Anybody Got Any Tips to Share on Buck Patterning Pre or Post Season?

[Savage 12BVSS]

For a lot of hunters this is the time of year to reflect on knowledge gleaned over the fall season. Hunting areas and geography differ for us, but we all notice and use patterns. I hunt in central/northern maine, as such heavy brush and cover as well as differing patterns before and after leaf drop come into play. I use trail cams but rely on actual rublines and core areas and the larger tracked buck runs heavier to try and intercept them moving in daylight. 90% of big buck pics come after dark has fallen so I need to be closer to where they bed and start from than out at fields or orchards often a 1/4-1/2 mile away.

After season seems the best time to blunder into a buck hangout and figure where a good spot to sit may be. We put up stands in summer and reflective tack them back in to watch areas in the rut, and the wisest tip an old timer ever gave me was to always stay near the doe concentrations cause they stay in a tighter home area and the bucks will find them. Would love to see and hear from everyone what they've learned that puts them and bucks in daylight proximity.

 

[sp6x6]

I did most my whitetail before good cams,and how you mentioned.But I would catch a glimpse of a big one and move there.Meaning set stand,did this sometime six times a fall.While hunting one particular buck I stumbled on a small corridor.Killed a larger buck,than one I was after.Then arrowed the other following season,same stand.I would use cams to help find spots.Im using them for elk scouting now,and they sure keep you motivated seeing whats around.

 

[philipbrousseau]

if you have snow and see a buck at dusk back track him if there are'nt so many deer they obliterate all sign. if you can find books and literature by Dick Idol take a look . he is one of the very best at hunting big bucks. are you hunting deer that feed in crop fields or they pretty much wilderness deer in which case cutovers might be the major draw? Idol used to write for north American whitetail magazine mainly before it became a grow your own trophy deer magazine and has published some books worth reading.

 

[hammer111]

Use cameras. I use cheap ones because I'm tired of supplying the public with cameras.

Find the does, and the bucks will find you. Learn where the does go from summer to fall patterns.

Forget trying to pattern a buck in prerut or full rut. Their brains are on overload and they could show up anywhere, at anytime.

Part of success is related to property. If you have great property. All you have to do is be in the woods. Calling and rattling does work for me, and can bring bucks to you.

The best time to pattern a buck in my opinion, is when they're still in the summer pattern. They are creatures of habit, carefree . Eating is the only thing on their mind. I think their guard is kinda relaxed a bit, because the season is fresh and they haven't been alerted by human odors.

So really the best time to pattern a buck is in the summer before the season starts. Be set up and ready before opening day. Good luck !

Oh ill add this for mid season. Find and learn escape corridors. They are places with trails to lead to a safe place when the carp hits the fan.
I learned this by accident. I found a place once that connected several properties together. It wasn't really a bottle neck, but deer focused travel from other areas through this one. When pressure forced them out off one property they used this piece of woods to go to other properties. Man I was rich in deer.
One opening morning I had a doe and two bucks that were pressured come from 3 different directions to use this escape route. I took the 2 bucks in a span of 20 minutes. That's when I learned escape corridors. I'm sorry I rambled so much.