Anyone glassing

[crooketarrow]

   Around mid JULY for 30 plus years I start glassing bucks I going to be hunting. I've been out 3 evening and found 3 bac. groups. One was a made up of 5 mature bucks from 3 1/2's to a big 300# 61/2,71/2 forkie 20 wide. I though he was dead hav'nt seen him in 2 years. Brier had a shot at him thanksgiveing evening it was just to dark to find him on the scope.

 I was looking to shot doe's that morning. Saw him that morning going into a rock break. I could have shot him easy. It was 8:30 he had 400 yards of open land to get to his bedding area.

 Iknew he'd stay put. It was thanksgiveing. I told 2 poeple he If they come I had him dead to right.  Family and food took over, I told BRIERcomw no ,on I made him come.

  We got into place 80 yards we were in the truck,set out sand bags on the hood and a try pod.
 
  Very close to dark BRIER said ther he is dad. 60 yards he got out I'was wathing him walk holding my fingers i nmy ear's. Dad I can see him. He was across our opening went out on the lakes Simi bushy.  I snort wee'd second he was 40 yarsds looking at us. Brier got in place. JUST TO DARK.

 He's got forks a foot deep ,20 inch inside. We saw him the first year I moved he 5 falls ago. He was here then. I put him at 3 1/2 that first season.

  He's 300#'s easy but still the smallest rack in this group. 2,  5 1/2's High racked 10's 18 wide look like twins. I seen then for 3 years. I put them the first time I saw them in the beans.There 5 1/2's now. 2, 3 1/2 8's ear tip.

  And a small 4 year old 8 past ear tip maybe. He needs to I'll glass untill the white oaks fall. Thats when you start hereing from hunters that should know better. WELL THAT BIG 10 I WAS SEEING ALL SUMMER GONE. I GUESS SOME BODY MUST HAVE SHOT HIM.

   No ones shot him the white oaks have started falling. Bucks just changed their pattern.

  On my north side (mile) the farmer next door planted winter wheat the whole way. On  to the north there's dozzen's of bean and corn fields. This farms in a little valley Lots of beans and corn to the north for miles.
 
  But to the south a mile there a big (500 plus)industal park (no hunting) Built 15 years ago Was mostly wood. Long srrips of woods between buildings. I'ts where most of my mature bucks come from and bed in the fall.
 
 148" 11 point was shot from a plant window Last year.

   I know places where you can't glass you have to find out through cameras on feeders mostly.
  If you want to kill mature bucks this is'nt the time to find out.

  All your doing through scent is lets bucks know your there. Bumb him once you might get away with it. Do it twice don't exspect him to walk around in the daylight that fall.

 Sorry about that I can talk for hours on gobblers or bucks.

  I've seen some smaller bucks.                     

   13 BUCKS IN ALL.

BY SEASON I'M FIRED UP

[H Rhodes]

Man, that kind of scouting report fires me up just thinking about it!!  I am brainstorming about how to approach a big one that gave us the slip in a big swamp at the end of last season...  I hope we have a good acorn crop this year.  Good luck to you this year.

[Little John]

Yup I need to get out there and get to  looking around, season will be here before we know it. Luck to all.

[crooketarrow]

 LITTLE JOHN nows to seasons not the time to scout wanter around leaveing your scent everywhere. Bumb a mature buck once you might get away with it ,if it's not to close to season. Do it close to season twice you won't see him in the day light again.

  Scout after the seasons over (winter).
I do my scouting put in ground sites where I need to be. Different sites for different times of post-rut ,rut on to my favoret post rut. I have a couple stands for each part of the rut.

  When I walk out on my deck. The time of year and the way the wind blowing. I'll likely have a fresh stand to hunt. I never hunt anywhere twice uselly I'll wait a week.

 I've never killed a buck with a bow  hunting the same stand twice in arow.

 Here in the EASTERN PANDLE OF WV. There's no baiting now. Boy I can here the tears falling.
 
  Dos'nt hurt me any I quit baiting long ago for bucks when I relized I want to be a mature buck hunter. I've shot a few doe's off bait in my time, Truthfullyly if you count permits off all the farms I've managed  and all the people and friends I've helped kill their doe'sprobley over 250 to 300.

  But my low pressure hunting works combinded with hunting sankurays I've put in place to make them more huntable. Do it right hunt the sankurays in the evening for mature bucks. The last 10,20 mins . Before dark the mature bucks will get up and move around before dark.

 Not much time to hunt each evening. But it bets waiting those 4 or 5 days of the rut a year to depend on. I get those days plus pre-rut the rut and the post onto DEC. end.

  Go walking around before it's time to hunt. All you'll do is let the mature bucks know there.

 Let a buck know your there he just got 10 times harder not to kill him just to see him. I've selfbow killed 40 bucks 4 times I've gotten a second shot at a buck. Only conected on two only one died. A 4 1/2 222#,  9 point I arrowed in 05 my bigest knaped point buck I have. Same year I dobbled up when I rattled up xmas evening I rattled up and shot a 3 1/2 high ear tip 8 point,.

  Set you sites or stands the winter before. Don't hunt them untill time and and wind is right.

   To make this work you have to have the wind in you favor to sneak in  to your sitehas to be in your favor while there. And what most people never think of is walking out. I hunt off milk creates or off my butt. I'll sprinkle some arm and hammer where I set. The point is to let no scent while there or after you've left. You might want to hunt there again.

[Little John]

My scouting will be a bit different, and for elk. I will be hunting the canyons  and will be checking out all the overlooks (long distance scouting) you can cover a lot more territory that way. This year I want to find the elk first then go hunt them. When these elk move even a few miles it can be hard to find them again. So am trying to get to know all the overlooks.     Kenneth

[crooketarrow]

 Sorry I was talking whitetail. Thats the way I do my scouting also from a far, long distances I've only elk hunted with a rifle along time ago I think I was 18. Shot a cow elk (AZ)

  I want to go to AZ and self bow hunt COUS BUCKS. Be fore I can't. Thats on my to go do list.
  NEVER KNOW

[Little John]

Not at all, we are all here to learn and pass it on. I hope you get to go after the cous deer and maybe elk also. Cheers.    Kenneth

[crooketarrow]

 RHODES  hopfully tis will help you and others. 

Between a old man in HARDY CO WV. we leased his1200 acers foe 11 years and my old freind crooketarrow. And what I've learned in those 40 years. About 15 years ago I started to figger this tatic out. Along the way I killed 100 bucks,40 with my own self bows. ALSO 39 GOBBLER (SHOT GUN) 15 WITH A SEFL BOW.

 First off you have to have total control of the property. No walking or scouting  unless it's after season (winter). Your only letting bucks know you've been there.LESS PRESSURE ON DEER (BUCKS) more they'll move in the daylight.

  Bucks that know your there or have been there or you bumb him wrong time of the year . Just got 10 times harder to seen. In general the older the buck more he'll move at night. This is where the low pressure comes in. Just maybe he'll move out of his saukaury 15 MIN'S. before dark. LOTS OF MY BUCKS CAME IN THAT LAST 20 MINS.

 (1)  This low pressure can only be done IF YOU HAVE CONTROL of the land your hunting.

  Bucks mature bucks don't bed out in the crop fields with the doe's. Or up on that ridge feedng on acorns.  Hunt those places you won't see many bucks there still bedded untill almost dark. Your home before he's eating.

DependIng on size and where it's at.I can put the saukary where it will do best.  But mosty the hills predict to where it's be. This  has helped me to shoot 40 self bow kill 27 are 3 1/2 to 7 1/2 MATURE BUCKS.
  I've had 6 get away. Missed a hell of a lot more than I'll admit.

 (2) What is a buck SUNKARYS. First off it has to be on a hill even a small hill. All mature bucks bed on a hill just below the top .So  in danger they  can excape over the top. Thicker the area the better.

  I ADD A BIG MINTERAL LICK. After the first trip in it I'll leave it alone. I'll go plant to thicken.  If I do have to go back in. I olny go back in the springs. Low farm land here I plant ceders a lot springs. Hard wood if I can I'll saw out a SMALL CKEAR CUT IN THE SUNKARY. Take a saw and ring the whole thing if it's in farm land thicket. Helps to thicken it up.

  What your doing is giveing what mature bucks needs. It might be WATER,MINTERALS SAW CUT HARDWOODS OUT. You created food and cover. It's not to hunt never go in your sankuary. You want to create a safe havan. And he knows where it's at.
 IF YOU'LL LEAVE IT ALONG UNTILL IT'S TIME.

 I've made at least 15 saunkauys or more. I started putting these in place and hunting off these 15 years ago. If It did'nt work I'd be killing my bucks useing a different tatic.

  Here let me say In mountains (hard woods) in the sankury in the springs.We'd fertize every drip line of any oaks In or around  some times 100 or 200 yards away. Do anything that might get him up on his feet and moveing in the day light.

Oaks are like apples good year bad year. Fertize your oaks you'll have good year great year. When there are no mast around  you will plenty. You'll have a food plot no one knows about but the bucks that Stay there will know there here and there sweeter than others.

 I promass you bucks will find your sankuary, naturally. Now here on this farm I live on from my north boarder is winter wheat from the there's beans,corn dozzen fields for a few miles. Add in a orchard 1/4 mille away.
  But no matter what or where he go's he knows where your sankuarys at. 99% OF ALL MATURE BUCKS ARE BACK IN THEIR BEDS BEFORE FIRST LIGHT. RUTS YOUR ONLY HOPE.
Mature bucks go for miles to be safe SO WHAT IF IT'S ON MY FARM. Now lets talk about sticking a arrow in that 250,300# 4,5,or 6 year old.

  IF YOU HAV'NT FIGGER IT OUT. SANKURYS ARE ONLY HUNTED IN THE EVENINGS. Only the rut get me to my sites by 3:00 or 4:00 mostly show up a hour or 2 before dark. Closer to the rut longerI stay.

 In the mornings bucks have been out about and can to their bedin g area  from any direction. Makeing it impossable to get into place with out bumbing deer. Bumb a mature you might get away with it once. Bumb him twice depending on age you might make him totoally noc-turnal.

A sunkauy lets you have a starting spot. ( the evenings.) I know where the mature bucks arebedded.  Now in the winter before I've set up my ground sites. NOW WHEN THE WIND AND TIMEINGS RIGHT I'LL GO HUNT THAT STAND. IF EITHER ONES OFF I MOVE SOMEWHERE ELSE.

 I'll set up sites on every trail leading out to food or to doe's. If I can. But only with the wind. If I can't get the timing and the wind right I'll just move on.

  (3)  My ground blinds are in place. I use a ghillie I made in 82. Ok seasons in  theres been no body walking around messing you up. LETTING YOUR BUCKS KNOW SOMMMMMMMMMEONES BEEN THERE SOMETHINGS UP.

 I walk out on my back deck which ever way the winds blowing. I know what farm I'm going to and what stand I'm going to.

 If I don't have the wind totally.  I don't hunt there I'll go to a site the winds right at. I'll packed up and moved if the wind changes, way to many times to remember.

I need the wind walking to,while I'm there and when on one cares. Wlaking out I'll make sure I don't push any deer. Even if I have to go out of my way.

  Lets look at seting up sites. Personally I like to set up 10 to 12 yards. I've arrowed 11 bucks standing right where I what them.  Its still a little game I play.

   Your sites already set. When the wind and time of year is right.  I set up different sites for different  times of the rut.

  I've have to give crooketarrow or the IROQOUIS where creits due. Just as the IR0QOUIS set up with my back to the on comeing buck. After he go's by A 250 # 10 point  that close will blow your mine. He pass's when he gets to the spot I've picked 10,12 yards. He's quartering. I send a dog wood arrow his way.

  Works the same on gobblers. Not many poeple can handle a gobbler 10 yards behind you.  DOBBLER GOBBLEINGWhen he pass you a few yards on a deer trail I let him move past me when he hits my spot He dead holpfully. I've shot over 20 with a shot gun this way and 15 with my selfbow.

 Also once the buck go's by he's not worryed about whats behind him. He's totally focus ed to his front. This is killed if you put a decoy in that tra

  Let me say here. The sankaury (BEDDING AREA) your close to the bedded buck. MOSTLY WITH IN 100 YARDS GET AS CLOSE AS POSSABLE. THIS IS THE#1 REASON YOU DON'T SEE ANY MATURE BUCKS. YALL ARE ALL WATCHING THE WRONG END. OPEN FIELDS WHERE THE DOE'S ARE. OR THERE THOSE WHITE OAKS 100 YARDS AWAY.       IS NOTWHERER YOU SHOULD BE

  One other thing If you think your climber quiet enough to limb up in a bucks bed room. Stay home it'll never happen. For years when I tree stand hunted I used hang-on's period. No better way to sneaking into your stand and not heating up.

 Your hoping the rut will start and the bucks will go crazy. And the 1 and 2 year olds will.
  Those mature bucks will go crazy but not in the day light. About  3 or 4 days a year you could see a mature bucks chaseing a doe's iin the light.

  But I hunt every month of the season. Not just 3 or 4 days a year. I'll get to those few days.

   WHERE YOU  SHOULD BE HUNTING IT'S WAY,WAY FROM FOOD OR DOES. YOU KNOW WHERE HE'S STARTING HIS NIGHT AT. If you've done your part and lessen the pressure and you hav'nt bumbed him away. Hopfully he get up and walks out that trail your set up on before dark.

  I can tell you unless the ruts a big factor Most of my mature bucks I shot that last 1/2 hour, hour if it's cloudy of missing. It's not the rain but the dimness.


  There's so many varitables can come into play.  The hardest is you'll have to do your part when the time comes.

  This is just one tatic I use. I took me 40 year of refinding it all each years different. Better I should say.

 NO I SHOULD SAY EASYER.

   I have a killed mountain tatic also. Me and friends have shot and killed a lot of bucks off finger ridges.

  Sorry about the leanth.

[H Rhodes]

No need to apologize for the length of that post.  There was a lot of sage deer hunting advice in that.  I think you are right on the money about not stomping around and bumping bucks out of a place.  They don't get to be mature by being stupid!  I believe in different set ups depending on wind direction too.  If I can't get the wind working in my favor, I will hunt somewhere else.  We are lucky to have a big piece of hardwood bottom land to hunt - a couple thousand acres.  We have a hundred acres in the middle that never gets hunted and we feed all year long in that quiet area.  I think setting those quiet areas aside really keeps deer on your place.   You are right on the money on the big boys liking the ridges too.  Even in flat country, just a little rise in elevation will concentrate them.   If I hunt the early morning, I hunt up on the hilltops and I hunt the bottoms in the evening.  Those air currents move up and down and it is another thing I try to keep in mind.  I like the idea of fertilizing the oaks to improve the acorn mast.  What type of fertilizer do you use? 

[Andrea S]

I've been glassing, but not for deer... speed goat season opens August 15th! I'm so excited I can hardly contain myself.

[H Rhodes]

Awesome pics.  I have never hunted pronghorn - they are sure on my bucket list.  Good luck this season.

[crooketarrow]

  I've never goat hunted with a self bow. To open for me I suck at shooting any distance past 20 yards. I don't even set up 20 yards.

  You can set up a sankury anywhere with any amount of acerage. Even with 100's of acers you still have to set up close enough to the bedded buk so he'll get to you in the day light.

  If not you have to hope he comes to you in because of the rut. I hunt the rut at rut hunting  hunting sites. Those 4 or 5 days are not good enough odds your me to totally waste my time waiting on and hoping a rut ed up buck will come my way. I not holding a 500 yard rifle. watching a field I could use it in.

  I set up closest to the bedded buck I can. Make sure your close enouth he'll get to you in the day light.

[Andrea S]

Well, this was a knock-out weekend for scouting!  First, yesterday we hit up a few old haunts my fiance has for antelope (all public land, state or BLM) and saw a bunch in one great spot. We actually walked up to 70 yards on this buck, who was more intrigued than alarmed by our presence. I'm going to try some be-the-decoy type techniques (minus the goofy mascot head) this season after this experience. Antelope are wonderfully curious animals. I'm really looking forward to spooking a few come August.

Then today, we hiked up to a place I have been researching on Google Earth and trail maps and such for elk. Around here, hunting my "backyard" (which I consider anything under a 2 hour drive from home) is influenced quite a bit by human pressure. I was looking for a spot that looked like good elk habitat that was in a pocket away from regularly used hiking trails and such that would disturb them. Well, we found tons of old and very fresh tracks, and I smelled the elk before I found the tracks, which shows you how recent they are. It definitely looks like great habitat in my target basin, so in another month, I'll come back in before daylight and listen for bugles, and see if I can see any in the big glass.

It's going to be a great fall!