WT Deer Need Help..

[hunter1947]

I want this buck real bad and he has shown himself two time to me but was way to quick on me and exited into the big timber as fast as you can count to 20.

I need to know what should I do in order to try and get this buck he has showed up two times at my baiting station in the last 9 days but at night.

#1 do I keep going to my baiting station before first light and then again the last 3 hours before I loose shooting light .
#2 do I rattle and grunt as for a few doe bleeps ????..

You WT experts what should I do my baiting station where this big buck comes out is in the slash about 200 yards from the big timber and the station is in a ravine.

I also let about 5 bucks walk this week one was not a bad buck I was sitting in another blind when he showed up the trail did the work for me .man O man is it hard passing up 125 bucks in order to shot this big guy below.
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I passed on this buck he is a 6x5 I hope it don't come back and bite me at the end..
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[ramron]

Thats a dandy wayne. There's a reason why he has become so majestic as you have witnessed. Keep after him, he's going to get a little more carless in the next couple of weeks. Good luck and hope to see pics of him on your meatpole.

[dragonslayer]

Hunter 1947 , do the # 1, it is still to early for the rut for wts, keep hanging in there he will show eventually, patients and perseverence will always prevail

[The Dude]

If you can find a spot IN the timber with shooting lanes and quiet access for you, I'd walk the bait station into the timber, 100 yards at a time over several nights. They might be a little less spooky if they can stay in the trees, allowing you a shot.

[backstrap]

Try to find the trail he is using to get to the slash. Soon if not already he will be making scapes in the dirt (approx 18"x14" and they will be scraped clean!) with a licking branch right above them. If you can find a group of three or four of these scrapes with in a short distance of each other there's a good chance he will frequent this area over the next month. Set up a blind cut a shooting lane, if need be. If you can, sit all day. Big WT bucks (like the one in your photo) often get shot around mid day while tending scrape lines looking for doe sent and other bucks in there territory. Rattling is also a GREAT idea, right time right place he'll come a runnin, so be ready! in a week or so if you havent got him yet, try a little estrous doe piss around those scrapes. Use a drag tied to your boot soaked in the stuff and zig zag the trails in the area and obviously lead back to you blind.
Keep passin on the other ones, it would be a shame to see him and be tagless!!
good luck!

[.300WSMImpact!]

http://www.midwestwhitetail.com/gallery/96/media/3488/mw119-cool-front-action.html

watch this guys clip he has the same issue as you and is a whitetail guru, tells you a lot about whitetails habits in there local terrain

good luck sounds like if you plan it like backstrap says find his scrapes you will have a great chance at him!!

[ianwuzhere]

looks like good width on him-- great advise already given- i again say if yer in a stand dont leave mid-day as boring as it can be sometimes...
smart old animals just need a lil more time and they will show up...keep feeding to keep the does near... good luck...

[huntwriter]

Great looking buck Wayne. As you found out whitetails are a very different breed from mule deer. Hunting them over bait does not work well. It's much better to find out what trail he takes when he comes to the bait. Then set up, preferably treestand, in the woods. Look for his staging area, usually in the thick stuff but provides him with a good vision of the open areas around him.

One thing about stand sites be they on the ground or in the tree. Make sure you do not change to much, like cutting a lot of branches and stuff like that. Whitetails, especially older bucks, are very sensitive to any change.

Rattling can work great at this time of year. Set up in such a way that the buck can't get downwind of you without passing through your shooting lanes. Whitetails ALWAYS approach calling from downwind, especially older bucks. You also need to pay attention that the set up you chose forces the buck to come into shooting range before he can see where the calling is coming from. Many hunters make the mistake to set up where they can see for a long way, so can the buck. A buck answering to rattling fully expects to see another deer, if he doesn't he hangs up.

It's a bit early for doe bleats, wait another couple of weeks when the doe's start acting up.

Wish you the best of luck. That is a really nice buck.

[mark]

If you can find a spot IN the timber with shooting lanes and quiet access for you, I'd walk the bait station into the timber, 100 yards at a time over several nights. They might be a little less spooky if they can stay in the trees, allowing you a shot.

What he said Wayne!!! Big whities wont show in the open areas in the daylight!

[BlacktailStalker]

Wayner I'd hunt that buck all day every day (as long as the wind is right) until you get him, what a stud!
When you know they are rutting I'd try to subtly grunt him out.

[Walking Buffalo]

Great looking buck Wayne. Wait for him, don't settle. You'll get him.

Mature whitetails are a completely different beast than young bucks or does. They almost NEVER come into the open during daylight during the fall, occassionally during the rut. Even then, they will try to round up a hot doe and push her into cover.

As mentioned, move a baitpile well into the trees, and try calling and rattling. Your best chance to catch him during shooting light is going to be back in the forest at least a couple of hundred yards.

Hope you get him. :-D

[.300WSMImpact!]

oh what we found last year is the decoys help extremely well, watch your ground scent as well when you are walking where you want him to go

[huntwriter]

Correction on a few things.

Soon if not already he will be making scapes in the dirt (approx 18"x14" and they will be scraped clean!) with a licking branch right above them.

Did you know that there are 3 different types of scrapes and all look the same. Bucks make scrapes, so do doe's and the third type are communal scrapes. Most scrapes are random, they've no meaning whatsoever. Some scrapes are the size you described others are as big as a truck hood. The problem is that the average hunter is not able to determine which scrape is which.

A buck may visit two to three scrapes on any given day. Sometimes they don't visit scrapes at all, especially in places like BC where the buck to doe ratio is 1 to 20 or more. In other words you can sit over a scrape every day from dawn to dusk for two weeks and never see a buck.

If you can find a group of three or four of these scrapes with in a short distance of each other there's a good chance he will frequent this area over the next month.There is no such thing as a scrape line. You probably mean a rub line, which is something else altogether. It can very effective to hunt near rub lines. Hunting over a scrape on the other hand is just about the most unproductive way to kill a big buck.

[bearass]

When you go in to this spot in the morning tie a rag or tampon soaked in doe piss to your boots. If he does cut your track he may follow it in.If you can, I would also get as high up in a tree as you can with making the least amount of noise as possible. Good luck Wayne

[moose2]

Great looking buck Wayne it must hve been tough passing the 6 x 5 , but thats what has to be done when you know a trophy is around. Good luck on getting him , I hope to see some ground pictures of him.
Mike

[GoatGuy]

Would look for the scrapes and rubs that are pretty much in the same spots every year. Once the snow flies you'll know which trails get the action and which scrapes the does go to let the bucks know they're coming in to estrous. Does and bucks both hit these scrapes. Individual bucks will have random spots that aren't consistent but typically there will be a couple spots where most of the action happens and everybody's checking out.

Sit on those trails and the bucks will funnel by. We see the majority of the bucks in the exact same spots on the exact same trails every single year looking for hot does. Seems when the breeding is going on most of the bucks are seen cruising midday, least that's what we've found.

Calling and rattling works well sometimes for calling in hot does as well; they're pretty vocal when in estrous. Usually not too long after a buck will come by nose to the ground head in the clouds. Least that's our experience.

[GoatGuy]

A buck may visit two to three scrapes on any given day. Sometimes they don't visit scrapes at all, especially in places like BC where the buck to doe ratio is 1 to 20 or more.

Guessing this is a typo???????

[hunter1947]

There is lots of snow coming into my area starting next wed and by the looks of it it is going to snow off and on for the next 10 days not good for me I will have to keep an eye on the snow leave if it gets to deep I will have to pull my camp I have to climb over a pass that is high up and this FSR is not maintained for snow removal.

I have a set of V chains heavy duty for all four tires that will help me somewhat but as soon as the snow gets to 2 feet I have to get out of my area this is what end my dream hunt for a big WT buck..

There is some good feed back on how to hunt for big bucks thanks to all that replied to my post this helps me big time I have my summit self climbing tree stand to get me up hi in the big timber.

I hiked in on Sat morning to my blind in the dark got there and saw a big fat doe all by herself just 100 yards from my baiting station I watched her when it was light enough to see and watched where she went into the timber.

I would think that if a doe is in heat and this big mossy back WT buck is with her I am sure that he will follow her even if the doe comes out to my feeding station in the early shooting hours or just before I loose shooting light ,CORRECT ????? ,A big thanks again to you members for all your feed back ,H-47..

[backstrap]

http://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/info.php?id=182 Huntwriter, i know this is american, and you make a valid point about BC whitetails being different than say, saskatchewan whitetails but alot of their characteristics are the same. I personally have harvested some great bucks on what I call "scrape lines" i find them to be a magnet for deer activity. I usually find them along travel routes and have found that some of them are cleared promptly after a snowfall sometimes three or four days in a row, it may not be the same buck but they are most deffinately being used. Have a read on what ive posted, there are a few different perspectives on the subject, who knows you may learn something. All of what i posted is from personal experience, and maybe i am wrong but its been workin for me, especially now at the end of October when the rut is on the horizon.

[dukester]

buck scent and doe scent your bait area. he will slip up in the next couple wks. keep the oats/apples piled up in there. Rattling works great right now also.

[pete_k]

Get 'm Wayne. I'd love to see you get that guy. He's a beast.

[hunter1947]

Well today has come and I am one excited old fart just like when it was the night before Christmas I remember what it was like back then sleepless night .well that was me last night thinking on how I will do set up to try to get my dream WT buck of a life time.

I know that all the members feed back was helpful and believe you me I took all input and put it up in the old neg nog whats left of it that is LOL ,you learn from asking thats what learning is all about..

I called a few different aged trophy hunters that have book WT deer on there wall they suggested a few things to me in order to fill my dreams trying to get this fantastic WT buck..

I got enough food yesterday for a month and 250L of gas I got enough of all to stay in my hunting camp till ether the snow pushes me out or I get this fantastic WT buck ,lets face it most of us do and want to find a dream buck of a life time and thats why we get up in the middle of the night to go out and find that dream buck of a life time ether being a mule deer ,WT or other http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon7.png.

I will not run around looking for other places I will work this area till the end if I don't get this dream buck then so be it at least I had fun trying and that is what its all about :wink:.

I got a few old tricks up my sleeve for this buck its called experience from all the years hunting island black tail deer I will put them old tricks to use in the next 30 days ,If I do have to come out before the snow pushes me out it will be with Mr big and I do hope this is what happens ????? http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/images/icons/icon5.png..

If I do get this buck it will not be very nice celebrating it at the fire pit with just being by myself just like when I got my bull no one around but me and mother nature LOL me think that I need to find someone that will come into my camp that is retired and spend weeks at a time in at my hunting camp and hunt every day ..

Again thank you all for your feed back on what I should do in order to try and get this dream WT buck ,happy hunting to all members and be safe ,H-47 :)

[mattfreerider]

Nice pic Wayne! that buck is a beauty! Good for u for holding out for him. The best advice I can give u is be very persistent and patient. As u and I know persistence pays off most of the time. the peak of the rut will be ur best chance to get him. I would rattle and gunt in that area until he gets so wound up he cant take it anymore, and gives u an opportunity to take him. Good luck hope all goes well for u.

[hunter1947]

Thanks mattfreerider I will do all I can to have this buck hanging at my camp in the next couple weeks..

[Philcott]

Wayne, have you talked to a friend or two about when you expect to be out of the camp? If you get snowed in you'll want to have someone with a snow machine prepared to pull your butt out.

Just a thought.

Good luck on the fantastic looking WT. Can't wait to see the smile on your face when you take a pic of yourself with him.

[hunter1947]

Wayne, have you talked to a friend or two about when you expect to be out of the camp? If you get snowed in you'll want to have someone with a snow machine prepared to pull your butt out.

Just a thought.

Good luck on the fantastic looking WT. Can't wait to see the smile on your face when you take a pic of yourself with him.

Yes all is in place my daughter and her husband as for rocksteady are the rescuers if I need help getting out ,I have 4 chains for all 4 wheels I will pull out as soon as the snow gets to 18 inches deep .good point you made ,well I am shutting the computer down and I am off to try and find Mr big.

[wsm]

There is lots of snow coming into my area starting next wed and by the looks of it it is going to snow off and on for the next 10 days not good for me I will have to keep an eye on the snow leave if it gets to deep I will have to pull my camp I have to climb over a pass that is high up and this FSR is not maintained for snow removal.

I have a set of V chains heavy duty for all four tires that will help me somewhat but as soon as the snow gets to 2 feet I have to get out of my area this is what end my dream hunt for a big WT buck..

There is some good feed back on how to hunt for big bucks thanks to all that replied to my post this helps me big time I have my summit self climbing tree stand to get me up hi in the big timber.

I hiked in on Sat morning to my blind in the dark got there and saw a big fat doe all by herself just 100 yards from my baiting station I watched her when it was light enough to see and watched where she went into the timber.

I would think that if a doe is in heat and this big mossy back WT buck is with her I am sure that he will follow her even if the doe comes out to my feeding station in the early shooting hours or just before I loose shooting light ,CORRECT ????? ,A big thanks again to you members for all your feed back ,H-47..

do u have access to a snow mobile?

[huntwriter]

Guessing this is a typo???????

1 buck to, give or take a few, 20 does.


http://www.imbmonsterbucks.com/info.php?id=182 Huntwriter, i know this is american, and you make a valid point about BC whitetails being different than say, saskatchewan whitetails but alot of their characteristics are the same. I personally have harvested some great bucks on what I call "scrape lines" i find them to be a magnet for deer activity. I usually find them along travel routes and have found that some of them are cleared promptly after a snowfall sometimes three or four days in a row, it may not be the same buck but they are most deffinately being used. Have a read on what ive posted, there are a few different perspectives on the subject, who knows you may learn something. All of what i posted is from personal experience, and maybe i am wrong but its been workin for me, especially now at the end of October when the rut is on the horizon.

American or Canadian whitetails with little difference their behaviour is the same. I've researched whitetail beahviour for many years and assure you there is no such thing as scrape lines. It is possible that there are a few scrapes within close proximity of each other but they are not made by the same buck. The point I tried to make is that scrapes not that important because here in BC, or anywhere else where deer are not quality managed.

The reason they are not important is because once the rut starts the buck has no need to check up on scrapes. With an abundance of does all the buck does is stay with a group of does and breeds them as they come into estrus. It's a different story where the buck to doe ratio is close to equal. There bucks have more competition and frequently check scrapes. However, it is impossible to predict at what day or time a buck will check any given scrape. Given the fact that a buck can make as many as 30 scrapes in his core area it becomes obvious that hunting scrapes is a bit of a lottery game.

During my research I've asked many so called "scrape hunters" how long they had to hunt a particular scrape until they killed a buck. The result of this question is that on average a hunter would spend typically up to 6 days from dawn to dusk sitting over the same scrape. Of course there are some hunters that got lucky the first or second day, but they are the minority. A much more productive tactic on land that is not managed for optimal doe buck ratio is to stay with the does because that is where the bucks will be too.

[GoatGuy]

1 buck to, give or take a few, 20 does.



American or Canadian whitetails with little difference their behaviour is the same. I've researched whitetail beahviour for many years and assure you there is no such thing as scrape lines. It is possible that there are a few scrapes within close proximity of each other but they are not made by the same buck. The point I tried to make is that scrapes not that important because here in BC, or anywhere else where deer are not quality managed.

The reason they are not important is because once the rut starts the buck has no need to check up on scrapes. With an abundance of does all the buck does is stay with a group of does and breeds them as they come into estrus. It's a different story where the buck to doe ratio is close to equal. There bucks have more competition and frequently check scrapes. However, it is impossible to predict at what day or time a buck will check any given scrape. Given the fact that a buck can make as many as 30 scrapes in his core area it becomes obvious that hunting scrapes is a bit of a lottery game.

During my research I've asked many so called "scrape hunters" how long they had to hunt a particular scrape until they killed a buck. The result of this question is that on average a hunter would spend typically up to 6 days from dawn to dusk sitting over the same scrape. Of course there are some hunters that got lucky the first or second day, but they are the minority. A much more productive tactic on land that is not managed for optimal doe buck ratio is to stay with the does because that is where the bucks will be too.

So you're saying the average buck:doe ratio in BC is around 5:100?

This is interesting.

What buck:doe ratio is associated with quality management? At what point do bucks make and check scrapes?

With such low buck:doe ratios why would bucks even bother to make scrapes if they aren't going to check them?

Bucks will breed all the does in a group? How long does that take?

Fascinated by all this new information. Seems science, evolution and my perception of white-tailed deer hunting in BC is all wroong.

[Jelvis]

Hey wayner if you seen em twice and you could count to twenty, you should be shooting lol.
Raise gun take aim fire BOOM!
Jel lol. Henry Richard the great Canadian goal scorer in NHL says you got to shoot2score
20 is a long time brah lol .. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. lol .. good luck huge buck man

[BCrams]

Hunting them over bait does not work well. It's much better to find out what trail he takes when he comes to the bait. Then set up, preferably treestand, in the woods.


Not too sure if I agree hunting over bait does not work well? There's been quite a few posts from last year by fellows who have used bait and have taken some dandy bucks. Its no secret the outfitters in Saskatchewan and other areas all bait heavily with tree stands / ground blinds placed at different distances with an overview of the bait.

What Wayne does need to do if he wants to hunt over bait is have the bait pile in the bush and in this case -- that buck he's hunting certainly doesn't like being out in the open where the bait currently is - I agree setting up a ways back in the bush overlooking a trail leading to the bait is the way to go.

I've had good luck hunting those so called scrape lines. Witnessed it in Saskatchewan from a tree stand I set up on a T at the edge of a small field and cut line behind me. Watched a decent buck work the edge of the tree line, working a series of scrapes (not a rub line although I've seen those as well). The scrapes were each about 50-75 yards apart and he hit each one ...reworking the scrape with his hooves / antlers and pissing and touching up his branch before nose down to the next one. Now the does that were in the field .... also visited the scrapes. 2 days later the buck was back making the same rounds

[Jelvis]

Wayne that looks like a record whitetail right there brah it's a monster holy cow man

[M.Dean]

Son of a Gun! That's one nice looking Buck! I wonder if you found where he's hanging around and tried using some of the different Buck Lures? My Son put some up a few years ago, just the wick ones you dip into the bottle and hang from a branch, and we see quite a difference in the amount of Deer in that area after that. I can see why your excited about getting that Buck, I've see a few decent White Tail Bucks over the years, but only for a few seconds as they ran away at about 90 miles a hour! Good Luck, that's the Buck of a Life Time!