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Discuss - finding, following - Big Bucks

I only see one buck.

The only buck missing is the 'Over Achiever'. :)

Evidently it no workie on ipad...............

Pat, nice article. I agree with your points. One thing to add- if you are running cameras, only hunt your target buck when you are getting pictures of them moving during the daylight. I had my most successful season this past year even though I physically hunted the least amount of times. I scouted and monitored my cameras and once they showed themselves in daylight for a day or two I snuck in and got the ones I was after.

Keep in mind some or many mature whitetail bucks have different summer and winter ranges, even in the east and Midwest, some will migrate somewhat. Just because he is there in the summer doesn't necessarily mean he'll be there in the fall and winter. He'll likely be around, but not necessarily on the same property depending on the acreage and terrain...

One thing I've learned is deer are individuals, (as is all critters)... Some may be home bodies, and some many be wanders...

That ole saying in books of a whitetails home range of about one square mile may be true with most does, but definitely doesn't pertain to many mature bucks...

Pat we follow very similar disciplines, the only difference is that I do not use food plots... I do have several lots around me that I brush hog several times a year for the landowners... This makes a poor man's food plot, I just don't have the time or equipment to do a real food plot. I am doing much better with minerals this year over past, because I am keeping the higher salt content blocks like tropy rocks, away from my main mineral site. The main site has more powdered mineral higher in calcium and phosphorous. I am seeing predominantly mature bucks hitting the minerals, and mainly does, and 1 year old bucks hitting the blocks that are about 600 yards away... Nutritionist actually told me what I was doing wrong a year or two ago... I may move a few stands around based on local farming practices, but for most part - I stay out of the woods at all costs and try to minimize my footprint... You are spot on about the bucks abandoning the minerals and licks by early fall... These next 3 weeks will be massive antler growth, in fact I often see little difference in bucks from very end of july to just before they shed... Of course, there is still some minimal antler growth going on in early August but you can pretty much see what they are by end of July for sure...

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