Pressured Deer Are EASY To Pattern

[J&M Hamilton10]

Went out today and put 150lbs down, can’t wait for Dec 20th when vacation hits.

[Hawken]

Its getting close. Yep the rut is pretty much done. All the acorns are on the ground and the hogs are helping get rid of them. Soon the best hunting of the year will be upon east Texas.

That's right. Not the best time to see a random buck cruising but by far the best time to pattern a specific mature buck. Deer that have been missing for a month will come home and settle into a consistent pattern with their past rivals.

Looking back through my records I discovered that 70 percent of our target deer were killed after Dec 10. High pressure and waning rut leaves them very close to major food sources and sanctuary areas. It just so happens that I create just such an environment on several properties every year.

I have said it before. If I could only hunt two weeks of the year it would be the last two weeks of season. We still have a few tags left and picky picky about what wears them. But ..... Its the most wonderful time. The most wonderful time of the yeeeeaaarrrr!

I'm new to TBH Forum. I found this thread during season this year. It has changed my way of thinking about how I've been hunting whitetail. I have been checking this thread lately for any updates on another big buck down and a story to go with it. Just curious if you have been able to score another big one this year. I hope you have had good luck. I also just wanted to say thank you for the information that you have given out in this thread. It has encouraged me to get out of my more comfortable box stand and do some extra homework and scouting this year. I did not have a very successful deer season this year and need to change something. I hope that maybe I can be hunting a mature buck next season.

[GarGuy]

I'm new to TBH Forum. I found this thread during season this year. It has changed my way of thinking about how I've been hunting whitetail. I have been checking this thread lately for any updates on another big buck down and a story to go with it. Just curious if you have been able to score another big one this year. I hope you have had good luck. I also just wanted to say thank you for the information that you have given out in this thread. It has encouraged me to get out of my more comfortable box stand and do some extra homework and scouting this year. I did not have a very successful deer season this year and need to change something. I hope that maybe I can be hunting a mature buck next season.

We have had a good year. Several dandies down. The crazy acorn crop lasted longer than any time of my life. Matter of fact t there are still acorns. This hindered late season. I have some really good deer on camera still and a tag left. Maybe it will be filled before dark today.

Ill write some hunts in a few days.

[TildenHunter]

We have had a good year. Several dandies down. The crazy acorn crop lasted longer than any time of my life. Matter of fact t there are still acorns. This hindered late season. I have some really good deer on camera still and a tag left. Maybe it will be filled before dark today.

Ill write some hunts in a few days.

Looking forward to the stories! Good luck this evening

[Chance Love]

We have had a good year. Several dandies down. The crazy acorn crop lasted longer than any time of my life. Matter of fact t there are still acorns. This hindered late season. I have some really good deer on camera still and a tag left. Maybe it will be filled before dark today.

Ill write some hunts in a few days.

I've never seen an acorn crop like this in my lifetime either. We went from seeing 10-20 deer per sit in years past, to hopefully at least ONE. I'm looking forward to your stories.

[SaltwaterSlick]

I want to hear the story of Long Brows!! That's gotta be a good 'un!! Bet ol' Sam is still grinnin' ear to ear!

[Quackerbox]

Them dead east tx bucks need their own thread!

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[GarGuy]

Well the acorns are finally playing out. About 2 weeks too late but I'm thinking little da vid is going to have a good weekend this time.

[Quackerbox]

Well the acorns are finally playing out. About 2 weeks too late but I'm thinking little da vid is going to have a good weekend this time.

I'll trade ya pics of his buck for one of a mastodon molar and jaw bone a fella found over the summer....

I finally saw it last night. Truly amazing piece to hold
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[GarGuy]

I'll trade ya pics of his buck for one of a mastodon molar and jaw bone a fella found over the summer....

I finally saw it last night. Truly amazing piece to hold
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

Well da vid didn't wear enough cloths this morning. He was hypothermia by 830 and I called it. We saw an unidentified buck before light. A six and spike at 715 and a stud mature 8pt at 740. Probably should have killed that one. Gonna hit same stand this evening. Plan was to shoot one there this morning and go to a different county this eve.

[Quackerbox]

Well da vid didn't wear enough cloths this morning. He was hypothermia by 830 and I called it. We saw an unidentified buck before light. A six and spike at 715 and a stud mature 8pt at 740. Probably should have killed that one. Gonna hit same stand this evening. Plan was to shoot one there this morning and go to a different county this eve.

It was warmer at 0530 here than at 730. I could see being under clothed.

We skipped this weekend due to the weather forecast. Wouldnt ya know they got it wrong. I'll go next weekend rain sleet or snow to try and tag a sausage doe

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[Low Fence]

If weather didn’t throw em off too bad I hope Lola can hammer a doe this evening off a place. The neighbors have shot every single buck I have knowledge of. lol... I mean ALL. So might as well balance the herd

[Mohawkman]

After years of seeing this thread I finely clicked on it . I guess I didn’t think it applied to me. I hunt my own place now. After thinking about it I realized I do hunt pressured deer. They are pressured by me. I grew up hunting Type II land and I firmly believed it made me a better hunter. I loved everything about it. All the other hunters griped about the pressure. I honestly enjoyed the challenge. I had little honey holes (thickets) . The best place was in the river bottom. Most of the oaks had been logged out, but I found a pocket that had been left. It was extremely thick and the other hunters would walk around it. I could always tell if another hunter was close by watching the deer. One day I was watching a mature doe eat acorns and her head popped up, and then she did something I couldn’t believe. She bedded down, and continued to look out at the pipeline. I looked to see a hunter walk by 75 yards away. When he cleared she stood up. I still hunt public in CO and use the same techniques . Hunt where the hunters aren’t. I guess when we get on leases and everybody picks a spot , puts up a stand feeder and start trying to bring the deer to them it changes things. I am definitely going to change my strategy next year on my place, and start hunting some of the public land near by. Thanks great thread

[Low Fence]

Something I’ve been thinking as of late:

There are 3 main hunting styles in Texas

1. “Bring deer to you”- basically sitting over some attractant/bait. If killing “a deer” is the goal hunting pressured deer, then this technique is proven. But has its cons; spooky, late/nocturnal, wind checkers, your pattern able approach and deer cutting your tracks

2. “Go to deer”- this is effective if you have done your homework and get a little lucky too. It also has major cons. It’s a one shot deal, no take backs. You go in to kill or nothing. Once your in there there’s no way out without bumping deer in there core safe zone. Once it’s compromised it’s done. On a small property you can ruin it for the season in one hunt... IF your onto mature deer. Some younger bucks and doe might tolerate it. I like this on big public land cause you got to break some eggs to make an omelette... I don’t want to run out of eggs

3. “Meet in the middle”- my favorite. Where did they come from and where are they going. Get on that path ( use TRAIL CAMERAS...on a TRAIL). Or burn a sit at a safe zone and observe movement. That’s where they want to be... without hunters influence. It’s how they survive! And you can hunt those areas safer and longer, with far more relaxed deer. Once I find a travel area I’ll use trees if I’m able, and drop them to force into a shorter “shooting lane”. If not they will pinch down somewhere

[Etxbuckman]

Low Fence how long is that milkweed you sent me good for? Will it be good to start next season?

By the way I actually found some. At first I thought it was chicken feathers, but then I was like “there aren’t any chickens here” and thats when it dawned on me what it was.