How much is TOO much??

[NWBuck]

OK...now I have a typical late-summer/early-fall question. How much pressure on a mature buck this time of year is too much ? Here's why I ask...I've gotten a couple of camtraker photos of 140+ bucks this summer. While this is exciting, I did so at the expense of invading their area on about 4 separate occasions. Also, I glassed a beautiful 150 inch buck a week or so ago, and spent most of Saturday building a stand near that area. I kind of feel like I've spent too much time in the "core areas" of these bucks, and maybe reduced my chances of getting a good look at them come October. Anyone have experience or ideas on this subject? Thanks, and good luck in another month or so!

 

[SD Buck]

I think you'll be ok. As long as the deer have enough time to kinda settle down after you are done. I guess it is better to do it now then closer to hunting season.

 

[arrowsmith]

NWBUCK
I would stay out of there completely. I think you would be crazy to go in there at all. The only chance I would take in the early season, is if you would happen to know any female non-residents with an archery buck tag.
ID

 

[NWBuck]

Arrowsmith,

Sounds like a plan...just hope she can hit 'em

P.S. How the heck did you get that buck in the profile picture to move his head???

 

[arrowsmith]

I had the trail camera set on a 15sec delay and was lucky enough to catch two pictures of him where he didn't move his feet, just his head and upper body. Then I edited the picture to create one animated .gif. Ask the ol' man about his ideas on which end of the camera goes up.

 

[arrowsmith]

In case you don't know, that's the sumac corner fence post facing northwest with a hand full of Jolly Green.

 

[wisco kid]

Anytime you're not in there hunting them with a legal tag is too much if you ask me. Camtrakkers are nice, but if your scouting has already told you a good buck is in the area, I would pretty much clear out, save for building a necessary stand. Just get in there, get the work done as scent free and quietly and quickly as possible, then amscray until the winds are right and you have a legal tag.

 

[BW]

That is probably a hard thing to say with 100% certainty. But my experience always makes me feel I get limited opportunities to bump the big boys in their turf.

 

[ark3]

I think all these deer know humans and are accustomed *somewhat* to having us around. A fifty acre plot I hunt had a 14 pointer that counted coup on both my dad and I on separate occasions and never was taken as far as we know. We each only saw him once.

The owner is always chopping wood, mowing lanes, generally making a racket all over that 50 acres. He saw that deer all the time!

So what I think, getting your area all good and stinky this time of year lets those big deer know that humans are sometimes there but no harm came of it.

When I go scouting I wear street clothes that have been washed in scentkiller so that I leave a scent similar to that I will leave in the fall. Since they have smelled me before, it is no longer a completely foriegn smell.

I wear street clothes, though, so they can see me. In the fall, they'll smell me but not not see me and won't think I'm in the area!!

Then again, I could have too much time to think about this stuff....

 

[NWBuck]

Arrowsmith,
Hey...at least he managed to get the shutter open this time

Nope...I wouldn't have recognized that as the sumac corner, but can see it now. Talk to you sometime this weekend.