Would you target a buck you HAD to still-hunt?

Huntnful

Huntnful

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If you had an absolute hammer of a buck scouted up, but the ONLY way to kill him was to live above him and still-hunt into his area every day in hopes of catching him cruising through or feeding, would you do it? Visibility would be about 100 yards MAX in most areas along the ridge. One of the biggest bucks you've seen in 4 years.

The thought of a tree stand crosses my mind also, but I don't know if I could personally commit to a stand. And it's MILES back in there.
 
I'm not real good at still hunting. But if the wind is good, and things are either wet enough to be quiet or it is real soft footing, I would try it. In situations like that I have a saying I follow: "You can go too fast, but it is almost impossible to go too slow."

So yes, I would wait for the right conditions and wade in there VERY SLOWLY.
 
mtmuley said:
I'd wait for a long range shot. mtmuley
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Oh I would much prefer that lol. But it’s impossible in this scenario. I can only glass him from 1.2 Miles away. There are no closer vantages. He also uses both sides of the ridge. And there’s quite a bit of dark timber and high brush.
 
Also, got to thinking.......It might be alot easier to have a buddy or two along. Maybe cover an escape route, and one to slip along above or below you. Nice buck!!
 
ICMDEER said:
Also, got to thinking.......It might be alot easier to have a buddy or two along. Maybe cover an escape route, and one to slip along above or below you. Nice buck!!
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It would definitely be ideal to have someone stay on the ridge a mile away glassing while I’m in place to kill him. But I don’t expect that from anyone to help me kill. And only have 2 other buddies that are killers and they’ll be hunting for themselves in different areas. But I definitely agree with what you said!
buckhorn said:
You bumped him so you’ll probably never see him again!
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Hahaha that KOWA 884 makes him look like he’s right there from over a mile away!
 
How many days do you have to kill him?

Have you seen him multiple times in that exact small clearing which you filmed him?
 
What weapon? Archery? Sit your butt in a tree on a travel route from bed to feed. Commit to it all hunt. Patience kills. If it's a gun tag don't forget your skirt.
 
Tristate said:
How many days do you have to kill him?
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6 straight days and 3 following weekends.

Also, I saw a giant buck on this same ridge about a mile away last year, so there is definitely a possibility of multiple big deer in this small vicinity that won’t get killed unless they’re turned up at short range in their somewhat dense area.
 
Bigwiffy said:
What weapon? Archery? Sit your butt in a tree on a travel route from bed to feed. Commit to it all hunt. Patience kills. If it's a gun tag don't forget your skirt.
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Both. But I only have one weekend for archery then I’m out of state on archery elk hunts until the end of September.

Hahahaha I’ll bring my skirt!! Because I definitely prefer rifle. I like actually killing things when I see them ?.
 
Huntnful said:
Oh I would much prefer that lol. But it’s impossible in this scenario. I can only glass him from 1.2 Miles away. There are no closer vantages. He also uses both sides of the ridge. And there’s quite a bit of dark timber and high brush.
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I was being sarcastic. Go get him. mtmuley
 
Been hunting two bucks of that caliber in the sierras over the last few years. One looks real similar, tall heavy 6x6 with an extra. They live in the same spot where there’s almost no other way besides still hunting. You just have to have major luck on your side that you don’t get winded or seen by him or his younger dumber buddies first. He probably has a few decoys even throughout October. Can you see where he beds or the general patch of timber then make your 1 mile+ hike over mid morning? I’ve never been able to see where certain bucks bed but that would obviously be the best case scenario.
 
Could try a tree saddle maybe? I had a buck that was like that, not a monster but a 160ish buck in a Co unit that gives out 1500 buck tags a year. Hunted him for 4 days a straight and he hung out in one little drainage, super thick stuff. I tried waiting and ambushing him, still hunting, finally on closing day thought he was bedded above me, waited till the last hour and thought maybe my buddy could wind bump him down to me, well he bumped him and old boy didn’t come down the drainage but went over an near cliff, never saw him again great hunt, and I could see why he was still running around
 
I
PacificFork said:
Been hunting two bucks of that caliber in the sierras over the last few years. One looks real similar, tall heavy 6x6 with an extra. They live in the same spot where there’s almost no other way besides still hunting. You just have to have major luck on your side that you don’t get winded or seen by him or his younger dumber buddies first. He probably has a few decoys even throughout October. Can you see where he beds or the general patch of timber then make your 1 mile+ hike over mid morning? I’ve never been able to see where certain bucks bed but that would obviously be the best case scenario.
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I really debated this also. Bedding him up from a mile away and then moving in. But I’ve turned him up twice now. About 400 yards apart on opposite sides of a dense timber patch. One time he fed along the left side and dropped into the timber. The next time, he fed along the right side and went up and over the hill.

So even though that is an option, I figured I would maybe have a 5% chance of relocating him after the 2 hour hike, if I was even able to catch him about in the open in September.

Where as if I was living with him, and turned him up during rifle season, he’s a dead deer 100%. But the odds are also still slim of “stumbling” into him.
 
257Tony said:
I've killed most of my bigger bucks by doing just this, still hunting quakies during the October lull, when the older bucks act like vampires.
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Great to hear. I’ve killed a couple of random bucks doing this as well. But never an actual target. But I’ve only ever had one “target buck” and I did kill him second weekend of rifle season.

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Send me a pin on OnX and I’ll tell you exactly how I got him killed ?

Kidding aside deer like that are extremely hard to kill. Some of the biggest deer I’ve killed in October on rifle tags in highly pressured units have lived in very similar spots. It takes an extreme level of patience and the restraint of when to make the move and when not to. It’s an extremely slow process but you have to play ball obviously when the wind is right. Just gotta keep one in pipe and the scope cranked down. Cover every little thing with the binos in front of you, move 20 to 40 yards and repeat the process. The buck probably has some sort of pattern. A certain game trail he uses to and and from bed/a certain pocket he beds etc. extremely tough intel to obtain without walking into his bedroom and blowing him out.

Coloradoboy
 
The_Coloradoboy said:
Send me a pin on OnX and I’ll tell you exactly how I got him killed ?

Kidding aside deer like that are extremely hard to kill. Some of the biggest deer I’ve killed in October on rifle tags in highly pressured units have lived in very similar spots. It takes an extreme level of patience and the restraint of when to make the move and when not to. It’s an extremely slow process but you have to play ball obviously when the wind is right. Just gotta keep one in pipe and the scope cranked down. Cover every little thing with the binos in front of you, move 20 to 40 yards and repeat the process. The buck probably has some sort of pattern. A certain game trail he uses to and and from bed/a certain pocket he beds etc. extremely tough intel to obtain without walking into his bedroom and blowing him out.

Coloradoboy
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100% man. Great info. I’m going to tip toe around during archery season to get a feel for the terrain and small vantages in the areas I’ve seen him. Nothing super aggressive.

But I want to have key locations to make it too when the time comes. He may mess up, or I may never see him.
 
First time I turned him up he took the left route out of the timber and went across the hillside and dropped into more timber. Second time he took the right route and went up and over. I know it looks crazy thick, but there are some openings along the ridge line.

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The_Coloradoboy said:
I probably wouldn’t even mess with him archery . I’d just sit back and watch from a distance unless he makes a drastic move on you.
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I know it man. The only reason is for me to get a better idea of the terrain instead of learning it during rifle season. But I’m sure some other big bucks live in the area, so wouldn’t mind checking it out with some kind of weapon in hand is all.
 
Tristate said:
Both in the morning? Do you remember the winds?
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Yep, both in the morning. And I glassed HARD both evenings prior until dark and never saw him.

Oh yeah, wind almost always blows from west to east starting about 8:00am. And pretty calm with just the natural thermals at first light.
 
Huntnful said:
6 straight days and 3 following weekends.

Also, I saw a giant buck on this same ridge about a mile away last year, so there is definitely a possibility of multiple big deer in this small vicinity that won’t get killed unless they’re turned up at short range in their somewhat dense area.
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And this is the reason big bucks will never get shot out in many areas. Is a scope on a muzzleloader or LR rifle going to make any difference? There are hundreds, if not thousands of areas like this that big bucks call home.
BTW, the last big buck I killed in 2019 was by still hunting into the wind and I shot the feeding buck at 70 yards.
 
mtmuley said:
If you have to ask how to kill that buck on an open forum, you are screwed from the get go. mtmuley
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I’m not asking how to kill him. I already know how I’m going to hunt him. I was asking if other people would still-hunt for a target buck if it was the only way to kill him. I know the only way to kill him lol. Thank you though.
ridgetops said:
And this is the reason big bucks will never get shot out in many areas. Is a scope on a muzzleloader or LR rifle going to make any difference? There are hundreds, if not thousands of areas like this that big bucks call home.
BTW, the last big buck I killed in 2019 was by still hunting into the wind and I shot the feeding buck at 70 yards.
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Sweet! Glad to hear it worked out for you!! I know it’s possible, just low odds!
 
JPickett said:
I mean jugs, for days of water. That a tarp and sone snickers bars. How bad ya want it
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Hell yeah. I’ve packed in several gallons the weekend before opener also!! Going over a mile and dropping some 2000’ for water when you need to focus on killing something is never ideal.
 
I agree to not bugger him during the archery season also. Unless you have some competition. Easier said than done though.

Are you able to spend any more time patterning him? I’d learn the most I could before rifle, get on the most logical route from previous scouting and SIT. Patience and being persistent at one tactic can really test a guy’s mental fortitude!

Best of luck to you
 
Honestly from the picture I think there is a good chance of bedding and killing the buck. You may see him a few times and not have a mark or approach on him. But I think there are lots of small shade islands that he will end up screwing up and laying in a spot you can mark.
 
Cool thread - I’d be inclined to get in there spring time and do some recon.
You found a sweet hiding spot it seems.
Yes , still hunt it.
 
Tristate said:
Honestly from the picture I think there is a good chance of bedding and killing the buck. You may see him a few times and not have a mark or approach on him. But I think there are lots of small shade islands that he will end up screwing up and laying in a spot you can mark.
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Man it would be pretty dang tough. I obviously have the picture cropped super small for obvious reason. But there is about 1500’ of solid brush below that pic or a damn near 4+ mile loop to go around into the area and come in from the top. The hike would be 1/2 the day of not having him in sight basically. But I did seriously debate that as well.

I’ve seriously debated that though.
 
Focoelkman said:
Cool thread - I’d be inclined to get in there spring time and do some recon.
You found a sweet hiding spot it seems.
Yes , still hunt it.
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I figured it’d be fun to theorize about and see who has had good success still-hunting. I’ve ready all of Robby Denning’s stuff and do still-hunt a decent amount mid day when I know I’m in buck territory. But definitely my main tactic is glassing and then getting closer and killing.
 
Huntnful said:
Man it would be pretty dang tough. I obviously have the picture cropped super small for obvious reason. But there is about 1500’ of solid brush below that pic or a damn near 4+ mile loop to go around into the area and come in from the top. The hike would be 1/2 the day of not having him in sight basically. But I did seriously debate that as well.

I’ve seriously debated that though.
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Sounds like it will be one hellavu epic hunt to tell the grandkids about as you point to him mounted on the wall.

You can do it.
 
Here’s a big Idaho buck I glassed at 1000 yards, only 1 hour after I finished cutting up and hanging my elk I just killed. Cut the distance to 300 yards and killed him in his bed. Killed a bull and this buck within 3 hours of each other, 1 mile apart.

 
I don't think there's anything that gets the heart pounding like still hunting does. If you can keep the wind in your favor and really sneak in slow you can have some good opportunities. Bring some soft knee pads and leather gloves because you will probably be doing some crawling.

Those big boys aren't stupid and everything needs to be in your favor but it's about the best fair chase hunting there is. Much more challenging than shooting at them 1/2 mile away and more fun as well. The times when that buck beats you it's still a great rush and memory. You'll learn what works and doesn't work and get better for it.

It's easier to get closer to a big buck by still hunting than it is a bull elk that has a harem of cows imo. When you need to get close enough for archery it's dang hard to beat ten sets of eyes.
 
I would lose sleep over a buck like that. My eastern whitetail back ground kicked in and a deer drive was my first thought. But maybe its a 1 man drive. You still hunt your way in...if you bump him... set up in his bedroom with water and food for days and hope he returns. Anyone ever done that?
 
Soccerdude said:
I would lose sleep over a buck like that. My eastern whitetail back ground kicked in and a deer drive was my first thought. But maybe its a 1 man drive. You still hunt your way in...if you bump him... set up in his bedroom with water and food for days and hope he returns. Anyone ever done that?
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Not a bad idea but I could see the wind screwing you, it would have to be a spot where your scent wouldn’t be blowing to his ingress path
 
He is the reason they call it hunting. I hope you figure out a way to get close to him during the season. It's a win even if you don't get him if you get in close he has a few years left in him, You might get to hunt him several seasons.
He is big for a reason.
 
Gator said:
He is the reason they call it hunting. I hope you figure out a way to get close to him during the season. It's a win even if you don't get him if you get in close he has a few years left in him, You might get to hunt him several seasons.
He is big for a reason.
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Oh yeah. Hell, I’m just happy to turn up a buck of his caliber. It’ll be a fun game none the less. I got nothing better to do anyways haha. I’ve killed enough bucks here to be content with focusing on one big boy. I have 0 worries of others finding him, or attempting to kill him either. Nobody that just walks around in an attempt to kill something is going this far in. And anyone else going this far is 100% more likely to hunt the peaks above him in the open country. No one is just going to stumble into his bedroom. It’s WAY off the beat path of how you would normally hunt this area.
 
Huntnful said:
First time I turned him up he took the left route out of the timber and went across the hillside and dropped into more timber. Second time he took the right route and went up and over. I know it looks crazy thick, but there are some openings along the ridge line.

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Can you get to a vantage point to glass the other side that he went up and over? He may be bedding over there after feeding and watering on this side?? If not I would pick one of those routes and sit on it for days hoping he passes through again! (Playing the wind and thermals of course) best of luck! Patients kills!!
 
Go for gold with the arrow! Get as close as you can to that bedding and staging area. Play the wind, but they play it too. Would you feed downwind into dense cover or a perfect ambush if you were him? Bump him and he could vacate the area increasing the chance of somebody else harvesting him, but you have to take your chances.

This is textbook Dan Infalt whitetail hunting, finds big buck bedding, locates the first huntable tree along their exit rout, sets and hunts his tree stand on the night he hunts that buck. Pre hung stands with well trimmed shooting lanes only educate and relocate that shooter buck. Talking public land mature deer.
 
My experience is limited, so opinion worth zero here… but being naive and optimistic has led people to bag many big bucks and overthinking has led others to not even try. I’d be over there hunting him and I’d be hopeful every step of the way knowing it could happen at any second. I would not give much though to what might go wrong, but focus on what might go right. You have determined there is no other way to do it. So do it. It’s not that thick and he is there. What more is there to it? Good luck!
 
Katoom said:
My experience is limited, so opinion worth zero here… but being naive and optimistic has led people to bag many big bucks and overthinking has led others to not even try. I’d be over there hunting him and I’d be hopeful every step of the way knowing it could happen at any second. I would not give much though to what might go wrong, but focus on what might go right. You have determined there is no other way to do it. So do it. It’s not that thick and he is there. What more is there to it? Good luck!
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Wise words!
Focoelkman said:
Got nothing better to do , means no kids or career and $$$$

Go kill it!
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Haha I have all three ??. But nothing better to do as far as better deer to hunt lol.
 
The thing that stood out to me is the fact that the buck HAD to be still hunted. Like it is a lost art or something. Maybe it is. mtmuley
 
mtmuley said:
The thing that stood out to me is the fact that the buck HAD to be still hunted. Like it is a lost art or something. Maybe it is. mtmuley
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That’s a damn good point. I didn’t mean it that way at all. I love still-hunting when the conditions permit. I meant it more towards targeting a specific buck with that tactic. I mean, I’m going to do it. I already weighed out all my options. Just curious what others thought was all.
 
Soccerdude said:
I would lose sleep over a buck like that. My eastern whitetail back ground kicked in and a deer drive was my first thought. But maybe its a 1 man drive. You still hunt your way in...if you bump him... set up in his bedroom with water and food for days and hope he returns. Anyone ever done that?
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Be a good strategy most likely if a guy wanted to run him out of the country or make him go to nocturnal patterns. Deer has way to much country and escape routes for it to be feasible from what I can tell.
 
A couple of other things. Is the soil conducive to tracking? Maybe you can slide around the edges of his bedding area and learn something from his tracks. Then use that info to whack him.

Don't forget Kirt Darner's famous fishhook deal. I've never tried it but I remember when Darner's book came out, before he fell from grace, and people said it works on big bucks. Who knows??;)
 
Still hunting maybe your best option. I would look long and explore other options on setting up within four to 500 yards. Maybe there's a little clearing or a spot that you don't know about that you can get a shot at him from. I was hunting bears and was kind of dealing with the same situation as you. I didn't think there was any way to shoot him unless I was with in 100 yd. After making numerous trips into the area I found a little clearing I didn't know about that offered a pretty decent shot at about 400 yd where I could see a lot more country. By the time I figured it out I never saw the bear again. Maybe you find a few different openings thay you can see different spots of the area within shooting range. Have soome one back a mile or so and radio to you where he is, and then make your way to the spot where you can shoot him from. Good luck to you and have fun with it. Don't burn yourself out. Sometimes hitting it too hard and obsessing too much can take the fun out of it for me. There are other parts to life that must be lived between now and the hunting season. At least that's how I see it, and what I have gained from my experiences.
 
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schoolhousegrizz said:
Still hunting maybe your best option. I would look long and explore other options on setting up within four to 500 yards. Maybe there's a little clearing or a spot that you don't know about that you can get a shot at him from. I was hunting bears and was kind of dealing with the same situation as you. I didn't think there was any way to shoot him unless I was with in 100 yd. After making numerous trips into the area I found a little clearing I didn't know about that offered a pretty decent shot at about 400 yd where I could see a lot more country. By the time I figured it out I never saw the bear again. Maybe you find a few different openings thay you can see different spots of the area within shooting range. Have soome one back a mile or so and radio to you where he is, and then make your way to the spot where you can shoot him from. Good luck to you and have fun with it. Don't burn yourself out. Sometimes hitting it too hard and obsessing too much can take the fun out of it for me. There are other parts to life that must be lived between now and the hunting season. At least that's how I see it, and what I have gained from my experiences.
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Yes sir. That’s exactly what I’ll be doing during archery season. Learning the terrain and small vantages. And I won’t obsess over him either in the mean time. It’s all family stuff now until hunting season. Then I’m hunting the west for 60 days ????
 
ICMDEER said:
A couple of other things. Is the soil conducive to tracking? Maybe you can slide around the edges of his bedding area and learn something from his tracks. Then use that info to whack him.

Don't forget Kirt Darner's famous fishhook deal. I've never tried it but I remember when Darner's book came out, before he fell from grace, and people said it works on big bucks. Who knows??;)
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Please elaborate on the fish hook deal. Never heard of it.
 
Huntnful said:
Yes sir. That’s exactly what I’ll be doing during archery season. Learning the terrain and small vantages. And I won’t obsess over him either in the mean time. It’s all family stuff now until hunting season. Then I’m hunting the west for 60 days ????
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Shoot man 60 days?! That’s amazing, having my first kiddo soon I’ll be lucky to get out 6 days this year haha
 
Explained what little I know of the fishhook on the other post about it. Go maybe 100 yards in the thick stuff where you think the buck is bedded, then hook back and watch your back trail. Then go forward again, and hook back again.

Theory is the buck knows you're in his bedroom and will slip out behind you knowing that's where you have already been.

I'm sure other people know more about it than I do.
 
The_Coloradoboy said:
Be a good strategy most likely if a guy wanted to run him out of the country or make him go to nocturnal patterns. Deer has way to much country and escape routes for it to be feasible from what I can tell.
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I have heard stories of bucks getting bumped and then getting killed in the same bed a day or 2 later. Maybe not a true giant like this one. I guess if you tried to sit on the edge of his bedroom for a few days the thermals and wind would blow your scent all over the place. Probably not a good idea. Ha.
 
Kinda got think of the whitetail roots of, if the winds not right your not going to hunt that stand that day. I had old, heavy, 3 point buck a couple years ago that was a similar situation. He was living in a place where the only way to kill him was go straight into the bed room. Started in on him two days in a row and the wind wasn’t right and completely backed out. Finally got a favorable wind. Slipped in and ended up killing him in his bed in the middle of the day. Only difference is was I knew the general area he would be bedded in.
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The best advice everyone has given is to not move in on him unless the wind is right. I would attempt to move in and kill him during archery season. Waiting in a tree stand or a strategic spot on the ground may be more effective than spot and stalk with a bow. If I watched him cross the same saddle or section of hillside a couple days in a row, I would move in and try to ambush him.

I'm guessing this is an Idaho buck. He may move locations after he rubs his velvet off at the begging of archery season or could stay in the same general area until the beginning of November. Even if he only moves 1/2 mile it could be difficult to find him.

I also prefer glassing up a buck and then move into shooting range with bow or rifle. That is how I kill most bucks but it isn't always the best way to hunt a spot.

I killed a buck in this type of situation last year in Colorado. He was in thick cover and the best way to hunt it was to still hunt or stand hunt it. Most of the areas he lived you could only see 25 to 50 yards but there were areas I could see 100 or even 500 yards. I first tried to hunt him from a distance and set up 400+ yards from his core area. One day I had him at 500-600 yards for about 30 minutes but he never gave me a good open shot because of all the trees. After watching from a distance for a few days I finally decided to move in and still hunt the area and was able to kill him. I was forced to take an off hand shot at about 100 yards because he was looking in my direction and trying to figure out what I was. The curve of the hill prevented me from kneeling and taking the shot off my shooting sticks.
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The buck below I killed in Idaho last year also while still hunting. Snow made the visibility 100-400 yards, so long range glassing wasn't an option. Following fresh tracks and still hunting were my only options. I found this buck around 10am in his bed.
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Me and my friends have killed many bucks after blowing them out of their core area. One of the bucks my friend missed at only 100 yards the day before and he was right back in his core area the next day. Normally they disappear for at least 2-3 days when you blow them out but not always. General season Idaho bucks also don't move much in the open during daylight when hunting pressure increases during the rifle hunt.
 
BrianID said:
The best advice everyone has given is to not move in on him unless the wind is right. I would attempt to move in and kill him during archery season. Waiting in a tree stand or a strategic spot on the ground may be more effective than spot and stalk with a bow. If I watched him cross the same saddle or section of hillside a couple days in a row, I would move in and try to ambush him.

I'm guessing this is an Idaho buck. He may move locations after he rubs his velvet off at the begging of archery season or could stay in the same general area until the beginning of November. Even if he only moves 1/2 mile it could be difficult to find him.

I also prefer glassing up a buck and then move into shooting range with bow or rifle. That is how I kill most bucks but it isn't always the best way to hunt a spot.

I killed a buck in this type of situation last year in Colorado. He was in thick cover and the best way to hunt it was to still hunt or stand hunt it. Most of the areas he lived you could only see 25 to 50 yards but there were areas I could see 100 or even 500 yards. I first tried to hunt him from a distance and set up 400+ yards from his core area. One day I had him at 500-600 yards for about 30 minutes but he never gave me a good open shot because of all the trees. After watching from a distance for a few days I finally decided to move in and still hunt the area and was able to kill him. I was forced to take an off hand shot at about 100 yards because he was looking in my direction and trying to figure out what I was. The curve of the hill prevented me from kneeling and taking the shot off my shooting sticks.
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The buck below I killed in Idaho last year also while still hunting. Snow made the visibility 100-400 yards, so long range glassing wasn't an option. Following fresh tracks and still hunting were my only options. I found this buck around 10am in his bed.
View attachment 82265
Me and my friends have killed many bucks after blowing them out of their core area. One of the bucks my friend missed at only 100 yards the day before and he was right back in his core area the next day. Normally they disappear for at least 2-3 days when you blow them out but not always. General season Idaho bucks also don't move much in the open during daylight when hunting pressure increases during the rifle hunt.
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Great insight and stories!! Great bucks too!
 
The_Coloradoboy said:
Kinda got think of the whitetail roots of, if the winds not right your not going to hunt that stand that day. I had old, heavy, 3 point buck a couple years ago that was a similar situation. He was living in a place where the only way to kill him was go straight into the bed room. Started in on him two days in a row and the wind wasn’t right and completely backed out. Finally got a favorable wind. Slipped in and ended up killing him in his bed in the middle of the day. Only difference is was I knew the general area he would be bedded in.
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Awesome!! Yeah that the only downside in this situation. I haven’t actually seen where either of his beds are.
 
Katoom said:
My experience is limited, so opinion worth zero here… but being naive and optimistic has led people to bag many big bucks and overthinking has led others to not even try. I’d be over there hunting him and I’d be hopeful every step of the way knowing it could happen at any second. I would not give much though to what might go wrong, but focus on what might go right. You have determined there is no other way to do it. So do it. It’s not that thick and he is there. What more is there to it? Good luck!
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The worst thing about trying to sneak up on a buck especially if it takes much time is the mind games your head starts playing with you. Is he gone, did I blow him out, is the wind going to shift, etc.,
 
Obviously from that picture he can't stay there forever he has to get water. Figure it out and kill him in his travels. From the looks of this thread you'd think archery hunting mule deer was impossible because that's basically how you'd hunt him
 
Bookhead said:
Obviously from that picture he can't stay there forever he has to get water. Figure it out and kill him in his travels. From the looks of this thread you'd think archery hunting mule deer was impossible because that's basically how you'd hunt him
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Oh for sure, there's water all throughout that whole area.

Yeah, I'm going to hunt him like I know where he is and I'm just stalking to him. Except I have to do that for a 500 yard length haha.
 
Huntnful said:
Oh for sure, there's water all throughout that whole area.

Yeah, I'm going to hunt him like I know where he is and I'm just stalking to him. Except I have to do that for a 500 yard length haha.
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I wouldn't stalk a buck unless I knew where he was.
 
Huntnful said:
Well yeah, I would much prefer that also lol. That why the thread is started the way that it was. So your answer is NO.
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If by still hunting you mean walk aimlessly through a bedding area hoping not to spook your buck then no I would not do that. If I watch him go into a patch of trees at 10am and not come back out then I'd know where he was then I'd try it yes
 
Huntnful said:
If you had an absolute hammer of a buck scouted up, but the ONLY way to kill him was to live above him and still-hunt into his area every day in hopes of catching him cruising through or feeding, would you do it?
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How is this even a question for a deer hunting forum? Would anyone on here really answer "no" to this?

I see three outcomes here:

1- go in and hunt him and kill him;
2- go in and try and hunt him and don't kill him; or
3- don't try to hunt him and don't kill him.

Options 1 and 2 both seem like a lot more fun than option 3.
 
Vanilla said:
How is this even a question for a deer hunting forum? Would anyone on here really answer "no" to this?

I see three outcomes here:

1- go in and hunt him and kill him;
2- go in and try and hunt him and don't kill him; or
3- don't try to hunt him and don't kill him.

Options 1 and 2 both seem like a lot more fun than option 3.
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Hahaha I see your point for sure. But some people might say that their time would be better spent in a much more huntable/glassable area where the odds for success are higher, with slightly smaller deer.

I know it’s definitely a consideration for me, because I have an area loaded with 140 type bucks that would be way more conducive to actually punching a tag.

But like you said, I’d prefer your options 1 & 2 for the time being.
 
It's all about what you want out of a hunt. If filling the tag is the most important thing, hunt where you think you have the best chances to fill the tag. If getting that buck is what you want, it looks like there is only one way to make it happen.

Neither option is right or wrong. Do what you want. It's hunting, it's supposed to be fun! Go and enjoy it how you want to enjoy it.
 
Vanilla said:
It's all about what you want out of a hunt. If filling the tag is the most important thing, hunt where you think you have the best chances to fill the tag. If getting that buck is what you want, it looks like there is only one way to make it happen.

Neither option is right or wrong. Do what you want. It's hunting, it's supposed to be fun! Go and enjoy it how you want to enjoy it.
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For sure! This is the only state I get to scout. So might as well make the most of my scouting efforts and chase the biggest buck I find, even if it’s not ideal ??
 
The cool part about hunting is it doesn't have to be either/or. You could chase this buck for the first few days and change strategy if you decide you would rather go to a place you have a better chance of killing something, even if it's smaller.

Enjoy the fall. It looks like you have good options.
 
Why bother scouting at all if you don't try for the best buck??

Pretty simple. I've killed lots of my bucks by knowing they where they lived before season. I've also NOT killed plenty because I never saw them again or screwed it up. But at least I know a big buck lives where I'm hunting.
 
Vanilla said:
The cool part about hunting is it doesn't have to be either/or. You could chase this buck for the first few days and change strategy if you decide you would rather go to a place you have a better chance of killing something, even if it's smaller.

Enjoy the fall. It looks like you have good options.
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100% agree. I’ll absolutely put max effort into this buck for a while. But at the end of the day, I like testing bullets on animals lol.

nontypical said:
Why bother scouting at all if you don't try for the best buck??

Pretty simple. I've killed lots of my bucks by knowing they where they lived before season. I've also NOT killed plenty because I never saw them again or screwed it up. But at least I know a big buck lives where I'm hunting.
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Exactly! That 30” buck I only killed because I scouted him up and then I was just in the area because I knew he lived there. I didn’t kill him based off of my game plan I had originally put together to actually kill him haha. Right place, right time, on accident. But being in his home area wasn’t an accident.
 

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