texashuntingforum.com logo
Main Menu
Advertisement
Affiliates
Advertisement
Newest Members
TraeMartin, Beatixre, MooseSteed, Trappernewt, casyoo
71987 Registered Users
Top Posters(All Time)
dogcatcher 110,788
bill oxner 91,416
SnakeWrangler 65,413
stxranchman 60,296
Gravytrain 46,950
RKHarm24 44,585
rifleman 44,461
Stub 43,764
Forum Statistics
Forums46
Topics536,987
Posts9,719,160
Members86,987
Most Online25,604
Feb 12th, 2024
Print Thread
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck #6441849 09/07/16 02:52 PM
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,273
B
BenBob Offline OP
THF Trophy Hunter
OP Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
B
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 7,273
WHat are some of the factors that contributed to you killing your largest deer? Some of these might be the weather, rut, blind luck, early in the season, special feed, change of blind placement, other hunters pushing deer to you, scrape, rubs, water, etc. What do you think was the determining factor/factors that helped you kill the biggest buck you have taken would be another ways to ask the question.


Tired, Wired, and Uninspired
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6441867 09/07/16 03:00 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
S
stxranchman Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
Offline
Obie Juan Kenobi
S
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 60,296
Right place with the right age structure at the right time.


Are idiots multiplying faster than normal people?[Linked Image]
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6441874 09/07/16 03:05 PM
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 11,124
L
LandPirate Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
L
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 11,124
I typically see and have killed my biggest bucks during the rut and immediately following the rut. I've great success catching old bucks coming to corn in the post rut. These are bucks that you wouldn't see at feeders any other time. They've been running hard and not eating, so they're hungry.

This has been universally true, regardless of region...south Texas, Hill Country or West Texas. The only down side to post rut bucks is that there's a good chance that their antlers may be a bit dinged up or entirely busted.


Mike
Buda, Tx
Hunt near Freer
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6441884 09/07/16 03:11 PM
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
N
Navasot Offline
Hollywood
Offline
Hollywood
N
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 28,032
Knew the buck was in the area... took a week to hunt him... sat 4 strait days with only a few hours down time and saw very little movement... he messed up on the 5th day late into the morning... think I saw three deer the whole 5 days other than the morning I changed up properties to shoot a doe.. right place at the right time like said

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6441889 09/07/16 03:15 PM
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,271
P
Palehorse Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
P
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 5,271
Blind luck! banana

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: stxranchman] #6441898 09/07/16 03:19 PM
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
fouzman Offline
Veteran Tracker
Offline
Veteran Tracker
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 2,605
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Right place with the right age structure at the right time.

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6441900 09/07/16 03:19 PM
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 29,609
S
SapperTitan Offline
Taking Requests
Offline
Taking Requests
S
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 29,609
LUCK

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6441903 09/07/16 03:25 PM
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,236
E
Erny Offline
Extreme Tracker
Offline
Extreme Tracker
E
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 4,236
Siting in the stand every chance I get.

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6441925 09/07/16 03:40 PM
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,769
M
Mr. T. Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
M
Joined: Nov 2014
Posts: 7,769
Hard work, sweat, and then a lot of luck.


Cabin rental in Pagosa Springs, Co.
Sleeps 10, If interested please PM me.
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6441939 09/07/16 03:47 PM
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
R
redchevy Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
R
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 39,481
Luck, patience, and a great Father.

Was lucky enough to have the deer show up on a small LF south texas property. Was patient enough to watch him grow from an 8 point yearling to a 11 pt 2YO to a 13 pt 3 yo and shoot him as a typical 12 pt 4 year old, and I have a great father that passed him 2 times the week I shot him because he had already tagged his buck for the year. We hunted him the whole month of November, he was all over the cameras, but we couldn't connect and see him in person. The week before I shot him dad saw him and passed because he already had a buck, I tried to convince him to shoot, but he wouldn't. The weekend I shot him my dad saw him Saturday morning and I shot him Saturday afternoon.

Some don't consider shooting a 4 yo patient, but that is what we decided was practical for our property at the time. We have had pretty good luck with deer attaining 4 years of age and I'm more inclined to let them go a little longer.


It's hell eatin em live
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6442001 09/07/16 04:31 PM
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 25,138
Creekrunner Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 25,138
Free range, no blind or feeder mule deer - willingness to go out in cold, crappy weather, especially the morning after a freight train of a front has blown through.


...and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. Gen. 1:28
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6442028 09/07/16 04:51 PM
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 9,185
H
hook_n_line Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
H
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 9,185
Blessed with the opportunity. Never seen the deer before or had him on camera even had someone scare him off 10 minutes before he cam out again.


Sometimes it's hard being me! But somebody has to do it.
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6442053 09/07/16 05:06 PM
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 11,953
kry226 Online Content
The General
Online Content
The General
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 11,953
Not being a "fair weather hunter". Two of my three biggest bucks were killed when I was probably one of a very few number of hunters who were in the woods at the time, and either on the front or back side of severe weather.


[Linked Image]
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: Navasot] #6442059 09/07/16 05:09 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
T
titan2232 Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
T
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
Originally Posted By: Navasot
Knew the buck was in the area... took a week to hunt him... sat 4 strait days with only a few hours down time and saw very little movement... he messed up on the 5th day late into the morning... think I saw three deer the whole 5 days other than the morning I changed up properties to shoot a doe.. right place at the right time like said


My story is similar to Nav's. Hunted a known East Texas buck for 5 days before getting a good bow opportunity. I never seen a buck at the feeder past 7:30am and never seen the buck I was after at a feeder in daylight hours (this is with THREE years of game camera pictures of him)

Cold November morning, almost 9 am and I know nothing is coming to the feeder so I'm slouched down in my 15 foot tripod, feeling deflated after 5 straight days of hunting, and I don't even have my release attached to my loop.

Decide to get down, but not before I try a few calls. Hit the doe bleet, grunt, bleet can, and then followed it up with a few snort wheezes (I honestly made these calls just to blow steam)

2 minutes later while I was getting down THE 10 point I've been watching for the past 3 years comes hauling arse directly under my tripod. I'm moving around trying to get into position all the while watching him breath heavily as he scans the open field he just ran into. He was so pumped about one or all of the calls he never sees me move into my seat or draw.

He ended up around 25-30 yards and slightly quartering away. Never found any blood (3 blade rage and only 2 blades opened), but he only made it 60 yards.

210 lbs, 13" spread, 135"

Brows were 7 inches long



Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6442097 09/07/16 05:25 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,204
T
Texas Dan Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,204
I killed my largest East Texas buck after a lengthy walk to a somewhat remote area of the Davey Crockett National Forest. I'm sure it was the sound of hunters passing through the area on their way back to their camp on ATV's that "bumped" the buck past my stand around 10am one Opening Day morning. It was this, along with my knowledge of the spot being near a natural deer crossing, that put me in the right spot at the right time.

Walk more and stay late and you'll see more deer, especially if nearby hunters do neither.


"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: Texas Dan] #6442101 09/07/16 05:28 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
T
titan2232 Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
T
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
Originally Posted By: Texas Dan
I killed my largest East Texas buck after a lengthy walk to a somewhat remote area of the Davey Crockett National Forest. I'm sure it was the sound of hunters passing through the area on their way back to their camp on ATV's that "bumped" the buck past my stand around 10am one Opening Day morning. This, along with my knowledge of the spot being near a natural deer crossing, that put me in the right spot at the right time.

Work more and stay late and you'll see more deer, especially if nearby hunters do neither.


Hunted a few years there when I was a young teen. That forest was crawling with hunters that kept the deer scared and moving. I thought using reflective tacks to mark trails was a good idea, but boy was I wrong the first early morning when I clicked on the flashlight roflmao



Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: titan2232] #6442118 09/07/16 05:42 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,204
T
Texas Dan Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,204
Originally Posted By: titan2232
Originally Posted By: Texas Dan
I killed my largest East Texas buck after a lengthy walk to a somewhat remote area of the Davey Crockett National Forest. I'm sure it was the sound of hunters passing through the area on their way back to their camp on ATV's that "bumped" the buck past my stand around 10am one Opening Day morning. This, along with my knowledge of the spot being near a natural deer crossing, that put me in the right spot at the right time.

Work more and stay late and you'll see more deer, especially if nearby hunters do neither.


Hunted a few years there when I was a young teen. That forest was crawling with hunters that kept the deer scared and moving. I thought using reflective tacks to mark trails was a good idea, but boy was I wrong the first early morning when I clicked on the flashlight roflmao


I know exactly what you mean. Nothing can give you an uneasy feeling any quicker that seeing what first looks like a glowing eye looking back at you.

If you're willing to do your homework, you can find areas of the Davey Crockett that never see a hunter.


"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6442164 09/07/16 06:03 PM
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
T
titan2232 Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
T
Joined: Dec 2014
Posts: 5,067
I was still a little scared at the dark back then. Ha. A mile walk into the national forest at 13-14 in pitch black will make you start imagining things.



Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6442230 09/07/16 06:45 PM
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 756
D
DirtNapTET Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
D
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 756
I believe the way you access your blind is one of the most crucial factors.

2014 season, at my blind, I saw more deer (and bucks) then anybody else on the lease combined, but my blind was easily the closest to camp. I cleared a small path from camp so I could walk in with no flashlight, (even when there wasnt a moon) without trampling a bunch of sticks and thicket.

Had a couple very nice bucks coming in, but with one more year they would be awesome. Late November, I saw one of the biggest bucks I had ever seen, but he was chasing a doe and wasnt able to get a shot off in time.

Fast forward to last season. We gave up the 600 acres our camp was on due to lack of activity (my blind was just on the other side of the fence on our other 800 acres). I changed my route to get to the blind and had to drive quite a bit through some prime territory to get to my blind (still walked at least a 1/4 mile in). Activity dropped dramatically from the get go. The 6-10 does/hunt I would see on a regular basis diminished to 2-3.

Did this for about 3 weeks, and decided to park at the corner of the 600 and 800, hoof it through some thick stuff, and mirror the way I would access my blind the prior season (with out trespassing of course). That afternoon I shot the largest deer I have ever harvested, a beautiful 154" 10.

Have put a lot of thought into why and how I was able to connect with such a great deer, and the only thing I can come up with is how I accessed my blind.

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6442315 09/07/16 07:26 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 650
J
jmh004 Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
J
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 650
I'd say a willingness to put in the hours needed, and a lot of luck!

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6442403 09/07/16 08:20 PM
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 7,942
S
Stompy Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
S
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 7,942
Passing on him for years until he got big enough to be a buck of a lifetime.


www.jaranchhunting.com
Cabin Rentals on the ranch for Hubbard Creek Lake
Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: stxranchman] #6442517 09/07/16 09:10 PM
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,806
D
Deerhunter61 Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
Offline
THF Trophy Hunter
D
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 7,806
Originally Posted By: stxranchman
Right place with the right age structure at the right time.


This but also being willing to hunt alone and to do what others weren't willing to do. I was pretty much on a lease where guys were more interested in drinking than hunting. There were too many on the lease, 8 of us on 650 acres. This was just outside of Mason. I saw a half a dozen bucks that were 150+ in my four years on the lease but it was always right before the season started. Once the season started they were gone. Way to much noise. I started waiting until Wednesday and coming in then and hunting Wednesday evening thru Friday before the other guys got there. I also was more aggressive with my feeding. Then it was simply being at the right place at the right time.

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: BenBob] #6442523 09/07/16 09:13 PM
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 19,100
dgilbert Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 19,100
Many hours in a stand, I knew the buck was there, had to wait him out.

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: DirtNapTET] #6442541 09/07/16 09:23 PM
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 686
M
MoBettaHuntR Offline
Tracker
Offline
Tracker
M
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 686
Originally Posted By: DirtNapTET
I believe the way you access your blind is one of the most crucial factors.

2014 season, at my blind, I saw more deer (and bucks) then anybody else on the lease combined, but my blind was easily the closest to camp. I cleared a small path from camp so I could walk in with no flashlight, (even when there wasnt a moon) without trampling a bunch of sticks and thicket.

Had a couple very nice bucks coming in, but with one more year they would be awesome. Late November, I saw one of the biggest bucks I had ever seen, but he was chasing a doe and wasnt able to get a shot off in time.

Fast forward to last season. We gave up the 600 acres our camp was on due to lack of activity (my blind was just on the other side of the fence on our other 800 acres). I changed my route to get to the blind and had to drive quite a bit through some prime territory to get to my blind (still walked at least a 1/4 mile in). Activity dropped dramatically from the get go. The 6-10 does/hunt I would see on a regular basis diminished to 2-3.

Did this for about 3 weeks, and decided to park at the corner of the 600 and 800, hoof it through some thick stuff, and mirror the way I would access my blind the prior season (with out trespassing of course). That afternoon I shot the largest deer I have ever harvested, a beautiful 154" 10.

Have put a lot of thought into why and how I was able to connect with such a great deer, and the only thing I can come up with is how I accessed my blind.



I like this. If I don't access it routinely by truck or wheeler I pay careful attention to route, noise, light, and wind on approach.


-Those who say money can't buy happiness never bought a dog.

Re: Factors Contributing to Killing Your Biggest Buck [Re: titan2232] #6442689 09/07/16 10:54 PM
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,204
T
Texas Dan Offline
THF Celebrity
Offline
THF Celebrity
T
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 22,204
Originally Posted By: titan2232
I was still a little scared at the dark back then. Ha. A mile walk into the national forest at 13-14 in pitch black will make you start imagining things.


I have a good friend who refuses to hunt in ground blinds due to his fear of feral hogs.

And although they would never admit it, I'm sure it's their fear of the dark that pushes some guys to drive their ATV's close to their stands.


"Some people will never like you because your spirit irritates their demons."
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3
Previous Thread
Index
Next Thread

© 2004-2024 OUTDOOR SITES NETWORK all rights reserved USA and Worldwide
Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.3