Question: Hunting A Buck's Core Area

Question; If you have located a buck's core area, would you hunt that area hard or wait him out for the appropriate pre rut conditions and try to catch him in the cruising phase come late October? I've got a monster located and am chomping at the bit to get in there and hunt hard every chance I get. I just don't know if I run the risk of making him nocturnal or having him avoid the area completely. Any thoughts?

I would try my best to get him before he starts cruising. If you can pattern him now then now is your best chance. Unless you continuely spook him he won't avoid the area.

Not sure if you know who Andrae D'Acquisto (started Lone Wolf Tree Stands) but I read an article he wrote once that talked about his tatics for hunting big bucks. He said if he knows where a big buck is bedding he will purposely jump the buck out of it's bed then hang a stand where he can catch it coming back in. His theory is if a buck is bedded, sees or smells you and is able to escape then it's a good spot to the deer. It was able to bed there and detect danger allowing for escape and it will return to this spot to bed again. Most think that if this were to happen the buck would avoid the spot and never return. He claims to have killed many deer using this strategy.

Originally Posted by woodsrider

I would try my best to get him before he starts cruising. If you can pattern him now then now is your best chance. Unless you continuely spook him he won't avoid the area.

Not sure if you know who Andrae D'Acquisto (started Lone Wolf Tree Stands) but I read an article he wrote once that talked about his tatics for hunting big bucks. He said if he knows where a big buck is bedding he will purposely jump the buck out of it's bed then hang a stand where he can catch it coming back in. His theory is if a buck is bedded, sees or smells you and is able to escape then it's a good spot to the deer. It was able to bed there and detect danger allowing for escape and it will return to this spot to bed again. Most think that if this were to happen the buck would avoid the spot and never return. He claims to have killed many deer using this strategy.

Yes, but how big and mature of deer? If you are tryin to fill the freezer only then this will work probably 75% of the time and it usually you will only get one or two cracks at him before he figures you out. Ill bet a doughnut to a dollar that none of those Bucks he killed were "Monster" status. Because we all know they dont get to that status being stupid. What I would do in this situation is not to even get near his core area during this time. Even during the Rut, the really mature bucks will still revert back to their safety zones. I am a firm believer in giving him his space but watching him from a distance and keepin tabs on him. Feed the heck out of the does and wait him out because he will come soon enough. If you have seen him he once or twice he has seen you probably 10 more times then your one. He is actually patterining you. My advice and tatic that has worked for me is observe and wait, when he starts to cruise,(you will know when) usually 1 to 2 wks before the gun season in KY begins, use some off the wall strategy and if you have been traveling to your stand the same way every time go the extra mile and come in from the opposite even if it means getting permission to come in from someone elses property or climbing a mountain rather than walking a road. If you ride a quad in, dont do it that day, hoof it in, if you stop at the foodmart to get a bottle of water, dont do it that day. I believe the deer pattern us and when you see a guy killin big deer yr in and yr out its not because he is lucky. JMO, Good Luck

Originally Posted by Sweeperboy

Yes, but how big and mature of deer? If you are tryin to fill the freezer only then this will work probably 75% of the time and it usually you will only get one or two cracks at him before he figures you out. Ill bet a doughnut to a dollar that none of those Bucks he killed were "Monster" status. Because we all know they dont get to that status being stupid. What I would do in this situation is not to even get near his core area during this time. Even during the Rut, the really mature bucks will still revert back to their safety zones. I am a firm believer in giving him his space but watching him from a distance and keepin tabs on him. Feed the heck out of the does and wait him out because he will come soon enough. If you have seen him he once or twice he has seen you probably 10 more times then your one. He is actually patterining you. My advice and tatic that has worked for me is observe and wait, when he starts to cruise,(you will know when) usually 1 to 2 wks before the gun season in KY begins, use some off the wall strategy and if you have been traveling to your stand the same way every time go the extra mile and come in from the opposite even if it means getting permission to come in from someone elses property or climbing a mountain rather than walking a road. If you ride a quad in, dont do it that day, hoof it in, if you stop at the foodmart to get a bottle of water, dont do it that day. I believe the deer pattern us and when you see a guy killin big deer yr in and yr out its not because he is lucky. JMO, Good Luck

Great post! You know more than I thought. Whackem, you need to listen to sweep, he has killed a few good one's in his time. Maybe he will take a couple pictures of his wall to prove his excellent knowledge of killing big deer. Also sweep, your post are starting to look like Leatherneck's

Originally Posted by Sweeperboy

Yes, but how big and mature of deer? If you are tryin to fill the freezer only then this will work probably 75% of the time and it usually you will only get one or two cracks at him before he figures you out. Ill bet a doughnut to a dollar that none of those Bucks he killed were "Monster" status. Because we all know they dont get to that status being stupid. What I would do in this situation is not to even get near his core area during this time. Even during the Rut, the really mature bucks will still revert back to their safety zones. I am a firm believer in giving him his space but watching him from a distance and keepin tabs on him. Feed the heck out of the does and wait him out because he will come soon enough. If you have seen him he once or twice he has seen you probably 10 more times then your one. He is actually patterining you. My advice and tatic that has worked for me is observe and wait, when he starts to cruise,(you will know when) usually 1 to 2 wks before the gun season in KY begins, use some off the wall strategy and if you have been traveling to your stand the same way every time go the extra mile and come in from the opposite even if it means getting permission to come in from someone elses property or climbing a mountain rather than walking a road. If you ride a quad in, dont do it that day, hoof it in, if you stop at the foodmart to get a bottle of water, dont do it that day. I believe the deer pattern us and when you see a guy killin big deer yr in and yr out its not because he is lucky. JMO, Good Luck

You would owe me a dollar. Google his name and go to images to see what type of deer he kills.

I will try to find the article I read and post a link.

This may sound goofy, but my neighbor has killed some monsters. Absolute bruisers. Here's his tactic. Once he locates them, he only hunts them in the rain. Yep, every day it rains, he hunts. Controls scent and sound. Can slip in quietly in the dark and he has a climber he uses that is his baby, one he modified and is super quiet. The proof is in the pudding. He has killed some giants.

Originally Posted by FamilyTradition

Great post! You know more than I thought. Whackem, you need to listen to sweep, he has killed a few good one's in his time. Maybe he will take a couple pictures of his wall to prove his excellent knowledge of killing big deer. Also sweep, your post are starting to look like Leatherneck's

Yes, I agree totally. It's not what I wanted to hear b/c I'm anxious, but I know it's the right thing to do. I'll start feeding the 1st week in October. You think 50lbs of corn will last til the end of the month? I think I like the new and improved Swiffer. This may be the first constructive thing he's said to me since I started posting on BGP.

Originally Posted by Whackem'n'Stackem'

Question; If you have located a buck's core area, would you hunt that area hard or wait him out for the appropriate pre rut conditions and try to catch him in the cruising phase come late October? I've got a monster located and am chomping at the bit to get in there and hunt hard every chance I get. I just don't know if I run the risk of making him nocturnal or having him avoid the area completely. Any thoughts?

Be careful going in there. And try not to get a shot of the swingset or the water fountain on tape when you harvest him.

Originally Posted by spindoc

This may sound goofy, but my neighbor has killed some monsters. Absolute bruisers. Here's his tactic. Once he locates them, he only hunts them in the rain. Yep, every day it rains, he hunts. Controls scent and sound. Can slip in quietly in the dark and he has a climber he uses that is his baby, one he modified and is super quiet. The proof is in the pudding. He has killed some giants.

I love hunting in the rain as well. I have killed some pretty nice deer hunting rain and sleet. Its not that I am willing to sit out there when no one else is, I just believe that when the rut starts you better be in that stand from dawn to dusk. Take your lunch in, you dont have to be in that one stand all day but you better be in the woods irregardless of the weather.

Whackem, get the corn out now (25 to 50 lbs per week), they will find it and about 1 week before the rut hits put out 200 lbs of corn all at once. The does already know there is corn there but when they get a look at that spread they wont leave. The bucks will actually still feed on it during the rut. What I have seen them do and have heard reports from others is the Bucks will stop at the pile to grab a mouth full and leave. He isnt going to stand around and pick a colonel here and there. He wants that big mouth full. Besides, he had other things on his mind. I know this tatic works, last yr I watch a buck come to my corn pile 6 different times during the course of about 5 hrs.

Originally Posted by Sweeperboy

I love hunting in the rain as well. I have killed some pretty nice deer hunting rain and sleet. Its not that I am willing to sit out there when no one else is, I just believe that when the rut starts you better be in that stand from dawn to dusk. Take your lunch in, you dont have to be in that one stand all day but you better be in the woods irregardless of the weather.

Whackem, get the corn out now (25 to 50 lbs per week), they will find it and about 1 week before the rut hits put out 200 lbs of corn all at once. The does already know there is corn there but when they get a look at that spread they wont leave. The bucks will actually still feed on it during the rut. What I have seen them do and have heard reports from others is the Bucks will stop at the pile to grab a mouth full and leave. He isnt going to stand around and pick a colonel here and there. He wants that big mouth full. Besides, he had other things on his mind. I know this tatic works, last yr I watch a buck come to my corn pile 6 different times during the course of about 5 hrs.

I am usually not a big fan of putting corn down (even though I have a feeder) to bait one in but this beast is a freak!!! I like the Corn=does=Bucks=slicin' n' icin'

Originally Posted by Whackem'n'Stackem'

I am usually not a big fan of putting corn down (even though I have a feeder) to bait one in but this beast is a freak!!! I like the Corn=does=Bucks=slicin' n' icin'

I hear ya. But if you dont treat em your neighbor hunters will. Im tellin ya this method works.