1. Early season
2. Rut
3. Late season
I understand some here frown on "horn porn" big buck hunting. If it isn't a part of your game than please leave the thread alone. I'm sure a lot of people would love this kind of start up.
I will first tackle Big Woods,,,, first let me state here, N Wis can grow some outstanding bucks, plus body size, if land is controlled,,,, just ask the guys at Superior Outfitters, with there control of land, the amount of bucks and size is amazing......
My area is north of Hwy 8, to the Brule River, Forest and Florence CO, and mostly north of 70, and the western UP..... My chance for the best bucks in the area, is after the rut and during the late season.....
Weather now the factor, the good bucks are on the feed, and I have noticed in the last 5 years, move a lot more, than they use to,,,, this is due to poor quality of food, in the forest, and the amount of baiting..... baiting has dried up, hunters for the most part are gone, as well as there baits,,,,,,,
Again, I rely on my in season scouting, and my grouse hunts take me into a lot of places. spring scouting is good, but the poor habitat, is what has made that buck move, more than usual, so you have to stay on them all the time, and be willing to cover a lot of ground.
If the sign is not there, don't wish it to be there, find other spots. However what I look for sign, is not so much rubs, but tracks, because tracks do not lie, and I have seen great spots, where good bucks have rubbed very little, if not at all....
I pour over the computer, I find out all the logging jobs, where they are, and what they are cutting, stay in touch with the foresters, lots of info out there,,,
I also have always found, everytime, I score, the areas have one thing in common..... young growth, no matter how small, up along old conifers, some marsh and water.... water is always a key..... many forget that bucks need water even in late season, and they go to the best seepages, and springs,,,,,,,
the last buck I have shot in the far north was 2013, it was at 11am and it was 18 below, no wind and lots of sun..... big tracks were the tip off, and sitting in a windfall, I arrowed him, at 10 yards,
My quick question for you razor. You shot that buck at 11 am. Do you remember if the moon was over head? I know mature deer will get up and browse a bit during mid day. There's a lot of rubbish on the moon. I haven't found anything consistent with it other than when the moon is over head or under foot. Espessially when it coincides with feeding times. Also....
Maybe talk about what it took to get that guy?
at that time of the year, very few to no one, is hunting this type of land, and I can assure you, no one mostly will hunt, far off of a road,,,, I believe in areas I scouted in the spring, because the sign was there, but my best chance, at getting a buck is now the late season.....
even during the rut, too much disturbance, in a lot of these areas, and the bucks are breeding, but still in survival mode.......
come late season, now I am talking about after the 10th, of December, the few good bucks, have to put on the feed...... a buck bedding, uses a lot of calories, trying to keep his body warm,,,,,,,
sometimes its so cold, that they are not going to be up late in the day, but rather during the middle of the day.....
a lot of people will disagree with that, but I believe it, you asked about the moon, you know I have no idea, what the moon phase was.....
at 9:30am I cut one single track, and knew right away it was a buck track and a good one...... I slowly followed it, and it took me into a good area, and at 10:30am, I found a pinch point, and a big downfall....
I than put on my friends heater body suit, and layed down in the snow, having only a camo cushion for a seat.......
11am I could not believe my eyes, here comes a buck, walking and feeding around in the area, I can see him 100 yards out, just milling around, no wind, lots of sun,,,,,,, I have time to know get on my knees and wait, and had a little trouble doing it with this suit,,,,,,
sometimes you need some luck, but he came to that pinch point, and I was able to get him,,,,,,, I was elated, and knew now I had some work,,,, but I had all day, got out of the suit, and hung that up,,,,,,,,
to get him out, took two trips, plus the suit, and it took me about 4 hours,,,, going back and forth, plus I took my time,,,,,,,,,,
registered at 5pm............
I took my best buck in 2011, in southern wis, again, very cold week, mid week, break in weather, knew where I wanted to go, again a spot scouted in the spring, and now, no one in the area...... I was about 6 feet up in a tree, a hang on and one stick..... shot distance was 9 steps, and it was 11:30am
last season, during the late season, I could have shot 5 bucks, they were all legal, but not would I have shot,,,,, I am no snob, just that I know the quality that still exists our there,,,,,,,, and I have the time to hunt, which is a big plus
anyway, I said this before, but now have made a commitment, I am going to have her show me how to post pictures,,,,,,,
I want to post and chronicle some of the areas I hunt in the north, regardless of predators etc, there are some great bucks spots,,,, nothing to compare to western wis, but still respectable, and out of farm country,,,,,,
to me its all an adventure,,,,,, this fall, if I fill tags my list is SD, Ontario, N wis, western UP MI, and Kansas, late season,,,,,, I never been to Kansas, but thought I would drive down there, if tags are filled, and look around....... I think the trick to that season, may also be late season
I'm out about once a week setting up ground blinds during rain or hi winds . Get in & out , no trail cams . The sign left bwhind tells me whats in the area .
Lots of Bear sign & some really huge Bears . I keep e-mailing the DNR to double the # of Bear tags . I know of 2 giants locations if anyone is interested . The local guys don't seem to care . Too many Bears I guess .
Early rut has been a good time as well getting mature bucks to respond to calling with grunts and bleating in the big woods. One of my most memorable hunts up north was a big ten that I called in. I heard him rubbing a tree not more that 60 yards away on the other side of a thick patch of spruce. I gave him a little time to see if he was coming my way before I gave him a few grunts. Within a minute, he emerged out of the spruce and followed my entry path to the base of my tree. I was wearing leather hunting boots that I had sprayed down with scent killer, and to this day I am amazed that he kept coming. I couldn't shoot obviously, so I let him get behind me were it was real thick and then gave him a few soft bleats. He then completely circled me trying to use the wind as I would give him a soft grunt or bleat to keep him from wandering off. Eventually, he was at 18 yards where I totally whiffed him. That miss haunted me for a couple years. Eventually, I thoroughly scouted the area that I know was his bedding area it was full of scrapes, but very few rubs.
My next suggestion is very obvious, but hunt the does. That's easier said than done with such low deer densities up north, but nothing can cause a mature buck to become more careless and turn around an uneventful season like a doe in heat. I don't usually worry about being busted by a doe since I try to hunt high in a spruce tree which gives me great cover and I feel safer going a little higher to get my scent over the deer.
Another tip that may seem obvious is to hunt the sign. I have some areas that I consider real good spots that sometimes will have very little sign. So if I do find some fresh sign of a big buck in a different area, you can bet that I will try to figure out how to hunt the sign quickly. I have been guilty of getting myself in a rut in the past by hunting a spot because it was good for example, two years ago or there was big buck sign there 4 years ago, etc. But at the expense of missing out on hunting other areas that had the fresh sign.
I am also a "get away from the crowd" hunter. Most of my good spots are a half hour to 45 minutes by foot. If it is ATV inaccessible, even better. I've really focused on the clearcuts the past decade. If I can find a recent clearcut with the right topography/layout, good transitions, and water in the area, with a finger coming off the back side, I expect to find sign and expect most deer in the area to use it.
of course I hunt no matter what, but the full moon has always been tough for me, which is usually this week I mentioned, but now its going to be the first few days of November, at least according to my calendar,,,,,,
either way, I have no real knowledge one way or another, on the moon phases,,,, read all kinds of info, but base my opinion on my own hunts....
again this is all for the far north,,,,, I also watch maps and info, on potential weather forecasts, or patterns for upcoming fall, and so far, looks like we may be in for early winter weather, better pack your heater body suits
I'll hunt the three days leading up to Halloween and will usually start to do an all day sit or two around Halloween if I'm finding good sign and seeing more deer movement.
with that said, when it comes to big woods, I do not put that much emphasis, on spring scouting,,,, in my area, in season scouting is so much more important,,,, the deer areas change, you have to know where they went, and are....
I get off on hunting big body deer, older deer, not so much on the rack size,,,,, there are very remote areas of the western UP, that are great spots, and big deer, do not expect a threat from a 2 legged hunter.....
now a days, you need to get remote, and it takes a lot of work,,,,,, bucks are pressured from the wolves, who hunt in the night, and early am, so you have a better chance mid day......
2010 11 and 12 we had mild winters, 13 and 14 very tough, but those early years on a buck that has survived, see some nice horns this year,,,,,,,
one thing I learned about big woods, leave the young forest areas alone, lots of grouse hunters (I am one of those), but puts pressure in the area,,,,,
find the remote swamps, with ridges and feeder creeks.....
man I can not wait for fall
I don't always have much time to summer scout, but this summer is different so I'm enjoying the extra time and it helps me stay focused and connected. Even with changing food sources, eventual buck dispersement, and baiting everywhere, I still enjoy collecting as much information, studying the variables, and we'll see if at the end of the season I feel summer scouting was worthwhile.
I am using cameras now for the first time, so at the very minimum, I will get some deer on camera and see if they show up come hunting season. Hopefully they do because I had a couple of dandies around back in June. I'll be up north again in a week or two and hopefully will have a good report to post.
During the early season I like to focus on bedding near fresh clear cuts. Cuts that have occurred within the last few years. If they left patches of oaks even better. But by the time they start to drop I focus on oaks that are in close proximity to (bedding) swamps. Bedding on swamps are pretty predictable.
With the deer population being as low as it is. The food sources are not eaten up as fast. So I pretty much focus on oaks all the way through and to the rut. 2 years ago I killed a 10 point in mid October on public land going to red oaks. I thought I was close enough to his bed but he didn't make it close enough by the time light closed. Normally I don't hunt the same spot twice back to back. But I went in the next day. And got to where I saw him at last light. he made the same move. I was prepared.
The whole October lull I use to read about as a kid and hearing it from my elders. I don't believe in it. I think a lot of changes occur in the woods during this time. If you still focus on the little things I think you can stay consistent. They don't move to far but they are up earlier than most believe. You just have to see it for yourself.
As others have mentioned. Hunting scrape lines 3 or 4th week of October. I do the same. But I've noticed scrapes die out around November 4 or 5. Not to say they don't hit them. It's just not as consistent as previous. By then I like to focus on doe bedding. I haven't seen many true mature bucks during the rut. I'm talking 4 and older. But when I have, it's always been in swamps where there are many points and islands in it. This is bedding. Some of the best rutting I've ever seen. And the feel safe in there.
I still like hunting in a pinch funnel. It's good cruising. Espessially if there is bedding on both sides. But it seems to get 3 years and younger bucks cruising daytime.
One thing I want to focus on this year for the rut. Is hunting crosswind to doe bedding. I always hunt downwind. But over the years I've seen bucks up wind on the parallel trail scent checking. Missing a lot of action. Certain situations I can make it work and get the shot either side they take. I think that's something to pay attention too.
As far as late season goes. I'm not as experienced as I believe I should. But if when I do hunt. I'll hunt thick tamaracks that transition into a late food source. It seems My necks of the wood I hunt holds a lot of deer once it gets colder and the food changes.
Yellow. His bed
Orange. His path
White. My stand in a rotten poplar.
After I shot him. He actually died in his bed. His feet were tucked in. With a fresh rub on the tree he had behind his bed. Last year another buck took over. But I couldn't close the deal. I think this year I'll try to ground hunt. But it's very consistent
