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Primetimes for Monster Bucks
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We all know how sneaky and elusive a wise old buck with extra-thick bases and super-long tines can be during a typical deer season. It’s fair to say that you’re really not dealing with a normal whitetail. This special breed knows how to play the game and will usually disappear right before opening day. All it takes is a hint of hunting pressure to send these bad boys straight into a late-shift schedule that basically translates to a nocturnal nightmare for hunters. On the bright side, there are some primetimes when a hunter can exploit these hard-to-handle monsters of the night. All it takes are the right strategies and learning how to take advantage of key periods when giant bucks are on the move.
The Early Season
The opening days of season can be one of the best times of the year to pattern and connect with a mature buck. It’s hot outside, and sometimes you do have to deal with swarms of bloodsucking insects. However, climbing into a stand during this early pre-rut period can result in a close encounter with a true wall-hanger. Large bachelor groups of bucks, minimal outside hunting pressure and predictable daily patterns are just some of the factors that make this period a primetime to be in the woods. In most cases, due to excessive heat, the key times to be in the stand will be during the early-morning and late-evening hours, but there is a place for midday hunting this time of year as well. The key to success is carefully matching your early-season days afield with high-impact tactics.
Deadly Primetime Strategies
Generally, early pre-rut bucks will be locked tightly to a predictable pattern that involves both feeding and bedding. Pinpointing the preferred food source should be your first move during this phase of the season. Locate heavily worn trails that connect big-buck bedding areas to the food and you’ve hit the jackpot. Groves of sweet apple trees and agricultural fields are always good starting points. Glassing these areas from a safe distance right at dusk or just after dawn can reveal a lot of important information. Plus, utilizing a network of trail cameras to monitor buck movement can help take the guesswork out of where to hang your stand. The pictures will show key movement times and which travel routes are being utilized the most by shooter bucks. As mentioned earlier, the muggy midday hours can also be a primetime to intercept an early-season giant. An isolated waterhole near thick cover is a great ambush spot. Mature bucks can easily pattern a hunter, and they know when it’s safe to get off the bed. Most hunters are headed for lunch and something cold to drink well before noon, especially during the hot part of the day. This is exactly when many of the heavyweight brawlers will ease off the bed for a quick drink. Many mature bucks have learned that the midday hours are safe. A secluded waterhole with cover creates a sense of security. Patiently hanging out near one of these watering holes with your bow just may provide you with an opportunity to draw first blood long before the rut begins.
The Cruising Phase
As the season progresses, it doesn’t take long for big bucks to figure out there’s a bad moon arising. A few weeks of outside hunting pressure are all it takes to dramatically change daily patterns, and a lot of shooter bucks will seemingly disappear. However, another trophy-buck primetime will hit again when temperatures begin falling and the days get shorter. Food sources will also change during this period, but the rapidly approaching rut is just about to take the driver’s seat. Bucks pumped full of testosterone are fired up now and becoming less concerned with their dietary needs. Fresh rubs and scrapes will start popping up everywhere, and things are just a couple weeks away from completely busting loose. Bucks that were previously following a strict nocturnal schedule will once again be on the prowl during daylight hours.
Deadly Primetime Strategies
You need to start thinking like a girl-crazed teenage boy on a Friday night during this phase of the season. Let’s face it; the guys are always going to be hanging tight to the ladies and the same thing is going to be true for thick-necked bucks. Focusing on hot scrape lines or popular doe travel corridors will often place you in the middle of some intense action. Mature bucks will be busy working and checking scrapes just before the actual breeding phase of the rut kicks into overdrive. Strong breeding urges will cause these lovesick males to start cruising and searching for the first estrous does. Some of the older females will hit an estrous cycle earlier than the rest of the herd, which can make the bucks even more anxious. Setting up near heavily worn doe trails or around hot scrapes that border these female hangouts can be the winning ticket.
Another way to exploit anxious bucks is to create a series of mock scrapes in locations that offer suitable ambush points. Placing hot estrous doe urine and territorial buck scent in a homemade scrape can coax a big boy right into bow range. With this tactic, the new Code Blue Drop Time Dispenser can be great for hunters who like to play dirty. This innovative electronic device will strategically release scent during your favorite hunting times, which can dictate when a monster is likely to show up.
Of course, time-honored scent tricks such as dousing a drag rag with rut-related scents still work. And don’t overlook the power of a well-placed decoy coupled with some high-impact calling techniques and scent enhancement. This strategy adds realism to your setup and allows you to attack all three of a veteran buck’s senses.
The Peak Rut
Undoubtedly, the spectacle that is generated from the actual breeding phase of the rut is hard to beat. Simply knowing a buck of a lifetime can appear at any time is enough to make the coolest hunter a little jittery. This brief and magical period is different from any other part of the deer season because big bucks are likely to be on the move throughout the entire day. Last season, I bowhunted the Kansas rut and it was amazing to see the overwhelming amount of buck activity that occurred from daylight until dark. My cameraman and I actually spotted some of the largest bucks of the trip during the mid-morning and early evening hours. Having some grit and sticking to your stand all day is the biggest key to scoring big during the rutting period.
Deadly Primetime Strategies
Rut-crazed bucks that are either chasing or actually breeding does can be somewhat unpredictable, especially from the earlier segments of the season. Setups based on buck feeding-to-bedding patterns can go ice cold once the rut takes over. Switching to stands or blinds that overlook known doe bedding areas are always good choices. Travel corridors that connect doe feeding-to-bedding patterns can also be hotspots during the rut. The rule of thumb is to capitalize on transitional locations that does frequently use when moving or areas where they stay for extended periods of time. In other words, you need to be hunting the does if you want to tag a top-heavy buck this time of year.
Basically, knowing when to be in the stand is every bit as important as knowing where to actually hang your stand. Taking advantage of these primetimes when nocturnal bucks are more likely to be active during the day can definitely give you the upper hand. In addition, matching these key times with the right strategies and setups is what it takes to connect with a buck that has been surviving by fooling other hunters. Hit the woods hard this season during these primetimes. That monster you’ve been dreaming about might take a ride in the back of your truck.
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Team Flyers : Pre-show (0:30/min )
MW09.7: Final Countdown ( 12:00/min )
MW09.6: Early Season Success( 14:00/min )
MW09.5: Wisconsin Opener ( 12:00/min )
MW09.4: The Labor Day Buck (17:00/min )
MW09.3: Most Wanted List ( 15:00/min )
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