Trophy Class Buck

[RidgeRunner76]

Good day folks.

I was curious if any of you consistently big buck killers would be kind of enough to possibly help educate me on tactics and any other knowledge about how to go about killing a buck I've seen 2 years in a row, but haven't even remotely been able to get in range of. Between the terrain layout(lots of cliff faces, and private at the top making all approaches from the bottom) and his habit of being almost completely nocturnal as far as being in the open goes. Thus far in 2 years I've gathered where he is during the fall months and winter. No idea exactly where he summers. Both last year and this year I found him during the hunting seasons within a mile each year.

Basically after this year I'm questioning my tactics and figured there would be plenty to learn from those of you who consistently kill older bucks that have gotten big by being crafty. I'm guessing this buck will score well north of 185" conservatively.

Any help or discussion would be great. Thanks.

 

[ShootsManyBullets]

A few tips...
Killing big bucks consistently takes time in the field. Years if not decades of experience like any skill takes time to develop

Know your area - from your post it looks like you're learning your area and habits of the buck you're after. Now you're going to take what you're learning and add time in the field to eventually learn his habits and be ready when he makes a mistake b/c he will eventually make one if you're hunting in or near the rut. You can kill big bucks on occasion in new areas but it's harder than learning an area and banking that knowledge year after year.

Be willing to go where others won't go. Usually means you're first up and last to bed and putting on more miles. That means you need to be in shape to hunt. You don't have to have a beach body, but you've got to be in hunting shape to consistently do well. Your windows for getting big bucks is generally small so you have to be in position early in the morning or those last few minutes of light, and in good enough shape to get into position quickly.

Be proficient with your weapons. Shooting off a bench will get your gun zeroed in, but there's no lead sled up on the mountain so practice to make that shot quickly b/c big bucks don't wait around for you to find the perfect rest.


For this buck, I'd continue observing and find a spot where you can catch him moving or getting up from his bed. Sounds like you'll have a chance first thing in the morning or last light if you're patient.

Hopefully it's a good start and i'm sure you'll get good advice from others.

 

[RidgeRunner76]

A few tips...
Killing big bucks consistently takes time in the field. Years if not decades of experience like any skill takes time to develop

Know your area - from your post it looks like you're learning your area and habits of the buck you're after. Now you're going to take what you're learning and add time in the field to eventually learn his habits and be ready when he makes a mistake b/c he will eventually make one if you're hunting in or near the rut. You can kill big bucks on occasion in new areas but it's harder than learning an area and banking that knowledge year after year.

Be willing to go where others won't go. Usually means you're first up and last to bed and putting on more miles. That means you need to be in shape to hunt. You don't have to have a beach body, but you've got to be in hunting shape to consistently do well. Your windows for getting big bucks is generally small so you have to be in position early in the morning or those last few minutes of light, and in good enough shape to get into position quickly.

Be proficient with your weapons. Shooting off a bench will get your gun zeroed in, but there's no lead sled up on the mountain so practice to make that shot quickly b/c big bucks don't wait around for you to find the perfect rest.


For this buck, I'd continue observing and find a spot where you can catch him moving or getting up from his bed. Sounds like you'll have a chance first thing in the morning or last light if you're patient.

Hopefully it's a good start and i'm sure you'll get good advice from others.

Thanks for the detailed response. Looking back on my original post on this topic I suspect I could have done a better job describing things.

Addressing some of your points, I'm in pretty good shape. Not godlike, but decent. Elk have been my passion the last couple decades. Not saying I've not hunted deer very much, but I've just never had the opportunity to hunt 1 specific animal of this caliber. Finding him again this fall in the same general area was pretty awesome. I was as you say, the 1st guy in and the last guy out of the area. Although the general area see's a fair bit of pressure no one seems to go more than 1/4 to a 1/2 mile in due to the steepness of the terrain and the fact that once over the 1st ridge the hunting is pretty good.

I know the area pretty good as its in my backyard. I don't obviously know his habits very well at this point having only seen him during shooting light 3 times in 18 days of hunting over 2 hunting seasons. I did however find him on winter ground 4 miles down the valley last March.

You alluded to patience being the key here. So am I correct in that not getting aggressive is the best tactic? I've had 2 failed stalks on him and I suspect despite my best efforts of being as quiet as possible, he heard me trying to sneak in via the rock slide chutes that were my only available route up the ridge he calls home. His bedding area from what I can deduce thus far, is within 400 yards of a large chunk of private ground that boxes in this ridge. There is no way to come from above nor cross ridge.

So I'm either going to have to be patient it bappears or learn to shoot long range. Closest I've been has been 786 yards. I try not to shoot past 350.