Hunt deer where they actually are, not where you imagine them to be.

[Ski]

I sort of have the same dilemma. I have two core philosophies of choosing where to hunt. The problem is, they are polar opposites. So which to follow? They both have proven productive.

Yeah I know the feeling. I like to actually see deer when I'm deer hunting, but I also like chasing big guys. They're not always synonymous. It's been my experience that old bucks seem to prefer solitude, space away from everybody else. Killing him usually means hunting where the other deer are not, which means a whole lot of inactive boredom for 30 seconds of rush.

I always hear about guys killing big bucks near the parking lot, places ignored or passed up by other hunters. It's places deer wouldn't normally be. I'm a firm believer if you're seeing a bunch of deer, you're probably not going to see a reclusive old fart hanging out with them. Sure you might see one cruise through if there's a hot doe, but where's he at the rest of the season?

 

[JCDEERMAN]

I sort of have the same dilemma. I have two core philosophies of choosing where to hunt. The problem is, they are polar opposites. So which to follow? They both have proven productive.

HA that's my dilemma a lot! I've learned that timing is key for me. Thick cover with unique terrain features where deer like to travel (cruise) - hunt early. After the seeking phase and more into the lock-down and post rut - those thick areas can still be productive, BUT ALSO those wide open hardwoods no one has stepped foot in all year. We have several 30-40 acre patches of those I like to slip into late season (where most hunters will go straight to the thick stuff where they think the deer are hiding - most often in the same locations that they've hunted all year)

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Yeah I know the feeling. I like to actually see deer when I'm deer hunting, but I also like chasing big guys. They're not always synonymous. It's been my experience that old bucks seem to prefer solitude, space away from everybody else. Killing him usually means hunting where the other deer are not, which means a whole lot of inactive boredom for 30 seconds of rush.

I always hear about guys killing big bucks near the parking lot, places ignored or passed up by other hunters. It's places deer wouldn't normally be. I'm a firm believer if you're seeing a bunch of deer, you're probably not going to see a reclusive old fart hanging out with them. Sure you might see one cruise through if there's a hot doe, but where's he at the rest of the season?

Very true words here, Ski

 

[fairchaser]

My question is, how do you know where the deer actually are? Most hunters will probably answer "the sign will tell you." But I sure have set-up and hunted some stands that were highly productive for mature bucks where there was no sign at all.

Cameras!

 

[BSK]

Yeah I know the feeling. I like to actually see deer when I'm deer hunting, but I also like chasing big guys. They're not always synonymous. It's been my experience that old bucks seem to prefer solitude, space away from everybody else. Killing him usually means hunting where the other deer are not, which means a whole lot of inactive boredom for 30 seconds of rush.

I always hear about guys killing big bucks near the parking lot, places ignored or passed up by other hunters. It's places deer wouldn't normally be. I'm a firm believer if you're seeing a bunch of deer, you're probably not going to see a reclusive old fart hanging out with them. Sure you might see one cruise through if there's a hot doe, but where's he at the rest of the season?

My two core philosophies are:

1) Hunt where no one else has been hunting.

As I've detailed many times, before I start moving stands around for the next deer season, first I run a spatial analysis of hunting pressure over the last 3 deer seasons. What I'm looking for are holes in our hunting pressure - places no one has been hunting. These usually fall into two categories a) no sign to indicate deer traffic; and b) places too hard for hunters to get to (especially as the hunters on my place age and don't want to be climbing steep hills going and returning from stands). Once these holes have been located, a quick scouting trip to look over each location and a decision is made as to where to place a stand based on habitat and terrain in the area. The following year, when these "hole in the hunting pressure" stands are finally hunted, generally about 50% of them are total busts. But the other 50% are going to be the top stands for seeing the oldest bucks. HOWEVER, that's about all that is seen from those stands! There's a reason little sign existed in the area - because the area sees very little general deer traffic. The location has become part of the movement pattern of older, more wary bucks because of the lack of hunting pressure, not because they're going to run into other deer in those locations.

2) Never ignore hot sign.

Hot sign is concentrated in given locations for a reason - because it is experience I high degree of deer traffic around the rut. Unfortunately, hot sign also draws a lot of hunter traffic. And hunter traffic is usually the death knell of mature buck sightings. But not always. The rut can cause even the wariest of bucks do make life-threatening mistakes. Even after the hottest sign on my property has been hunted multiple times, I will still get mature bucks cruising through from time to time, even in daylight. I personally have shot several mature bucks near the hot sign locations even after it has been hunted repeatedly and recently.

So which of the two philosophies to follow? Honestly, I bounce back and forth and hunt both.

 

[rifle02]

A lot of people like to hunt the "pretty woods" or places where they can see a long way. Around here, the "pretty woods" are open hardwoods. If there is not a thicket around or it is a poor acorn year (like this year) you can sit quite a while in the pretty woods before ever seeing a deer!

I've killed a lot of my better bucks hunting "ugly woods"- places where it can be tough to shoot much past 50-75 yards, and even then you have to "pick your shot". OIder deer (not distracted by does) feel a lot safer traveling in the thicker stuff than they do a lot of the "pretty" stuff!

You are describing me to a T. I spent too much time hunting Park like Woods. To be honest I have killed a number of deer in the wide open Big Woods. But I wonder how much better I'd have done if I had not spent so much time in those pretty places.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

The following year, when these "hole in the hunting pressure" stands are finally hunted, generally about 50% of them are total busts. But the other 50% are going to be the top stands for seeing the oldest bucks.

I sure wish I had those odds. Generally it's about 20/70 for us. Though, I suspect it's due to many of your areas identified in your spatial analysis having lower visibility than ours. Some of ours are park-like. I'm working to correct that, but it's still the fact of the matter.

It absolutely takes a different mindset of hunter to go hunt areas with no sign and little deer sightings year over year. Numerous sits with no deer sightings and very little sign, you start to question your sanity knowing what's elsewhere. Every once in a while it can pay off, and that's seldom….but sometimes that's your best bet.

 

[tellico4x4]

All our hardwoods are deep hollows & pretty thick to boot. Hardly ever set foot in them during deer season due to prevalent crazy thermals.

About 10 years ago the timber company changed management practices to thinning & fifth rowing pines before clear-cutting. Usually the clear cut happens 5-6 years after thinning. These thinned pines have become a big buck mecca for us, especially during rut. Believe that they like seeing more country as they move thru. You'll often see them stop on little rises & just gaze around before moving to next spot.

 

[Ski]

There's a reason little sign existed in the area - because the area sees very little general deer traffic. The location has become part of the movement pattern of older, more wary bucks because of the lack of hunting pressure, not because they're going to run into other deer in those locations.

I'm not so sure. No doubt older bucks do avoid people but I think they also go to lengths to avoid other deer. Old bucks are wily and different, They don't seem to operate on the typical herd mentality of most other deer. I'm not sure if it's something they acquire with age, or if they were able to reach that old age by being lone wolf personalities from the beginning.

 

[Patch]

Only follow the tracks that have deer standing in them….when you find a set of tracks with a deer in 'em…you've hunted where the deer are.

 

[Ski]

It absolutely takes a different mindset of hunter to go hunt areas with no sign and little deer sightings year over year. Numerous sits with no deer sightings and very little sign, you start to question your sanity knowing what's elsewhere. Every once in a while it can pay off, and that's seldom….but sometimes that's your best bet.

Yes the first couple times it can be mind numbingly dull and leaves you questioning, second guessing, and doubting yourself. I promise all that doubt disappears when the very first and only deer you see is a 5yr old stud as he comes by in a completely relaxed, leisurely mood. Once you've had it work out a couple times you'll begin trading your self doubt for confidence.

 

[muddyboots]

My question is, how do you know where the deer actually are? Most hunters will probably answer "the sign will tell you." But I sure have set-up and hunted some stands that were highly productive for mature bucks where there was no sign at all.

Absolutely and to be honest most of the bigger deer I kill are on a hunch usually. There might be 1 or 2 rubs there but not a lot of sign by no means. My favorite sigh is a deer!

 

[agelessssone]

A lot of people like to hunt the "pretty woods" or places where they can see a long way. Around here, the "pretty woods" are open hardwoods. If there is not a thicket around or it is a poor acorn year (like this year) you can sit quite a while in the pretty woods before ever seeing a deer!

I've killed a lot of my better bucks hunting "ugly woods"- places where it can be tough to shoot much past 50-75 yards, and even then you have to "pick your shot". OIder deer (not distracted by does) feel a lot safer traveling in the thicker stuff than they do a lot of the "pretty" stuff!

You are 100% right about this.
My longest shot is 60 yds and most are around 40.
It's a thick funnel and I love it!

 

[Snake]

I often sit days and days on end in mature hardwoods without ever seeing a single deer. But it doesn't deter me. To contrast, I rarely sit in ag country thickets and not see multiple deer per sit. Deer indeed do congregate in thick areas. But it's not an even across the board congregation. It's mostly women and children.

In the past 5yrs I've killed 5 wall hanger P&Y bucks. 3 were in open mature hardwoods. 2 were in ag country thickets. I sat maybe a combined 40 sits for those 3 hardwoods bucks and saw maybe a dozen deer in total, only 4 of which were does. For the 2 in ag country I sat probably 50+ sits each and saw countless deer, mostly does, fawns, and yearling bucks. So while I see way fewer deer, often none at all in hardwoods, I kill more big bucks in fewer sits.

If a guy is confident in his scouting and setup, and can handle the boredom, I believe big open hardwoods provides higher odds of tagging a big buck. That's just an opinion based on personal experience, though, so take it with a grain of salt.

I agree if you know your area as in hunting it for years .

 

[DayDay]

When I hunted public land, I always carried a climbing stand in and out. I think this was an advantage in some ways compared to what I do now on private land. I have ladder stands set up and am inclined to hunt out of them no matter what. I had good success on public land; maybe because I adjusted my locations based on sign and observations.

May be a good example of hunting where they are:
It seems like I see more deer out of my current ladder stands during bow season and up to late November. Late last season, I changed things up and sat in an area that was about 125-150 yards from my favorite stand; the area is little thicker and I was seeing more sign around that area. I shot a big buck about 20 minutes before sunset. The deer was heading in the general direction of my ladder stand but had many options to take other trails or routes from where it was; there is no way to tell if it would have ended up near my stand before too dark or if at all.

 

[BSK]

I'm not so sure. No doubt older bucks do avoid people but I think they also go to lengths to avoid other deer. Old bucks are wily and different, They don't seem to operate on the typical herd mentality of most other deer. I'm not sure if it's something they acquire with age, or if they were able to reach that old age by being lone wolf personalities from the beginning.

That's a really interesting thought: they get old because they are loners.

 

[Chiflyguy]

I'm the same way fly fishing.
I will pummel a pool or run for an hour just because it looks "fishy"

 

[rifle02]

Only follow the tracks that have deer standing in them….when you find a set of tracks with a deer in 'em…you've hunted where the deer are.

 

[TheLBLman]

The older deer are quick to gravitate to wherever the hunters are not hunting.

This is often areas void of much deer "sign".

It is sometimes open hardwoods (that for whatever reasons, aren't being intruded by hunters).

It is more often simply areas most wouldn't want to hunt, regardless of reason(s).

 

[Urban_Hunter]

I didn't do this today and boy did it pay dividends! For the deer that is… they never even saw me coming! Because they weren't even there!