Bow hunting a tough buck? Would you....

[mikemorvan]

So, let me start by saying that from the time i was a kid i've hunted with bow and arrow. I fell away for awhile, but now i'm back. I love the challenge. But, for a variety of reasons (some bad luck, more just choosing not to shoot) i'v never actually shot a whitetail deer w/ bow and arrow. I'm determined to do so.

There is a buck i've been chasing that has become my White Whale. I believe he's about a 160" deer with much character. He's has been faithful in coming to the feeder where i have a tripod. It is impossible to get the the tripod without going by the feed pen. (Bad set up i know, but there's not many options). Anyway, he is in and out of the pen at night quite a bit, up to about an hour before shooting light. He comes back in about an hour after shooting light has expired. He, very rarely, but occasionally, shows up in the middle of the day.

I can't be sure, but logic tells me i may have jumped him out of the pen in the mornings. I like to be in the tripod and hour and a half before sunrise. One full hour before shooting light. I'm sure i had to have jumped him out at some point. Maybe multiple times.

So, the last weekend of the season is here. I'm giving serious consideration to waiting to go out at 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, and Sunday morning and sitting in that tripod all day. So, the question is: Would you?

The idea being to not disturb him the morning and hope for the best the rest of day. Whaddyathink?

[Grady_jones]

if he comes in the morning go at night and sleep in your tripod

[tbgascorer]

When he isn't bumped, is he there after shooting light according to the cameras??

[Hoss163]

The best way to have got that buck and it’s still possible is set up on the trail you think he is coming in on build you a brush blind and hand corn the crap out of it . I would set up a couple hundred yards away from the feeder on that trail . He will come and eat in the daylight at that hand corn .


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[mikemorvan]

if he comes in the morning go at night and sleep in your tripod

Yeah well, the tripod is: open air, has about a 42" square base, on a hill / bluff 200' above the Red River w/ north wind blowing up the hill. I want to take that deer, but i'm not that mad at him.

[tbgascorer]

I'd go in really early, like 3am. IF you bump him then, he won't go far under the cover of darkness. Get still and his short attention span and late season need for food will make him come back in. I'd also hunt all day if need be. Just in case he decides for a mid day corn snack.

[Hoss163]

But yes the only other thing to do if he is there before daylight I wouldn’t hunt that spot in the morning wait tell about 10 and set tell dark .


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[Sika]

Is there feed available for him to eat at night? If so, turn the run time down so there’s not a bunch of left over corn for him to eat at night long. If it’s free choice protein shut it off.

I hunted an axis buck that would camp out at a feeder during the night, show up the second it went off in the AM and leave within 15 minutes. I tried getting in the blind 2 hours early but I must have been running him off because he wouldn’t show when I was there.

He had me pretty pattered so I surprised him by setting up a pop up blind in a new spot that was easier to slip in to.
First morning I hunted it he showed up the second the feeder went off and I got him.

You can manipulate how deer move to a certain extent by adjusting your feeder times, turning feeders off to give them fewer options or corning by hand. Got to be creative sometimes.



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[mikemorvan]

When he isn't bumped, is he there after shooting light according to the cameras??

Yes. I'm just wondering if he stays around closer in the morning, if he might come in a little earlier in the evening?

[Landrover]

Super early on stand or all night. Stay all daylight hours ......he will make a mistake!

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[mikemorvan]

The best way to have got that buck and it’s still possible is set up on the trail you think he is coming in on build you a brush blind and hand corn the crap out of it . I would set up a couple hundred yards away from the feeder on that trail . He will come and eat in the daylight at that hand corn .


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I've considered this. But that hill is a brushy mess, and steep. It's a weird deal. I normally think deer are pretty lazy and will avoid "work" at all costs. They can come to the pen from the front much more easily. This is the first year they've come from up the hill. I don't know. The 3:00 option also has some appeal. I just need to figure out a way to stay in that tripod seat. Maybe fashion a seat belt of some sort. I don't know...

[walker1983]

I'd slip in an hour before daylight - don't use your flashlight if possible - make sure wind is right.
Hunt a long AM sit - slip out for lunch - and then hunt a long afternoon sit.

Also beer helps sometimes.

[Shane]

Falling asleep in a tripod wouldn't be good. Going in at 3am would be risking that, if it were me. I'd either find another spot to set up on, as Sika and Hoss163 mentioned, or I'd just stay out until it gets light enough to slip in and hunt the rest of the day hoping he'd slip up during daylight.

Honestly though, if he's mostly at the feeder outside legal shooting hours, a setup on his transition trail would likely be the best bet.

[kyleseipp]

Falling asleep in a tripod wouldn't be good. Going in at 3am would be risking that, if it were me. I'd either find another spot to set up on, as Sika and Hoss163 mentioned, or I'd just stay out until it gets light enough to slip in and hunt the rest of the day hoping he'd slip up during daylight.

Honestly though, if he's mostly at the feeder outside legal shooting hours, a setup on his transition trail would likely be the best bet.

I second this. Transition trail or midday.

[diamond10x]

The best way to have got that buck and it’s still possible is set up on the trail you think he is coming in on build you a brush blind and hand corn the crap out of it . I would set up a couple hundred yards away from the feeder on that trail . He will come and eat in the daylight at that hand corn .


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This right here.

Exactly how I have had to go about getting target bucks killed with my bow on our place. Finding their trail they use and setting up by a scrape and hand corn. Other wise it’s always a crap shoot and 95% of the time the buck wins if I don’t make a move to catch him on a trail away from a feeder.