One More Chance

[hortontoter]

Pulled my cards today and got a pleasant surprise. Looks like Splitter and I will be matching wits again this fall. This is becoming an obsession. Here is a photo from 2012 and one from earlier this week. Same split brow and both ears are split, no mistaking this buck. Looks like it will be a fun summer watching him grow. I'll post photos as he progresses.

[Big_Holla]

Looks like another year is doing him some good hortontoter!! He's gonna look great on your wall after this season!!

[mrbb]

well its always good to have another chance, might be time to swith things up this yr, as he seems to be a pretty smart cookie dodging you like he does LOL
so best of luck to you!

[Big_Holla]

Yeah if he keeps giving you the slip year after year it's time to either switch it up somehow (maybe the wooded fence) or get him patterned!! Then again, who said hunting was easy?!?! Was it Stonegod?!?! Can't recall......LOL!

[hortontoter]

One thing is certain Stan, he is elusive. I think the main issue is that he only passes through my place on occasion. I'm sure his core area is not to far away, but not having access to neighboring properties makes it impossible to really learn his secrets.

I've made major changes in my game plan for this season. No cameras near my stands. I'll still run a couple of cams but not near my main hunting area. No scrape dripper to mess with this season either. I think all these gimmicks have taught me things, now I need to put that knowledge to work. I've moved my main stand to the area that I believe will give me the best opportunity to cross paths with the more mature deer on my property. I made the barricade to try to steer the deer within my comfortable shooting distance. I feel I've put myself in as good a position as I can, now if Lady Luck wins out over Mr. Murphy I'll be in good shape.

[Big_Holla]

I wouldn't count out the possibility of at least making mock scrapes all around your blind/hunting area. An on-line podcast I listen to talks about it and if you get the deer conditioned to checking them in the area they will continue through October and once November comes around it is often the first place they will swing through when looking for a hot doe. They use Deer Pee or Doe Pee in their scrapes, other guys have been having great luck using Deer Herd in a Stick. Just freshen once a week or two and if the limbs are appropriate hopefully the younger and soon older bucks will take them over.

[mrbb]

well you sure did a bunch this yr to chagne things, I hope that all works out for the best
and I already told you my experiences with scent drippers, last yr ran a cam over one again for 3+ months, and all my buck sightings at that spot dropped once I added the dripper
and I have tried all the scents and even apple juice and you name it in them for several yrs
I won't say they cannot work, just don't do me any good at my place
I do believe that I have way too many yearlying and 2 yr olds, maybe if I had more older aged deer, it would be different
I firmly believe it takes a deer a few yrs to learn what , smells, mean what
sure they know somthing is up, but for any real results, you need age structure for 4+ yr olds to get all them scents working right more times than not!
do you have any place you can do a food plot? even if its close to the house, but adding a fall plot can maybe help get him to visit more often
I know if I didn't have food plots I wouldn't have any luck at all
as few if any deer live on where I hunt, only reason they come is due to what I plant for them, and I don't hunt the bordering lands, so I feel your pains on that part
need to win that dam Powerball, and buy a big enough place to hold and grow deer LOL

[hortontoter]

I had plenty of good bucks visit my scrape dripper last season, including both bucks that I had hoped to get a crack at. I just feel that I have spent to much time spreading scent and disturbing my hunting area experimenting with gimmicks. I've given thought to running a line on a pulley system from my stand to a sapling in my area and run a scent wick out this line while on stand during the rut. But, then again, there I go again with the gimmicks. I'm thinking the older bucks I'd like to take will be best hunted with the least disturbances.

I've tried mock scrapes before BH and they do work. But, for this season I think I want to try the less disturbance is better game.

My stepson already asked about hunting the early muzzleloader season with his ML. I told him flat out that wasn't happening. Once guns go off in my area the deer turn almost exclusively nocturnal. Only having about seven huntable acres on my ten acres is challenging enough when they move during the daylight.

[mrbb]

I had bucks hit my mock scrapes/drippers, just the numbers of them droppedalways when a dripper was added
and I played with all sorts of things too, I used to take a fishing pole and a scent drag, so I could cast it out in several directions and pull it to me, in hopes of making a scent free trail
I also tried using a sling shot and putting out scebnt that way
But to be honest, I have my best luck just trying to be scent free as possible and not using scents at all anymore
saves me a bunch of $$ too, and I have more bigger bucks in range now than ever
but then again, I just have more older deer now than in the yrs past between, the antler restrictions and well me bing a prick chasing everyone I can off the borders cheating(hunting in a NO hunting zone)
so I cannot say for sure that NOT using scents has been my winning deal, but it still saves me $$ not using, and I am happy LOL
best of luck, I look forward to a pic of this buck and you together this fall! a well earned trophy for sure!