Big Deer Blog

14 11, 2014

How To Hunt Buck Scrapes

2020-06-10T09:19:53-04:00November 14th, 2014|Deer Hunting, Deer Management|1 Comment

Mike, I haven’t had much luck hunting scrapes, what do you suggest? Emory P. from PA Emory, I hear you man, scrape hunting is dang unpredictable. But here’s something to think about. A University of Georgia study found that three, five or more bucks might scrape like crazy on one ridge or in a creek bottom, while other sets of scrapes only 300 yards or so away might go cold overnight. So you always have to be looking for and hunting the hottest scrapes with the most buck activity right now. I suggest: If you hunt a set of scrapes for two or three days and don’t see a buck, pull out of there immediately and scout for hotter, fresher scrapes 200 [...]

12 11, 2014

New Deer-Rut Science: Big Bucks Move Midday

2020-06-10T09:19:53-04:00November 12th, 2014|BigDeer, Deer Science|3 Comments

Hot off the press, the College of Agricultural Sciences at Penn State reports: Based on bucks wearing GPS radio collars during the 2013 rut, buck movements declined through the early morning. From 8AM to 11AM, bucks moved the least during that period of the day. But you better be in the woods and ready by 11:00 as  buck movements increased to some of their highest levels from 11AM to 2PM. The (chart) above shows movements of bucks wearing GPS radio-collars from November 1st to 10th (early November) and November 11th to 20th (mid-November). The distances bucks moved are in 3-hour periods. Peak buck movements were from 2 to 5AM and from 11AM to 2PM. This further confirms what I have [...]

10 11, 2014

Ohio: Giant 165-Inch Bow Buck

2020-06-10T09:19:53-04:00November 10th, 2014|BigDeer|1 Comment

Today’s blog is from 20-year-old Ohio bowhunter Pierce Moore: As opening day in Ohio closed in, I made the sudden decision to take off the first week of bow season. I told a few people I was taking off the first week, and they looked at me like I was crazy. The first week of season is when the deer have had the least amount of pressure, if any pressure at all. I also took into account the moon phase for the week, and I was left with no doubt in my mind that I had to be in the stand opening week. I had two mature bucks I was anxious to see from my tree stand and hopefully have the [...]

7 11, 2014

November Rut: 3 Best Days to Hunt

2020-06-10T09:19:54-04:00November 7th, 2014|BigDeer|2 Comments

November 8 Regardless of weather or phase of the moon, most does in the northern two-thirds of America will be bred between November 5 and Thanksgiving—this year, next fall and so on. Historically, November 8 has been and will continue to be one of the top big-buck days within this window. Get this: A whopping 15 Boone and Crockett bucks were killed on November 8, 2003, by far the most of any day that fall. Why so good? Well, in two or three days most of a herd’s does will pop into heat. For these two or three days prior, the horny big boys lug around in a daze and wait for that to happen. A giant might walk right [...]

6 11, 2014

Deer Rut: 3 Scent Strategies

2020-06-10T09:19:54-04:00November 6th, 2014|BigDeer, Deer Hunting, Deer Management|4 Comments

Buck Stink: One November morning I shot a 10-pointer, walked up, took a step back and said, “Man, you stink!” The buck’s hind legs and hocks were black and wet from rub-urinating in scrapes. I held my breath and started gutting. Leaves popped. I looked up and saw another 10-pointer bearing down on me, rack poised for battle and the hair bristling on his neck. I crouched behind the dead buck. A rut-crazed animal like that is unpredictable and potentially dangerous, and I figured staying put was my best bet. The intruder marched within 10 yards, grunting and giving me the sideways evil eye. When my deer didn’t pose a threat, the bad buck whirled and trotted off. Ever since that day, I set a [...]

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