Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
User avatar
Tim H
500 Club
Posts: 2811
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:37 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090396597022
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby Tim H » Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:41 am

EdC wrote:from the pic your showing there's snow on the ground, any possibility of back tracking


This pic was from November so the tracks are long gone. I do know exactly which direction he had come from since I had two cameras setup on this scrape. Originally I thought he had walked down the trail from the south. However this wasn't the case. He actually passed through the slashings from the east and came out directly on the scrape. Notice the two pics below. Several times I had him do this. Instead of going around the slashings, he passed right through it. One more clue to my never ending puzzle.

http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1 http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1
Last edited by Tim H on Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:57 am, edited 1 time in total.


User avatar
Tim H
500 Club
Posts: 2811
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:37 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090396597022
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby Tim H » Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:43 am

Killtree wrote:My best educated guess is that he is there for the ladies, but who knows.
I would feel much more confident about killing a buck I have pics of in June than I would November.


The sign that we found was all made in October and November. So in order to hunt the bucks that made that, we would have to hunt that area at that time. But you are probably correct that he is looking for ladies.
User avatar
Tim H
500 Club
Posts: 2811
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:37 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090396597022
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby Tim H » Wed Jan 10, 2018 6:56 am

Ragingun wrote:
NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:Do you think that a mature buck will only use the same bed over and over?


I was waiting for this question.

I also hunt the "bigwoods" on the boarder of northern WI and MI. My observations over the years have coincided with how this thread has progressed. The lack of hunting pressure was mentioned earlier. Same is true in my area. Then the predators were mentioned, this is KEY to how bucks/deer in general move. Wolves in an area can push out or shut down deer movement. In my area wolves will come and go, when they are in the area that year of gun hunting has "sucked". When the wolves are absent those years have been much more productive.

As far as bucks and buck beds. This is related to predator pressure. Bucks still desire to bed in the same manner as everywhere else, i.e. leeward hillsides, points leading into swamps, etc however they have the room to roam and a multitude of options for these areas to bed. I have noticed that although they bed the same, a lot of times they do not "repeat bed" nearly as much. I don't have an answer for this however I believe it's due to the pressure from predators. They simply do not need to tolerate any predator presence with the amount of land they have available to them and the lack of deer/specific buck population.

I took note of a few things I've not paid as much attention too this year. First off is how far a buck will go and the "randomness" of that travel. I followed 3 different mature bucks this year. All of them were daytime travel. They all moved quite a distance, 1 was 3 miles on a steady walk before I stopped following. They are certainly not bothered by the distance they walk. The travel as mentioned was also very random. They may move to a generally desired location but they have nearly unlimited ways to get there. It's not like the swamps in SE WI where I live as the bucks generally use a standardized way of travel but up there they have pot hole swamp one after the other, then thick whips, then more swamps etc. They use it all.

The second thing I noticed was the deer/ bucks are not nearly as concerned about scent as the deer I've hunted in my local area. I hunt a lot of very pressured land. I used to think that deer get used to human smell even from hunters but this year lead me to now believe that particularly the mature deer don't get used to it, they get smart from it. Up there however I've noticed even mature bucks walking right down the same trail that I walked an hour prior rubbing up against trees and leaving scent. This buck simply didn't care and this went on for a half mile. I also had a 2.5 year old bed right below my stand that I hunted in that morning. He didn't care. I'm not sure if they are condition to be on alert for predators such as wolves, bear etc but they sure didn't care about human scent much at all.

I can't draw any absolutes from these observations however I found this very interesting although maybe not specifically helpful lol.


Thank you so much for your insight! I totally agree with you that they have room to roam wherever and whenever they feel threatened. I also agree with you on how deer can get smarter from the presence of humans and human scent. Rome is a very smart buck. I may be the only person that has seen him in the daylight. I'm not sure though if he ever noticed that I was hunting him. I'm pretty sure he didn't but I could also be wrong.
EdC
Posts: 298
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:28 pm
Location: Central Mass
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby EdC » Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:58 am

is there a reason I need to login again to the view the pic's?

my question was really directed to the time of the pic, I guess you were not around early enough to view his tracks

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
EdC wrote:from the pic your showing there's snow on the ground, any possibility of back tracking


This pic was from November so the tracks are long gone. I do know exactly which direction he had come from since I had two cameras setup on this scrape. Originally I thought he had walked down the trail from the south. However this wasn't the case. He actually passed through the slashings from the east and came out directly on the scrape. Notice the two pics below. Several times I had him do this. Instead of going around the slashings, he passed right through it. One more clue to my never ending puzzle.

http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1 http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1
Everyone Gets Close - Few Finish The Job
User avatar
Tim H
500 Club
Posts: 2811
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:37 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090396597022
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby Tim H » Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:05 am

EdC wrote:is there a reason I need to login again to the view the pic's?

my question was really directed to the time of the pic, I guess you were not around early enough to view his tracks

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
EdC wrote:from the pic your showing there's snow on the ground, any possibility of back tracking


This pic was from November so the tracks are long gone. I do know exactly which direction he had come from since I had two cameras setup on this scrape. Originally I thought he had walked down the trail from the south. However this wasn't the case. He actually passed through the slashings from the east and came out directly on the scrape. Notice the two pics below. Several times I had him do this. Instead of going around the slashings, he passed right through it. One more clue to my never ending puzzle.

http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1 http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1


Sorry I'm not sure about the new pics I posted. I'm still learning how the site works with adding pictures. But to answer your question, I wasn't around at the time. The picture was a week after my vacation and the camera was pulled by my hunting partner so I actually wasn't there at the time. I remember getting a text from my buddy that I got an awesome pic of Rome. I said to him that I hope he lives through rifle season, and his response was "well if he keeps walking around at noon he aint gonna live much longer". :lol:
EdC
Posts: 298
Joined: Sun Nov 05, 2017 10:28 pm
Location: Central Mass
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby EdC » Thu Jan 11, 2018 12:41 am

I kind of thought your timing in the field was off, at least you have some intel looking forward

not sure what's up with having to login again to see the pics, the way it is setup I can't see them because the sys doesn't allow me to login again

good luck on the chase :clap:
Everyone Gets Close - Few Finish The Job
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41587
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby dan » Thu Jan 11, 2018 5:31 am

I DID NOT READ ALL THE RESPONSES, JUST YOUR POST. in my opinion he lives in the area, and he has some real good hiding spots. I would scour every inch of the area after snow melt.
User avatar
Tim H
500 Club
Posts: 2811
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:37 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090396597022
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby Tim H » Thu Jan 11, 2018 5:40 am

dan wrote:I DID NOT READ ALL THE RESPONSES, JUST YOUR POST. in my opinion he lives in the area, and he has some real good hiding spots. I would scour every inch of the area after snow melt.


If I find a bed, how would I be sure it's his? What am I looking for in a mature buck bed? Last Saturday my hunting partner and I walked through some of the area to search for more signs. We found lots of beds. Mostly does and fawns but also some that some that were larger and by themselves.

My best guess to say if he were living in the area, he's alone in a cedar/moss swamp. But not sure which one. :?
User avatar
Tim H
500 Club
Posts: 2811
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:37 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090396597022
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby Tim H » Thu Jan 11, 2018 5:46 am

dan wrote:I DID NOT READ ALL THE RESPONSES, JUST YOUR POST. in my opinion he lives in the area, and he has some real good hiding spots. I would scour every inch of the area after snow melt.


Just a warning, I'll probably be grilling you on this buck at the February workshop. It bothers me that I don't understand how a mature buck thinks. I feel if I figure out this buck I'll be cracking part of the code in my area.
User avatar
tgreeno
500 Club
Posts: 4770
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 5:06 am
Location: WI
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby tgreeno » Thu Jan 11, 2018 5:57 am

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
dan wrote:I DID NOT READ ALL THE RESPONSES, JUST YOUR POST. in my opinion he lives in the area, and he has some real good hiding spots. I would scour every inch of the area after snow melt.


If I find a bed, how would I be sure it's his? What am I looking for in a mature buck bed? Last Saturday my hunting partner and I walked through some of the area to search for more signs. We found lots of beds. Mostly does and fawns but also some that some that were larger and by themselves.

My best guess to say if he were living in the area, he's alone in a cedar/moss swamp. But not sure which one. :?


I would go straight to the thickest, nastiest & most secure area that no one ever goes in. I'm betting that's where he's living.

Cedar swamp...sounds about right. Pick the one that's the biggest PITA to access.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than to open it an remove all doubt
User avatar
Rob loper
500 Club
Posts: 1747
Joined: Mon Nov 13, 2017 1:49 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heBuckPsych/
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby Rob loper » Thu Jan 11, 2018 6:09 am

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
EdC wrote:from the pic your showing there's snow on the ground, any possibility of back tracking


This pic was from November so the tracks are long gone. I do know exactly which direction he had come from since I had two cameras setup on this scrape. Originally I thought he had walked down the trail from the south. However this wasn't the case. He actually passed through the slashings from the east and came out directly on the scrape. Notice the two pics below. Several times I had him do this. Instead of going around the slashings, he passed right through it. One more clue to my never ending puzzle.

http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1 http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1


Wow what a stud
Is this the type of animals im getting to learn how to hunt and where to hunt From the beast tactics ? i know there are big ones all over where i live but to learn how to hunt these solitary nocturnal ghosts just has me excstatic
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41587
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby dan » Thu Jan 11, 2018 6:21 am

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
dan wrote:I DID NOT READ ALL THE RESPONSES, JUST YOUR POST. in my opinion he lives in the area, and he has some real good hiding spots. I would scour every inch of the area after snow melt.


If I find a bed, how would I be sure it's his? What am I looking for in a mature buck bed? Last Saturday my hunting partner and I walked through some of the area to search for more signs. We found lots of beds. Mostly does and fawns but also some that some that were larger and by themselves.

My best guess to say if he were living in the area, he's alone in a cedar/moss swamp. But not sure which one. :?

Usually he has a few real good primary spots that multiple deer use... Sometimes its obvious that bucks are bedding there, sometimes not so obvious. I would not concentrate on single beds as much as small areas with lots of bedding in a small spot. If you have low wet land in the area, that's where I would look 1st. To escape humans and predators they like to be in thick surrounded by shallow water.
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41587
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby dan » Thu Jan 11, 2018 6:23 am

NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
dan wrote:I DID NOT READ ALL THE RESPONSES, JUST YOUR POST. in my opinion he lives in the area, and he has some real good hiding spots. I would scour every inch of the area after snow melt.


Just a warning, I'll probably be grilling you on this buck at the February workshop. It bothers me that I don't understand how a mature buck thinks. I feel if I figure out this buck I'll be cracking part of the code in my area.

At the workshop pay attention to what I say has been shot and seen out of the bedding areas we look at. ;) I think most think a big buck beds by himself, and that is somewhat true, but all the deer want to be in the primary areas. We have killed and/or seen does, forks, and giants all out of the same beds.
User avatar
Tim H
500 Club
Posts: 2811
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:37 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090396597022
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby Tim H » Thu Jan 11, 2018 6:56 am

dan wrote:
NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
dan wrote:I DID NOT READ ALL THE RESPONSES, JUST YOUR POST. in my opinion he lives in the area, and he has some real good hiding spots. I would scour every inch of the area after snow melt.


If I find a bed, how would I be sure it's his? What am I looking for in a mature buck bed? Last Saturday my hunting partner and I walked through some of the area to search for more signs. We found lots of beds. Mostly does and fawns but also some that some that were larger and by themselves.

My best guess to say if he were living in the area, he's alone in a cedar/moss swamp. But not sure which one. :?

Usually he has a few real good primary spots that multiple deer use... Sometimes its obvious that bucks are bedding there, sometimes not so obvious. I would not concentrate on single beds as much as small areas with lots of bedding in a small spot. If you have low wet land in the area, that's where I would look 1st. To escape humans and predators they like to be in thick surrounded by shallow water.

Thank you for the response and feedback Dan! I look forward to learning a bunch of things from you and the other guys at the workshop! :D
User avatar
Tim H
500 Club
Posts: 2811
Joined: Fri Dec 22, 2017 3:37 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090396597022
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Using Beast Tactics to Kill this Buck

Unread postby Tim H » Thu Jan 11, 2018 7:06 am

Lopedog699 wrote:
NorthwoodsWiscoHnter wrote:
EdC wrote:from the pic your showing there's snow on the ground, any possibility of back tracking


This pic was from November so the tracks are long gone. I do know exactly which direction he had come from since I had two cameras setup on this scrape. Originally I thought he had walked down the trail from the south. However this wasn't the case. He actually passed through the slashings from the east and came out directly on the scrape. Notice the two pics below. Several times I had him do this. Instead of going around the slashings, he passed right through it. One more clue to my never ending puzzle.

http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1 http://photos.thehuntingbeast.com/displ ... fullsize=1


Wow what a stud
Is this the type of animals im getting to learn how to hunt and where to hunt From the beast tactics ? i know there are big ones all over where i live but to learn how to hunt these solitary nocturnal ghosts just has me excstatic


In The Beast Podcast Dan and Mario talk about hunting the giant's. Dan says "mentally you got to learn if you're a deer hunter or you're a big buck hunter. If you're not hunting big bucks, you're not in the game!" Something of the sort. :D


  • Advertisement

Return to “Scouting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 26 guests