A couple great 3 year olds that made it through the gun season

[scoot52]

This is Claw and I passed him twice with my bow, he was a big time daylight mover. He should be nice next year.

 

[scoot52]

This buck I call Slingshot I had at 24 yards the same day this pic was taken. I let him go because I made a promise that it was Kickers or tag soup. I got him on cam at night a few days ago.

 

[scoot52]

I made a promise to myself that Kickers was the only buck I would shoot this year and never saw him during the bow season. Good news is I just got a pic of him. He could be real nice next year. lol Its amazing when you leave a lot of your land a sanctuary. Biggest improvement I have ever made to my 40.

 

[Trophy Collector]

We leave most of our 50 acres a sanctuary too! We just hunt certain areas and leave the bedding areas alone! Makes a huge difference on deer that will make it into the next year!

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

Scoot how much acreage are you talking about in sanctuary. I only got a 40 as well and we have some dandies nearby but getting them to move in daylight is borderline impossible. We do have a 6 acre area we never touch thats semi centralized but its more like 3 acres based on cover in there.

 

[scoot52]

20 acres of it is a sanctuary, Its my west ridge where I have the hinge cut bedding areas and access from the northeast. I know Kickers was living in it most of the fall and only came out at night or about an hour after shooting hours. I am taking Steve Bartyllas advice and putting a few stands on the edge or in between the bedding areas if I have to next year.

 

[scoot52]

The pic I have of Claw is the bottom of the west ridge sanctuary and they use this logging road a lot. I have never hunted it because still trying to figure out a way to get in their from the neighbors. It is littered with scrapes.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

Is that logging road planted? I like your strategy. I try to do this every year but cant get everyone on board. Also we have one access point option to get in my woods. It requires me to drive through open fields where deer are feeding in the morning and sometimes are out in the hay fields at quitting time.

Its 3/4 mile from the blacktop. Im kicking around taking a bike that stretch versus a truck next year.

No doubt sancuaries are a great idea. Just gotta stick with it and not blow your scent in there either.

 

[kl9]

Do you have really good neighbors Scoot? They on the same page?

 

[Native Hunter]

You got a heck of a lot to look forward to next season.

 

[wbpdeer]

Three great bucks. The best deer is an eye full. He will look great on the wall.

Hope things work out for you. Good luck.

 

[scoot52]

I only have one access pt also. Its the northeast corner of my property and the sanctuary is the west ridge. The bedding areas are near the top before it gets steeper. An east wind would blow my scent right into the sanctuaries. Rarely is it an east wind here though. Mostly a Nw to west wind which is great for entering my land. I want to talk to my neighbors though so I can access this bottom logging road. It would be a rut stand but I get tons of day buck pics on it. Have to watch the swirling wind but it doesn't seem to bad there. No Blue Collar I have nothing planted on it but thats a great idea. Put some clover down there. Its the best route from pt a to b along that lower side of the ridge and its just into the woods about 15 yards. I have great neighbors that practice qdm.

 

[TMIL]

Wow! Best of luck to you next year. You will have lots to chose from!!

 

[Mortenson]

Those are really nice pictures. I can see why you would hold out for Kickers. He's gigantic. We're trying to leave more areas of our farm undisturbed the past few years.

 

[Bluecollaroutdoors]

Thanks Scoot. I know I can always get a straight answer from you. Three dandies for sure there.

My neighbors shoot everything and we still have dandies on camera every year. Speaks to the cover in the area and a bucks ability to find a dead zone of human traffic to live to 4 or 5.

I couldn remember if you had Sturgis out there once but that path looked planted and I w he had my friends do a long strip planting like that once. It leads to a destination plot with some fruit trees.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Nice bucks to let grow !! I don't know how much bigger Kickers can get and still hold his head up !! :eek: Good luck getting 'em more inches .

I like that trail pic in post #1. Reminds me of some we have on the side of our ridge. Deer walkways, complete with scrapes.

 

[Bill]

Great potential really year to come. Wow.