Making Bucks Enter Plots During the Rut

[sandbur]

I agree with Aaron about big bucks not liking to be in the open with daylight. Exception is corn and they are not really in the open with corn.

I thought the original question was not specific to big bucks, but just bucks.

Brooks-why is that stand out in the middle of the plot? Put it along the woods so it does not stick out. Then put a stand to catch the perimeter trail that is just in the woods and kill the big guy there.

 

[phil@thesidehill]

With your building location where it is I would be shocked if you get a mature buck in the plot midday. I am guessing those building are abandoned and that you have thick cover between the plot and the building site which would help.

Creating a buck trail (sidewalk) on the down wind side through thick cover with some strategic shooting lanes would be the best. The really big bucks I find never really want to step out in the open.

I've never seen buildings be much of a detriment to mature buck sightings in the daylight....during the rut which I believe is what Brooks is attempting to design this set up for. they will go where the does are or have taken them. I can't speak for Brooks's exact situation as far as the area with the buildings are concerned....but as long as the doe family groups are positioned near the plot and feeding there regularly then sooner or later the mature bucks are going to be there to check for them. If the area with the buildings stays quiet or is abandoned all the better. As long as the deer dont associate the building area with danger i wouldn't worry about it one bit. The key in my opinion is to keep the does there, fat, happy and feeling safe. Secondarily would be creating the layout where bucks are most likely to use the plot (downwind side of doe bedding) to cruise and scent check the does. Basically....2 things 1) Keeping Pressure Low to keep the does in that area, with out them the entire premise is shot, 2)Designing the layout to get the bucks into a position for Brooks Sr to put a bullet in them.

 

[Bill]

No expert I can't even get these kill designs set up at my place.

But I'm with shawnv you need a fence or blockade in the woods to the west of the bedding area that comes out to the west finger of the plot. An 8 foot row of sourgum or corn about 20 feet off the edge in the plot. That way you can see down the edge but a buck feels secure.

I'd also bend over and tie down as many licking branches along the north edge of the west finger as you can, maybe a bit more insentive to step out on the edge.

 

[Buckly]

Just an observation I've seen. When the bucks have the doe's pinned down into a small brushy area, they keep the doe inside the brush, but the buck will wander out into open areas for short periods. I've noticed they especially like some water around where they pin them in. They will keep going back between the brush and open area but won't go far. Take a few bites of grass and go back in. There always seems to be water around. Brushy creek, swamp, whatever. If your brush is right up to the edge of your plots I would put water holes about 10 yards out into the openings. You could put in one on each side of the plot. They won't venture out too far but, if the water is right off the edge I think the bucks will use it to their advantage.

 

[homegrownbucks]

http://www.woods-n-waternews.com/Ar...82.112113-Land-and-Deer-ManagementPart-V.html

Something like this may work

 

[homegrownbucks]

This setup is supposed to make them feel like they are in full cover but still allows gun shots into the plot.

 

[bat man]

View attachment 3447 View attachment 3448
This setup is supposed to make them feel like they are in full cover but still allows gun shots into the plot.

Ed Spin is no spring chicken when it comes to this stuff. Saw this setup years ago and forgot all about it. Thks for the pics, as it could work well in conjunct with some of the other mentioned.

Funny mention on the waterhole as my buddy put one in at the far west end of the plot where I can not bow hunt, and its hard to see for gun hunting. We named it Lake Cabo so my wife could go to Cabo for cheap. The deer love that waterhole, and it does me no good. Some giant ass rocks surround that hole and the kids always want to go there and swim.

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

Brooks - How big is your open field/plot? If the pressure in your general area is light or you can hunt it without the deer knowing it, I would think you would get bucks entering the food plot in daylight if you can consistently get a bunch of does there. I would concentrate on finding what they like best and/or giving them a bunch of options. We moved to our place in SE MN 2 years ago and there's about 10 acres of open ground that I rent out most of to a farmer and I plant plots around the perimeter. Last year it was a wet spring, so the farmer didn't get it planted in time and I could plant cover crops as part of the crop insurance preventive planting rule. It worked out great because I was able to plant a dozen different types of food plot plants and it worked great. The soybeans were by far the best, but having a little of everything made it the one stop shop for all the does in the area. They ate there early every night since I could slip in and out without being detected and when the rut came, the bucks came out. I didn't have to worry about visual screens, line of movement, etc. because all the does ate there early every night and every buck in the area knew it. The older bucks always came out last, but they weren't able to just watch 10 does feeding there every night without giving in and chasing them. The field they used most often is about 5 acres, which made it really tough to bowhunt because it was tough to get a deer in range. But it worked awesome for gun hunting.

This year the farmer planted corn on the majority of the open ground and I planted a strip of beans along the edge. The deer really didn't seem to like this setup as well as they did the prior year when they had a ton of options in one plot. Once the corn was picked the doe groups fed heavily during daylight, but it wasn't as good as the prior year with all the different options.

On my hunting land in WI the deer really prefer the soybeans as well, but the general baiting, small game hunting, bear hunting, etc. makes daylight buck movement in food plots practically non-existent. If you have that kind of hunting pressure in your general area then you might be better off putting stands in the thick stuff bordering your fields and making some shooting lanes with clover that can act as a staging area.

If you get decent daylight doe activity in your plot already, I would look at finding the right food that draws them in or possibly making your plot larger so you can give them more options.

 

[MNAaron]

[QUOTE="On my hunting land in WI the deer really prefer the soybeans as well, but the general baiting, small game hunting, bear hunting, etc. makes daylight buck movement in food plots practically non-existent. If you have that kind of hunting pressure in your general area then you might be better off putting stands in the thick stuff bordering your fields and making some shooting lanes with clover that can act as a staging area. [/QUOTE]

This is strategy we are using more and more to harvest mature deer on our land. We find we can get the 3.5 yr olds to enter into food plots if they are secluded but the big mature bucks need to be by thick cover immediately next to our sanctuaries. Setting up the properties to achieve this is not always possible of course. My opinion the hunting pressure during rifle season here in MN is a game changer for sure.