
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Post by DaveHawk on Apr 30, 2005 9:57:18 GMT -5
NC, the deer is this part of the county are hugh, I use to hunt up there 15 yars ago but lost my lease and now I have a prime location to hunt. All agucaltural lands. Flat , and full of deer. Charly shot a 197 pound dressed 9 point one year up there and these deer are not pressured to much. They have good mass and body size plus the meat is good.
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