Small property Whitetail

[greatbasin]

I’ve been watching this buck on trail cams all summer, but I’m having a hard time figuring out how to get him in front of me. I’ve mainly hunted mule deer over the years, so I don’t have much whitetail experience. He’s on a small place and don’t want to blow him out. I can’t seem to locate him consistently—aside from showing up on camera, I’m only catching him about once a week and in different areas of the property.
Any advice on how I should approach hunting him would be greatly appreciated. Also, what do you think he’d score?

 

[Southern Elk]

You are going to have to sit a lot. The rut will be your best time to catch him. Make sure the wind is right. If it’s not, don’t hunt. I would say 150ish on the score.

 

[Addicting]

How small of a property? Just need to sit travel corridors between the food and bedding. If you are only catching him once a week, that is not his core area, it’s the fringe he uses when he is not in his core. He is a 160” class deer.

 

[Steiny77]

I'd stay out of there till at least Halloween, then start hunting him pretty hard when his guard is down a bit during the rut.
Use the wind to keep your scent away from him. He will probably have a couple big active scrapes to keep an eye on.

Don't overhunt the place using same stand and entry paths day after day. Better to go in a couple times when wind is right and sit all day.
No calling, no scents or any gimmicks, ambush him.

Good looking buck. Good luck !

 

[JV842]

If u can pattern him without boosting him….i personally feel that prerut the easiest way to get a KNOWN buck.
Early season they’re all about packing on pounds because they know what’s fixing to start. You can find the trails they normally use between feeding and bedding n set up there. Be VERY cognizant of the wind n noise when going to, sitting in, and leaving where you set up. They have a very set schedule this time of year. When the rut starts…all bets are off….yes, you will see bucks cruising all day long, you will see bucks you’ve never seen in that area before, but as for finding a pattern….forget about it.
My 2 cents

 

[Treeshark]

Best time for YOU to kill him is right now. Best time for somebody else to kill him is the rut.

150 deer. Find (guess) where he beds, find where he goes at night to eat, and sit between them when you have a good wind.

 

[JV842]

Best time for YOU to kill him is right now. Best time for somebody else to kill him is the rut.

150 deer. Find (guess) where he beds, find where he goes at night to eat, and sit between them when you have a good wind.

Exactly!!!

 

[greatbasin]

Thanks for the input and ideas. I have some spots identified where he has rubbed his velvet off but I am not sure they are scrapes in the rutting sense. My place is a bit more than 60 wooded acres and my neighbors aren’t the access friendly type so I’m limited on what I can figure out off my place. I have 2 season options October or November. And it seems when the rut gets going in November the does, thus all the deer are off my place. Due to seasonal migration. So I’ve put a couple of blinds out with some good visibility and I’ll see what happens. Here is a pic from mid Aug. thx again.

 

[Treeshark]

I’d be surprised if he’s not bedding within 100 yards or so of where you’re getting those daytime pictures.

*Likely a few different bedding locations he’s using. That’s a nice buck, I hope you get a crack at him

 

[recon6036]

Thanks for the input and ideas. I have some spots identified where he has rubbed his velvet off but I am not sure they are scrapes in the rutting sense. My place is a bit more than 60 wooded acres and my neighbors aren’t the access friendly type so I’m limited on what I can figure out off my place. I have 2 season options October or November. And it seems when the rut gets going in November the does, thus all the deer are off my place. Due to seasonal migration. So I’ve put a couple of blinds out with some good visibility and I’ll see what happens. Here is a pic from mid Aug. thx again. View attachment 418026

Those rubs are a good place to position yourself early season, especially if you can find several in line, leading from one area to another.

 

[greatbasin]

Apparently an all day sit may be necessary as these guys weren’t too focused on dawn or dusk.

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[bpowers]

That’s a great buck, good luck!

 

[predatoreliteoutdoors]

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