Need unconventional tricks for a wise old buck, what's in your bag?

[DaveBriner]

Ok,
There's a big one that's been seen where we hunt.  Problem is, he is being seen just inside city limits, where we can't discharge a bow.  To top it off, we're pretty sure he's bedding in a place that overlooks our parking spot, watching us come and go every hunt, every season            .  I literally only need him to move a hundred yards to become fair game.  But, he's so old and wise (I first saw him as an eight point 4 years ago) I'm afraid I'll run him outta there.

What wierd and off the wall tactics have you all employed in situations like this?

Best,
Dave

[allan f]

Have you considered walking in from a different direction so he doesn't know that your about?  If he has you patterned you need to break pattern.  If he is watching the truck come and go then moving about when your not there try having a buddy come in the truck walk to your stand and walk back out and drive off (maybe he can't count very well )

Good luck
Allan

[jack benson]

Hang a large silver salmon flasher where he can see it in a location where you can hunt. I found out that not only deer, but turkey have curiosity to check strange items out by accident a few years ago.

In the spring, I had found the lure while walking along a river and put it in my pocket and forgot about it. I discovered it and hung it on some bushes in my hayfield when going hunting. I could see it from quite a distance as it twisted in the wind and flashed in the sun. I was surprised to see a number of deer change direction as they crossed the field to the woodlot and check out the new object.

Was hilarious to see a flock of turkeys later make a 90 degree change in their path to look at the shiny thing.

Since then, I have often hung old CDs from trees in the woodlot to induce the deer to look away from where I sit.

They are curious animals...

[vernon]

I know you really can't do a drive, but what about coming in from a different area and then have a buddy "nudge" him a little to see if he might come by.  What about decoy's, scents, calls, and/or anything else?   If he's that smart you might only get a shot with a camera.  I know a lot of our passions are hunting whitetails and this is one of the reasons.  You might want to check about baiting options in your area and/or somekind of mineral lick.  Maybe just drop some apples accidentally out of your lunch and see what happens:)   Good luck and keep us posted.

[ishiwannabe]

Sounds like a perfect situation for the two man drop off. Two men walk in, one walks out and leaves. I have used it for one of my best stands countless times. The deer end up back at the stand before the second guy is out of sight most times.

[NorthernCaliforniaHunter]

Please post some photos of the setup! I'm really interested in hearing how this plays out. I've often wondered about the flashy object trick just as a means of desensitizing the animals to movement. Hmmm...
And the two in, one out trick - now that's news to me!

[Biggie Hoffman]

Bear Claw Chris Lap to Jermiah Johnson;
"elk don't know how many feet a horse has!"

Deer can't count either  :-)

[Hawkeye]

Exactly what I was thinking, Biggie... you must be a GENIUS!!        

Daryl

[madness522]

Set up in your stand and have a couple buddies take a stalk thru his bedding area in hope of pushing him toward you.  Your buddies will have to stop and be very still every couple of steps because I imagine he will just lay low and watch them pass by without jumping if is as old and wise as you say. We do the stalking hunting rabbits and they will jump when the walker stops moving I think because they can't tell exactly where the walk is and they get nervous and run.

[Dartwick]

You probably only have 1 shot at moving him where you need him. As suggested get someone to do a push. Im guessing you know the lay of the, your probably going to have to get the wind blowing sideways tio you and see if 2 people can push him to move at 45 degress to the wind. The busk will probaly make his move long befoore the pushers can see him.

[overbo]

Sounds like it's time for a slomber party.Find his morning path of travel that puts him at a disadvantage and will offer a shot durring shooting hours.Then go in the night before and sleep over.

[KSdan]

Ditto. . .
-Sleep over if necessary.  
-Drive him out of the park and bedding area. When you do drive him- be at a place where you or others can observe his path of departure (good chance he will do it again).
-Drive in from a different place and walk across the section if necessary.
-Do not put up stands. Simply go in when ready to hunt him and set-up at that time.
-When you do enter the area you may even want to wear rubberized rain pants as to not leave any scent.
-Think out of the box!  Most hunters are always doing the same type strategies over and over. . . do something different than everyone else or typical routine.

[Robhood23]

If you are only talking about 100 yards you should sneak in there with some dirty socks or clothes and hang them upwind of where he is going. Should be enough to push him closer to you.

[longbow1]

A few years back I had a Buck that would show up 80 yards from my stands. I had two stands set On either side of a draw. If I sat in one he would he cross by the other one. So, one morning I walked to the first stand and left my jacket in the stand, climbed down and sat in the other stand. He gave my a ten yard shot, I shot over his back and never saw him again. But, it worked.

[Skipmaster1]

Go in the middle of the night and set an alarm clock in his bedding area. Set it for just after shooting light and bak out. park and enter from another spot. As he makes his way to his bed or is already in it the alarm should spook him out. Use a wind up one so it will go off after a few minutes and you can continue to hunt. he may even circle back in later to see what it was. If you don't get a shot as he leaves, wait because if he comes back in it will be about 100-200yds down wind of the area to smell what made the sound

[DJTJR]

sleepover

[DaveBriner]

So far, I'm really loving the alarm clock idea!!!!  The sleepover will probably be what's needed as well.

We have walked this bucks bedding area countless times.  The first 2yrs we did this he would jump up (the last of which he was probably a 130" deer).  Haven't been able to jump him out for the last 4yrs.  Seems he has turned into a prairie buck, spending most of his time on a hillside with tall grass and in the neighboring fields with milo.  There is one woodlot where I think he is bedding right now with the nasty cold weather (after the season of course!!).  It's a 1/4ac patch, complete with pond in the middle and fields on all sides.  I'm sure he's bedding in there as it's the closest woodlot to where he's being seen, and offers a south-facing slope.  I don't know if he spends fall time there, but the alarm clock will tell!!

He's at least 6 or 7 years old now, and by the sounds, well within booner qualifications.  A local says he might be pushing 190".

THanks everyone!!
Dave

[Gordon martiniuk]

as with most Big old bucks you only have 2 chances of bagging him it is the first day of season before he knows you are hunting him, or rattle him in at the peak of the rut ,, first think in the morning sneak into stand at least 1hr before first light then when you can see to shoot rattle very loudly pick up your bow and get ready to shoot,, they come in real fast good luck      

[Wary Buck]

Gentle forced movement (try to make it seem as 'normal' as possible:  some hikers, a couple kids on bicycles, etc.).  And if you are in the wrong place when he vacates his bedding area, carefully observe where he does go and remember it.  Deer often use the same evasive tactic repeatedly.