Deer scouting question

colorcountrykid · Jul 16, 2012

This year I have located a big buck in the same location I saw him last year. I shot the big buck he was running with on the muzzy opener last year and we never did see him for the rest of the year after that but now he is back.

Last year I never started watching him until I found him a few days before the hunt and like I said he disappeared after I shot his buddy on the opener so while I do know quite a bit about him there is a lot that I don't know.

I always glass him from a vantage point that is a loooong ways away and I'm pretty certain he has no idea he is being watched. I saw him the first 2 times I went looking for him then the 3rd time he failed to show. The time after the 3rd time I saw him again. Then the next two times in a row he failed to show up.

Does this happen to you guys a lot when you are watching a big one? There are a lot of other small to medium-sized and even a couple other fairly big deer in the area and they seem to ALWAYS be in the same place every time without fail. Every time I go to see the big guy and he's not there it bothers me all day. "Did something boo him out of there?" "Is he on to me?" "Has he gone nocturnal?" Yes, I'll admit it...I'm obsessed!!

Do any of you guys have any hit and miss bucks like this? I'm pretty much consumed by this buck and likely won't go a day without thinking of him until long after the hunts over.

TOPGUN · Jul 16, 2012

I'd say you have him pegged pretty darn good and I would just keep watching from a good, safe distance like you've been doing. I think you've seen him quite a few times and hopefully you'll see him when the season opens.

nfh · Jul 16, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Jul-16-12 AT 09:19PM (MST)[p]just keep watching him at a distance.

i watch whitetails to the day before the opener and i got every trail and bed they use pegged. but come opening day they just dissapear. they seem to know opeing day and go noc-turnal. when season closes guess who shows up again. all that time spent the deer still out smarts me but its worth it.

NickM · Jul 16, 2012

Keep an eye on his "friends", if he is running with a group of bucks, likely when you see them he won't be too far off. I bet on the trips when you didn't see him, but saw the other bucks he has been with he was nearby but you just failed to see him.

When you shot the other buck last year, was it in the same area? If so, did you happen to see where the other buck took off to? It's always nice to know their back up plan and to know where they go when they feel threatened.

kawboy · Jul 17, 2012

Just let me know where this area is, and I will be happy to head down there to take a look. I will let you know what's going on........

I'll tell you who it was . . . it was that D@MN Sasquatch!

colorcountrykid · Jul 17, 2012

LAST EDITED ON Jul-17-12 AT 09:29AM (MST)[p]Nick, there is actually only one other buck that hangs with this one, a nice, tall typical. When I've seen one I've seen the other and when one didn't show they both didn't show. The other bucks I was talking about I can also see from my glassing area but they are a ways off to the west and they do not run with the big one. To answer your question yes, it was the same area where I shot the other buck last year. The sneaky little devil didn't show up that morning either. After I took the shot I sat and listened in complete silence for a few moments and I never did hear any sounds of another deer in the area taking off.

I have watched them leave their feeding area in the morning to bed down for the day and they always dive off the hill into some thick benches with lots of good cover for them.

...and kawboy I will send you the gps coordinates in exchange for your credit card number!

ICMDEER · Jul 17, 2012

You are doing well if you see him that often. Mule deer are wanderers. He'll stay in the same area, but it's really hard to see every nook and cranny every time. Those bigger bucks have a way of staying in a little swale or behind some tall brush; anywhere they can't be seen well.

As has been said, distance is your ally. Watch him from long distance, then slip in an whack him when the time is right. And it is all to the good if he's a lone. Fewer eyes, ears and noses for you to deal with when the day comes.