Bag That Late Season Buck
By ReelCamo Girl Team Member, Jamie Dailey
It's late in the season for most hunters out there and most are still looking to bag that big buck. But what does it take to snag that one that keeps slipping through? Here are a few tips that could land you holding a hand full of horn.
Location Location Location
Location is the key to any hunt. But how do you know you are in the right spot? Scout! Just because it's late in the season doesn't mean you need to stop looking for signs and checking game cameras. Their routes change throughout the season due to dwindling food sources and pressure hunters put on them. With it being late in the season rubbed trees and paw areas are easy indicators that a buck is in the area. Both rubs and paw spots can give you clues as to how big of a buck you are looking for. So brush up on how to read and follow the trails left as he moved throug
Hunt Midday
Most people think that hitting the woods at first light and the last few hours of the day are the best times to hunt. However, studies have shown that big bucks have a tendency to move late morning to early afternoon hours as the season progresses. Why is that? One popular theory is that this late in the season bucks are still rutting which means there is only one thing on their mind, finding a hot doe. Does tend to bed down in the midday hours which makes finding them for a buck easier. Another theory is that bucks will change movement as pressure increases. While most hunters tend to hunt those morning and late afternoon hours they can become aware of this pattern and alter their routes and times to avoid the hunters.
Food
By now most of the acorns that have fallen are gone, grass is dying, and crops have been harvested, so knowing where the food sources are this late into the season is important. Deer are resourceful creatures so do your homework and know what their diets consist of in your area.
Get Off The Fields
Big bucks are known for being shy and elusive. One thing that I have learned over the years of hunting is that you have to be willing to hunt the hard stuff. Bucks love to move through and bed down in thick cover. Even if you have to hunt the ground in order to see, give it try.
You must be willing to adapt throughout the season and move around from place to place. If you still want to hunt the fields then look beyond the edge. Mature bucks will more than likely stay on the outside edge of the field to avoid detection.
Hunt the Wind
Most hunters will tell you that they missed the opportunity of harvesting a big buck because they got winded. Practicing good scent control is important but you have to have the wind in your favor. Mature bucks are smart and savvy, because well, they didn’t get that big by being stupid. So have several stands set for this purpose. Always have a wind checker handy to make sure that conditions have not changed.
ABOUT US:
ReelCamoGirl is a lifestyle brand focused on ladies who love the outdoors.There is a growing need for a place for women to share their outdoor experiences, as well as an interest in clean eating and self-sufficiency. Through our website and social media networks, we offer a safe place where the ladies can share their pictures, stories, wild game and fish recipes, and news articles about conservation and hunting perspectives.
ReelCamo girls are strong, capable, kind, compassionate, nature & country-loving individuals. We encourage responsible and ethical hunting. We care about the land and wildlife management and about long term sustainability. We hunt, fish, dive, shoot and hike…for peace of mind, happiness, pure clean protein & connection to the outdoors. ReelCamoGirls can shoot a gun, draw a bow, track an animal, get CAMOed up, bait a hook, clean a fish and still be feminine.
