2009.07.15
A nice velvet buck from Central Virginia
Another reader sent in this trail cam shot of a nice buck that's wandering around on their hunting property. It's not a giant, but it sure is pretty.
In a comment below, BobH mentioned that he doesn't pay much attention, from a scouting standpoint, to summertime trailcam shots. He has a good point. It's all but impossible to pattern a buck that we will be hunting in October and November using pictures from July and August.
In fact, in many ways, looking at summertime trailcam shots is a lot like watching fields in late summer.
What they do is tell us there are good bucks in the area, and that can help make those long hours on the stand in the fall a little more bearable. And it's also fun.
The best way to kill one of those big bucks is to have already done a lot of the scouting work. Think about where you saw big buck sign during the rut last fall, or where you found it when scouting immediately after the hunting season. Bucks use those areas year after year, so if was good in 2008, it's probably going to be good in 2009. (And it was probably good in 1979.)
Great picture, I've been seeing a lot of bucks lately more small than large but yesterday I saw an 8 pointer that would easily score 120-130 in the town limits of Hillsville. I enjoy scouting this time of the year because the deer are so calm but come October they are a different beast!
Comment by Jason — July 16, 2009 @ 8:27 am
I live near a large private tract that manages for big bucks. In the past, I have fed and photo'd deer in the summer/early fall, and have seen many good deer, but nothing seems to really matter until the velvet comes off. The rubs and torn up shrubs will tell you if a biggun is around. Then, however, comes the luck. Most big deer are probably killed by avid hunters who spend the time scouting, and in many cases, packing in or spending extraordinary time in pursuit of the big buck. But if you are lucky enough to hunt on or near a place that manages for, or is traditionally known for big bucks, you up your odds exponentially. I often wonder if one of the secrets to big bucks is as simple as knocking on doors and getting to know your neighbors. Good luck to all.
Comment by Perch — July 16, 2009 @ 2:14 pm
Great point, Perch.
I know a guy who manages for big bucks. Guess how many times his door has been knocked on? Zero. He would probably say no, but that's not the point. The point is no one has ever even bothered to ask.
Knocking on doors to ask permission to hunt is like knocking on doors to try to sell Kirby vacuum cleaners. It's not easy. It's not fun. But you might be surprised by the number of people who say "yes."
Oh, and I would guess most big bucks are killed by lucky hunters. And I think what I see every year at the big game contests supports that. The success rate of those avid guys is higher, but there are far fewer of them out there!
Comment by Mark Taylor — July 16, 2009 @ 7:27 pm