What are you doing differently?
Massachusetts
Alright guys, the best/biggest deer thread has got me thinking. There are a handful of you guys that kill big mature bucks consistently, year after year. I see you guys, you know who you are;) You guys are always humble saying, "just got lucky" or "just happened to be in the right place at the right time", but consistency isn't luck. I'm wondering what you guys are doing differently to consistently be in the right place at the right time?
...and a hush fell over the crowd, and all eyes turned to Moons.
The biggest thing that consistent buck killers have in common is scouting. They scout more than anyone else. They have spots for every wind, season, situation, etc. I bet every person will have this be their #1. #2 is property access. You cant kill big bucks if they aren't there. If you don't have access to a good property that has a big buck, go find one cause you wont kill a big boy otherwise. After 1 and 2, it all comes down to the details.
My personal #3 would be being mobile. Every nice buck I have killed was on the first sit in a spot. Last year I made a list of every buck me or my friends have killed in the past 3 years. I came up with about 25 bucks... 22 of those were on the first sit, 2 were on the 2nd sit, and the last was on a 3rd or 4th sit. Its pretty rare that anyone kills a nice buck by sitting the same stand over and over.
Definitely not the guy you want to ask about killing big deer. Lol. All eyes have turned to Ungie.
Pressure's on Ungie :)
I consistently shoot deer. Rare is the hunter more capable than I... at killing 1.5 year olds :) But the 3.5+ crowd... Im no master.
If I think of friends who seem to be machines in that regard... Bigwoods points ring true. I'd add to that, they scout more than they hunt - in season even as much as that may sound sacrilege. They are on the move looking for flaming hot big deer sign and wont hunt till they are on it. If they dont kill the deer on the first few sits, the move on. And that's with consistent bow killed 4.5+ YO's year in and year out, sometimes 2 of em a year in central MA or SW NH. Amazing.
Because of that, Ill be watching this thread keenly! I have a lot to learn with those big fellas.
You gotta be where big deer are and you have to have alot of time to hunt. Guys I know that shoot the consistently bag big bucks are in the woods at least some part of 5 or 6 days a week. I'm not that lucky. I work in Boston and spend 18 hours a week commuting so hunting during the week is not an option unless I burn days off.
Spend time in your stand!!! Period. I think we all can find deer sign in the woods but if you can only hunt on The weekends or for an occasional sit during the week it is real tough. You can get lucky but the chances tilt drastically to your side if you can sit a lot.
Preseason and during the early part of the season run as many trail cameras as you dare to lose to thieves. It will narrow down your spots in finding the big deer
If hunting big woods get to know that section of woods really well. It might take a year or two to be able to figure it out, but once you do it will be like clockwork every year until something changes their patterns
Pay attention to how you access and leave your stand site. It does matter !!!
I just wrote a long reply and it disappeared. Ugh. I’ll summarize due to time:
I do get lucky. I shoot whatever is legal I see. Most of my spots do hold big deer. You can’t kill a big one if they aren’t around. I don’t wait for them normally. But they are around. I run alot of cameras. I am always gaining and losing spots. Most of my spots are 10 acres or less abutting larger chunks of private land. Many of these places don’t allow hunting. I do know there are guys in there but the pressure is low. Some of my biggest bucks are fairly close to houses. Read the book “urban deer complex”. Very good Hunt all year as much as possible. In all weather
My friend has more big bucks on his wall than anyone I know. All have come off state land in Ct. He has lost more friends to hunting than most people loss in a life time. If someone is around that has never been there. It most be because the buddy I brought here told them about. He is out of mind lol, and I refuse to hunt with him. I will tell he is out every weekend scouting. Even during the season he's out there scouting not even hunting till the second week of November. That's when he's actually sitting in a tree. Then the second the season ends. It's scouting ever single day he has off. Odd thing is. He will shoot a skipper if it walks by. If four skippers walked by. He'd shoot them all. Tag out, and be happy with that. He just finds the spots where the most deer are. Which gives him the best chance at getting a nice buck.
Exactly Murphy... I think everyone here puts a lot of time in... whatever they can with work, family responsibilities, etc.. Time in stand will eventually lead to success if you are hunting where the deer are... But, you simply cannot kill a big buck if they are not in your area. Obviously, they will cruise through, but that is strictly luck. If you hunt in a core area where there are big deer, obviously the chances increase. It sounds overly simple, but that really has been my key to success. I would kill small bucks consistently when that is all I had on camera. Once if found new spots that held big deer, I still killed small bucks, but occasionally that big boy would come through I had on camera. Just knowing they are in the areas makes it more fun.
I've shot big deer in the heat of September in CT w/ sweat pouring off of me. I have shot them the first week of MA bow. I have shot them during the "October lull". I have shot them peak rut. Late season.. Point is, you have to be out there.. rarely do we get that "perfect" day for weather. I have killed a few good ones in the rain. I always do seem to have better luck when bad weather is coming in or has left and they are looking to feed. Most of my spots have a food source either nearby or where my stand is located. The last 2 good bucks I shot w/ the bow came at the tail end of rain. I never even heard them come in bc it was so quiet... same stand as well... the past 2 seasons.
Game Plan Change for BB:
Stay outta the MUD !
I used to see alot of deer because back then I had alot of time to hunt. Now its like one or two days a week. I think time is the biggest reason for success. For me it has been quite awhile since I even saw a good size buck. Mostly does, skips, and forkys lately.
I haven't found my luck yet Ungie. Had a monster wider than anything I've ever seen at 20 yards. Just needed a two more steps to clear a thicket. He didn't take them. Then two years ago I was locked in a 3 day battle with a big 9 pointer. Had two stands 100 yards apart If I was in one he was at the other. Two mornings in a row he walked by the same stand, so I went there and put my dad in the other one. He hit the opening at 7am and went straight to my dad. This year put a stand in a thicket that was torn up told my day I was gonna sit the next morning. Changed my mind the that morning. Told my dad to sit it (he already used his buck tag). Got a text saying dumbass and this picture lol.
