What would you do?

[rabiddawg]

A buddy and I went into a wma this past weekend to scout an area I had a hunch about. While scouting we found a rub line and several scrapes and decided to hunt there the next morning. As we were making our way back to the truck we agreed to split up. I believe the buck winded me and ran toward him presenting a running shot in woods. Needless to say we found no sign of a hit and did a good search of the entire area; he was sick. He states that it was at least a 130 class deer with wide palmated main beams and very dark chocolate colored antlers. He said it was a once in a lifetime buck, not because of the size but because of the palmation and gnarliness of the rack. This coming from a guy that last year killed a 132" mainframe eight with 20" of drop tines and kickers totaled 152".

My questions are:

1. When I go back, hope the buck returns and hunt that area?

2. Head in another direction and look for signs of the buck because he has left that area and may not return?

Give me some advice. BTW, my buddy said he would stay in the area we found because of the up coming rut.

 

[sreekers]

You have a mature buck in the area, he will come back at some point especially if the rut isn't in full swing.

 

[Bambistew]

IMO it depends. That buck could have come from a diffrent area all together and may have been out doing recon for ladies. The pre-rut tends to be the time when bucks stake out thier home turf. So if he's around now, he'll likely be there later, on the other hand there could have been a hot doe in the area and he caught wind of it.

I would bet that he's probably a local buck since you caught him in the rub scrape area. I would wait for the right wind, sneak in and set up. Try a little rattleing as well. If there are lots of fresh scrapes, hunt them now before the rut starts and they abandon them.

I like to hunt fresh scrapes and rub lines before the peak of the rut, then when the rut kicks in, move in close or into doe bedding areas where the bucks start crusing heavily.

Good luck on getting him.

 

[DRAFTSTUD]

I think if you want that Buck your only choice is to hunt that area in the Rut. All stratigies are off when the rut kicks in, even if he was spooked by ya'll, the Does he will be trailing were not spooked! John

 

[280rem]

I would leave the area alone for a couple of days, wait until the wind's in your favor & sneak back in.

 

[TLC]

if thats his home turf, he'll be back. hunt it again after a few days but before the actual rut kicks in. unless you know where the does are at in the area. as Arnie once said......he'll be back.....

 

[noharleyyet]

I would leave the area alone for a couple of days, wait until the wind's in your favor & sneak back in.

...good advice.

 

[rabiddawg]

Funny how great minds think alike.

We have had very mild weather so far this season so a short cold snap gets a man thinking. During lunch yesterday I thought about making the 3 hr drive to hunt this deer all day Tuesday since it was going to be 32 degrees with a light north wind. Not 15 minutes after I dismissed this idea my buddy calls and said he wanted to leave later in the day was I up for it. Short version is that after 3 phone calls we decided to wait until the next extended cold spell to go after this buck. Accuweather 15 day forecast calls for a cold spell in our area on the 12th-15th. We have also decided not to walk in with flashlights but wait for enough light to see and then sneak in.

Looks like ole big boy has 8 more days to live.

 

[rabiddawg]

I just returned from several days of hunting both on my Dad's property and on the wma.

Deer movement has been pittiful. After sitting on my stand for a couple of mornings I decided to do some more scouting on the wma. No fresh buck sign and only one fresh deer track 24 hrs after a thunderstorm rolled through. I knew there was not a population problem out there but expected to see something. The gun season closes on the 23rd so time is running out for this year. I intend to squirrel hunt the area just to get some scouting done for next year.

 

[snake river rufus]

Do they still let you cajuns shoot 5 deer a year?

 

[rabiddawg]

Nope, we get six, but it doesn't look like the limit will apply to me this year. This is shaping up to be the worst season I have had in 12 years.

I think it has been a combination of things. More pressure from neighbors, weather in the upper 70's and no extended cold weather, more property around us going into wrp and crp may have spread our herd out some, but we were over populated to start with. My dad's property is only 200 acres and is long and narrow making it less than ideal to hunt. Any where we go subjects the deer to scent and noise coupled with neighbors doing the same thing makes for nocturnal deer.