Coachdad

Awesome... Teaching life lessons is just as important.

I would say... It is a chain effect. If you find the food (acorns, agriculture or what have you in your area) you will find the Does.... If you find the Does and you will find the Bucks during the rut. The does don't wonder very far, so the bucks come looking for the does. Prior to the rut, the bucks tend to be solitary. They hang in the nastiest stuff they can find (swamps, briers, thick cover). So for "rut travel" expect the bucks to be coming from the nasty stuff and be traveling to where the does hang out. Good luck..

Did you find him Codydd7? Good Luck.

It looks like things are starting to heat up. I spotted 3 dead bucks on the Thruway between exit 28 and exit 24 yesterday. That is always my first sign. I'll be in the woods Friday, Saturday and Sunday... Also in lower 5H.

How big would you estimate the bear in this video is? I'm trying to get better at judging them. He looks pretty small to me. (150 to 175 lbs?) I'd like to hear other opinions as to the size. thanks

Yep... You are right. Going off track a little from the original question but... If I look at the part about it being illegal to shoot a deer while it is in water... Does that mean a deer standing in a swamp is off limits? Come to think of it... . Maybe that's why all the biggest bucks are always hiding in swamps.

I agree with the others regarding brush piles. I'm going to disagree about cutting the trees. I would cut those trees down in a NY minute. Unless I'm missing something, that plot looks to be less than an acre. Getting them out of the way will make plowing, disc'ing, liming, mowing etc a lot easier. At they grow it will only get worse.

This is copy and paste out of page 18 of the 2016-2017 Hunting Regulations... So the way I read it, as long as that liquid mineral doesn't have any salt in it you should be fine. Manner of Taking You may use decoys, calls and attractant scents to hunt big game. It is unlawful to: • Take big game while the deer or bear is in water • Possess a firearm of any description when bowhunting or accompanying a person bowhunting during special bowhunting seasons • Make, set or use salt licks or other attractants, whether block, liquid or powder that contains ANY amount of salt, upon lands inhabited by deer or bear at any time of year

This post is full of great advice.

Thanks for sharing your story Bill. Nice work.

Buckman- You sure have put in your “due diligence” so I hope you succeed. As I read through your scouting summary, a couple things came to mind. First of all I suggest you put a trail camera or 2 out on the rub line. Secondly, no scent is always better than cover scents. Third, forget about getting into a mature buck’s bedroom. Especially if you are bow hunting. The trail cameras can tell you a lot. Put them out just before the season starts. Try to set up along his travel route which is going into the agricultural area that you mentioned. I would scout out a few possible tree-stand locations that I could use along the travel route based on the wind. This is where a climbing tree-stand comes in handy. Also in your scouting make sure you take note of the doe areas. As late October and early November approach, he WILL be cruising the doe areas. Good luck.

Hmmm... You are looking for "tactics that work on mature bucks". I've gotten lucky a few times over the years and have been able to shoot a few mature bucks but I wouldn't consider myself an expert. I think the one constant is: Unless the rut is on, you have to go to them because they won't come to you. I think someone already said this... Find the nastiest spots far from everyone and still hunt it. When the rut is on, go to where the girls are they will come.

Good luck with the set-up... may you shoot many deer with it.

Did you end up getting the Remington? It will certainly do the job on whitetails.