question?? about creek bottom deer

[deerwhisperer]

i've taken alot of deer and some real nice ones but there is a buck i have been after for 3 years now a real heavy horn 8pt. the problem is i hunt over food, fence rows and on ridges in a set of woods that does stay in alot, come rut he enters a 45acre field from all sides never the same place twice and he walks out to the middle and stays there til dark. he comes out of the creek bottom sometimes around 1;30p.m.,2:45,5:30and 6:30. there is never a pattern to his movements, i cant even get a decent pic becuase he never comes out in the same place twice. there is one spot in the middle of the field, where there is a rock he likes to visit??dont know why but if i get in the creek the wind swirls and i never see him. ive tried everything i know any IDEAS OUT THERE??:dizzy:

[TheCream]

I like hunting the creek bottoms, too, but that's the problem: winds tend to swirl.

Here's a thought. If you have access to one, a decoy might do well in that type of area. If the field is open, offering good visibility, plopping a young buck decoy 15 yards from your stand in plain view to the field might just force him to come to you.

[CritterGitter]

Sometimes a tricky buck like that calls for unorthodox methods. You might try a groundblind out by his favorite rock. He won't like it at first, but after a few days he would likely get used to it and see it as a non-threat. Just a thought. Then, you would want to bump the deer from the field after dark(unless you happen to shoot him) so he doesnt see you climb out of the blind. Maybe a friend pulling up to the field with a truck.

Also, if he is often relating to this open field in the afternoons/evenings have you tried to decoy him. He might want to fight off a newcomer buck. It's another thought.

Kyle

[Woodland]

I think I would go with the ground blind also. Spray it down good with scent killer after setting it up. Also make sure you cover it up good with brush. What about calling him in with a estrous bleet in a couple weeks. Also, rattling may work now. Don't rattle aggressively now just playfull sparring. In 2 weeks try getting aggressive.

Maybe this would be a good test for this scent smoker everybody is talking about.:idea: I know this thing has got me interested and it would be a lot cheaper than a good ground blind. Just a few thoughts for you. Hope you have some luck getting this guy. We'll be watching for the pictures.

[ladybowhntr]

Dig a ground blind hole near the rock or within shooting distance of the rock he likes to go to. Set out a decoy near there so he'll face broadside to you but not see you move to take aim and shoot.

[coonskinner]

with the rut coming i'd focus on doe nearby...sooner or later he will be on them...do not spook off the doe...also with the rut he could be gone today but be back in a few days and gone again then back...when the core area doe there get hot other nice bucks are apt to show up too...i cant see this deer keeping a perm. pattern right now...he'll be searching for doe...or he should be...especially around nov. 1...:D

[buckstar25]

How big is this creek bottom? The field is 45 acres right? what is the field, corn, hay, beans? If you can I would suggest letting him know that he has company.......... do ya think a mock scrape would work? Somewhere you can watch for a couple days. Do it now or in the very near future, soak it and keep it fresh. If he is the "man" he won't like it. If he knows there is some competition maybe he will stay close to keep an eye on the scrape. I would also try a decoy, JMO...

I was and still am skeptcal (not close minded) about mock scrapes, we got permission to hunt a farm one year. The bad thing about it was that the rut was just starting, we found good sign (rubs,scrapes,etc). I went out and bought some dominant buck piss, and emptied it on 2 mock scrapes and the scrape we found. This is no lie, within 50 minutes we had a big ten point on a string to his scrape! We got lucky, but hey, it worked.

[Lucky]

I think a ground blind would work good. During the rut you get a lot of bucks that don't know the area, so the blind won't affect them as much. Just be careful of the does they always know what's going on. As far as scent is concerned try a scentsmoker and smoke your blind, should work great.

[ohiotrapper1984]

Stick that decoy out in the feald hit some horns together and get ready hell will be Peed off then just make the shot!!!!!!

[deerwhisperer]

thanks for the idea and i have used decoy's in the past but mostly small to 2 year bucks come in and i end up watchin alot of neet encounters but never a big one.

[deerwhisperer]

the field is 45 acres of soybeans that came off last week, there is a creek through the field about 10yrds across 3ft deep, and ALOT of thick hedgeapple trees and some oaks and willows down in the bottom, climbs up a hill about 30yrds and then into the field, the length of this creek through the property is about 300yrds, and well this is the trueth, he has at least 9 inch brow guardes and 12-13 g1s and g2s are at least 9-10 found 1 shead last year and its 71/4at the base he will go over 200lbs easy maybe more, will try to down load a pic of his shead and his brother i took last year another big 8, thanx for the ideas and me and bucky jr. will try to "make him mad" mon. have my kids thisweekend so they come first.

[swantucky]

Dig a ground blind hole near the rock or within shooting distance of the rock he likes to go to. Set out a decoy near there so he'll face broadside to you but not see you move to take aim and shoot.

When I saw this post the first thing I thought of was a pit blind. It is probably too late to do it this year but if it is your property or you can get permssion from the landowner i would dig a pitblind as soon as the ground thaws in the spring. I would not hunt it untill the time is right based on what you have seen over the years.

[swantucky]

Your post came up after I posted mine. Ask the farmer if he will let you put the pitblind in and if there is a big rock that he has to avoid anyway a "hole" in the area should not cause too many problems for him if he knows where it is.

[ncboman]

Pit blinds are best dug well ahead. Fresh ones smell like fresh dirt and quickly becomes a focal point every time deer pass thru. This I know. :nono:

I would stay in the air if possible to avoid the chance of detection and subsequent nocturnal behavior. If you can keep from being made, sooner or later the range will close. I wouldn't change anything, want everything the same as it's been all along.

The Lord should bless you anyway for putting your children ahead of the prize. You could probly sit on that rock real still, like caribou hunting, and he'll ignore ya and walk right in. :bouncy: