[saveaduckkillaskybuster]

here it is. i have a piece of property that has some of the biggest bucks in the state (IN) roaming through it. i multiple telephone poles on the farm that have been rubbed pretty heavily. i am hunting a rub line on a oak flat. there are a ton of acorns on the ground and the ridge runs into a standing bean field (which they are devouring). you cant walk 5 feet with out running into another rub. it has finally cooled off and i have hunted close to the field and back off of it on the same ridge. i have seen numerous small bucks 130 class, but none of the giants. the kicker is you can go shine the field at 0200 in the morning and see a couple of them everynight. the property next to mine is a wildlife refuge, thats there safe haven. any sugestions?????????

 

[hunt4P&Y]

Have you hunted it in the AM?

I would say that is your best bet, or when they start rutting hard. Get a ton of scent down and start grunt, bleat, rattle etc. I bet when they start rutting hard they will show up!

 

[bretts]

I have also found that a lot of the biggest deer will roam during that 11:00 am-1pm time. I would definitely pull a couple all day sits. I think you'll be pleasantly surprised.

 

[deerslayer80]

You might want to try using a decoy. I've had a lot of good responses to doing light rattling and placing the decoy about 20 yards from the stand in the open. A lot of time those bucks will come in close, but they won't commit because they don't see any of the deer that were supposidly making all the racket. It's definitely worth a shot.

 

[saveaduckkillaskybuster]

i have hunted it a couple of times in the morning. same stuff, small bucks, but none of the shooters. the rut here is not too far off. the cold weather we have had has really fired the bucks up. rattleing has worked in the past. i may go buy a dek. thanks for the sugesstions

 

[barebackjack]

Right now your probably in the same boat we are. The pre, pre-rut blues. Seems like every year we have a week or so just prior to when to the pre rut starts kickin that all the bucks dissapear. Especially the more mature bucks that know whats coming. Their laying low building up some reserves. Wait till the last week of october, first week of november, I bet you start seeing better bucks.

I know up until the last week I was up to my ears in bucks, but this last week has been pretty quiet, lots of does, but very few bucks moving. Another week or two though and all hell should start breaking loose as they start actively searching out the first does to cycle.

Give it time.

 

[huntinND]

For now I would hunt as close to the bedding area as you can to possibly catch them moving during daylight. If you think they are bedding in the refuge area then I would hunt the trails leading out of there on the way to the field. The bigger bucks are probably using that ridge line but not getting there till after dark. Like others said, things will probably really pick up in a couple weeks.

 

[USSapper]

Set up some trail cams and get some sound proof of when they are traveling those trails

 

[stickem14]

Second that! Trail cams are the absolute best investment you can make for scouting deer. I owe the last two bucks to my cameras. You can get decent cameras for under $150....don't need the fancy ones. Good luck in your quest.