As deer hunters, we know that old whitetail bucks are wary animals. They’re smart and have a keen sense of their surroundings and take human pressure seriously. This is the way they live all the time, while we hunt only some of the time. It’s easy to forget this during our pursuit of them. Sure, you can catch a wily buck off guard during the rut and pre-rut at times, but we can’t only depend on these peak periods if we expect to take down mature whitetails. Though I’ve logged many years in the deer woods, I’m far from an expert. Nonetheless, every day in the woods has been a learning experience and managing pressure on deer, particularly mature deer, is something I’ve found to matter. In fact, I’ve found that often the best strategy is to step back and avoid our favorite hunting spots altogether. It may seem counterintuitive and I’ll address this later. First, below are a few other things to consider regarding self-imposed hunting pressure and its relationship to success.
The Basics
There are many basics that we all employ – or at least strive to employ while in the blind or tree stand. For now, I’ll skip the really obvious gaffes such as eating candy bars, marinating in old spice, and liberal gas-management.
Managing our scent is paramount in minimizing pressure on the deer we hunt. We often consider it during the hunt, but what about after we leave? Our scent has much more staying power than the 2-4 hour time we spend on-stand. I’m not going to get into merits of different methods but take the time to actually employ some combination of scent control – proper washing of body and clothing, cover scents, and ozone-based products. Pick your poison. The fact is that scent lingers and our odor footprint can compromise our chances with bucks more than we often acknowledge. Especially experienced ones. Separate, but very related, never risk hunting downwind of deer. It may sound trite, but it can be hard sometimes to stay away from our go-to spots.
Avoid Being Scouted
In my experience, whitetails scout and pattern us as hunters. Plain and simple. They are cautious creatures that have not only great senses but a good memory. Focused on survival, deer stay very aware of their surroundings. Compound your scent control tactics with noise and movement management. If possible, create vehicle routes that minimize sight, smell, and noise. Additionally, hunt well past sundown – especially when you know deer are still present in the area. Consider using exit routes that are out of sight of lingering deer. In the same way, manage entry routes to the extent possible. Mixing up entry and exit routes can also make it harder for us as hunters to be “scouted”. One strategy is to employ 2 hunting set-ups in the same area. This can help concerning wind direction, as well as making our entry and exit patterns less predictable.
Keep Out
If you think about it, why would we want to wear out our welcome in the very areas we deem to have the most potential for large bucks? If your goal is to kill big mature whitetail bucks, it’s a question to seriously ponder. If you have the luxury, save these ideal spots for periods when mature bucks are most likely to be on their feet, such as the rut. Similarly, if the conditions (however we define them) aren’t good for hunting a honey hole, be willing to come up with a different plan. Even hunters that don’t have the luxury of logging a lot of days in the stand can benefit from this mindset. In this case, use the tools available today and plan your trips accordingly. Beyond weather channel forecasts, there are apps available that, based on a variety of variables can project optimal hunting times for most any area. Here, projected temperatures, moon phases, and wind direction can be obtained, just to name a few. Stay flexible. If you absolutely want to hunt during these times, there are alternatives on most properties.
Stepping Back Part 1: Honing your Skills and Management
Even for the most obsessed hunters of mature bucks, a considerable part of the fun and experience is physically being planted in a tree stand, ground blind or elevated box blind enjoying the outdoors first hand. When the conditions are not good for your preferred hunting set-ups, consider having a management hunt. Set up in a more fringe area of the property and harvest a doe. Not only have you contributed toward positive management of the property you’ve also gotten it behind you. There is venison in the freezer and you’ve gotten live shooting practice. In terms of practice, there is no substitute for matching wits with a live whitetail. This is invaluable, especially when bow hunting.
Stepping Back Part II: Scouting and Hunting
Perhaps the best alternative to minimizing strain on your best hunting set-ups is to truly step back – literally. Pick a distant spot where you can not only hunt but witness deer movement on the property. With the right vantage point, you might even be able to observe deer patterns and behavior in relation to the very spots you’re protecting. Take a rifle or bow, whichever most appropriate. Most of all, with binoculars in hand, learn for future hunts. Scouting meets Hunting.
Not all hunters are lucky enough to control the grounds they hunt. In fact, many aren’t even particularly seeking mature trophy bucks. Either way, hunting pressured bucks can be a recipe for long laborious hunts with little activity. Protect your prime locations. It just might ultimately result in putting your pin or crosshairs on a beast of a buck. Likewise, venison tastes much better than a tag sandwich.
