From longtime BIG DEER blogger Big Daddy: Mike: I killed this 166" buck with my bow today October 28 2017 @ 8:30 AM over a mock scrape I made along his rub line.--Terry "Big Daddy" Murphy This beautiful buck is a milestone for Big Daddy, as it is the 40th archery-killed buck of his hunting career in PA, which is a one-buck state. Way to go BD!
I hate to say I told you so, but… On Twitter in July and August, I tweeted several times that 2017 was setting up to be the best whitetail season since 2010. In September I posted here on the blog: I like the way this year’s moon sets up… It exposes and enhances the seeking phase of the pre-rut in late October… Halloween into the first week of November is a good time to bowhunt in any season. This year, with the moon waxing toward full–91% visible on November 1 to 100% bright on November 4-5–the hunting should be especially good near food sources in the afternoons. If a cold front sweeps into your hunt area, better yet… In the [...]
How do I locate and hunt a dominant buck in my area?—Buford Look for rubs 3-5 inches in diameter (or larger). Clusters of big rubs are sign a big buck is working the area. Hang trail cams over fresh scrapes near the rubs to get a snap-shot of the dominant buck, probably working it at night. If and when you catch the buck on his feet in daylight, move in and hunt him! Where would you spend the most time hunting in the rut—around feeding or bedding areas, on main trails or in funnels?—Steve A. My #1 Rut Spot: Set up on the downwind side of the intersection of two trails with fresh tracks and rimmed with rubs and scrapes. [...]
You can’t go wrong hanging your tree stand in one of these spots: Break Line: Look for a linear strip where pines, cedars or hardwood trees come together with brush, tall grass or second-growth saplings. Deer walk and browse on these edges; bucks rub and scrape on the lines as the rut approaches. Oak Ridge: A narrow hogback with acorn trees within 100 yards of a corn or bean field is one of my favorite spots. Deer cut around points, ditches and gullies on a ridge; hang stands on these terrains to funnel bucks close. Bucks will stage, eat acorns and browse in ridge thickets not only in the evenings, but in the mornings as well. Creek/River Crossing: Water funnels [...]
Today’s guest post from my friend Eddie Stevenson, a charter member of the BIG DEER Hunt Team…and a proud papa: My 6-year-old son Wesley told me back in early summer that he was ready to hunt. He’s still too small for anything with much recoil, so I decided to let him start practicing with the crossbow. He’s a natural shooter and quickly began hitting the bull-seye with nearly every shot out to 30 yards. We’ve been watching deer on trail cameras since June, and he’s become familiar with all the different deer on the property. On Friday afternoon, he told me that he was ready to hunt and really wanted to shoot a deer. With multiple bucks coming by our ground [...]