When do you typically get a buck?

[nyslowhand]

From what I've read, I fall into the typical time frame of harvesting a buck with a bow.

Over several years my "sweet spot" has generally been about Nov 3rd to 8th.

Got some earlier and later, but the majority within those dates.

Putting the moon phase theory and non-typical weather patterns aside, I think this is when bucks are historically more active & searching does.

Maybe hunting near food plots could skew this "sweet spot" some, I don't know.

Is this your best time to harvest a buck?

If not, when has your most productive timeframe been a bow?

[agross]

For me i will take the 7th to 14th with 9,  10 and 11 being the best but really it depends on which of those days fall on the weekend.

[Frank]

ThanksGiving

[Slugger09]

I'm still a beginner hunter, but opening day of bow season has been very lucky for me, 2 deer and 1 bear.  My other deer was the week after thanksgiving.  All were shot at around 8:30am. 

[solon]

for me it's been the last week of bow season - lots of movement by the bucks

[Pipecrew]

I always believed it was better to hunt a week or 2 before the shotgun opener (Southern zone). I have killed 3 or 4 deer during this time and hit one I didn't recover.

Last year my buddy called me up and asked me to hunt the second day of the Archery season, Oct 18th I think. We never had much luck that early but I went anyway. It's a 2 and a half hour drive to the property we hunt. After about 30 minutes in my stand I shot the biggest buck in my life! It was a big 8 point that grossed 147, netted 144 7/8, and weighed 205 dressed. I saw 4 other deer that morning to my surprise.

We met a guy that bowhunts down the road from us and went out to lunch with him later in the season. He said he'd rather bowhunt the early season. The deer aren't spooked yet and easier to pattern, especially if you have trail cameras out. I'm a believer now. This season we plan on spending a few more days hunting in October!!!

[Cabin Fever]

I see more deer in the first 2 weeks of season, so this is generally the best opportunity for me to take a doe. Once Nov. rolls around, I seldom see adult does. I assume they are laying low from those pesky whorney bucks.

Generally, my best opportunity to take a buck is from ~ Nov.1st-11th.

[Buckstopshere]

It is about the same throughout the season for me, down through the years. I have about the same number of opportunities in the early season when the deer are unaware and food sources are the key. As the rut begins and that changes things and food sources change and are not as important. Most of my deer are tagged in November, very few in October.

[Mr VJP]

I like early November.  From the first to the 12th seems best.

[sweet old bill]

If I am lucky I get them the last week of Oct ( the chase period and or the first week of Nov ( start of rut )

[Mr VJP]

Rifle hunting usually means a deer on the opener more than any other day.  But the odds are still good for the whole first week of the season too.

[biggamefish]

  I tend to be the most luckly in the first weekend of the bow season deer aren't presured yet and in the normal pattern.  I hunt high pressured areas and it tend to work out the best.  Then the rut pushes the bucks out again and you start seeing them moving.  Those have been my best times since I started hunting and I have kept a journal since I was in college.  All the years pattern pretty closly.

[nyslowhand]

  I tend to be the most luckly in the first weekend of the bow season deer aren't presured yet and in the normal pattern.  I hunt high pressured areas and it tend to work out the best.  Then the rut pushes the bucks out again and you start seeing them moving.  Those have been my best times since I started hunting and I have kept a journal since I was in college.  All the years pattern pretty closly.

Really? I have never had any luck with bucks until after Halloween.

Yeah, have seen does early season.

[nyarcher]

well I would say between Nov 2, and nov 27th is where about 75% of all my bucks have been shot with the 9th to the 12th being the best

this year I hope to get a buck between the 5th and 11th of nov being that I will be in KS,

[SteveMcD]

I like the period from Halloween through the first week of November and again when the late season starts. That second week of November can be tricky, this time tends to coincide with the breeding and lock down period, which is as slow as the activity gets!

[wztirem]

For me,during gun season, hunting primarily on state land, and hoping for bitter cold, the best time is anywhere from several hours after first light to noon time when the nimrods can no longer tolerate the cold and begin walking around to stay warm.

[Nomad]

I do good early on in bow . Although  I hunt hard all season. This year I got 2 weeks off in bow 2 weeks off in gun. Plus I can hunt 3/4 of all days with out taking time off....

[gipper]

From Nov 5-11 usually has been good for me

[SweetMike]

I like the first week of Nov. it seems any earlier and all i see are small bucks and does.

[wztirem]

This is a pretty funny thread " When do you typically get a buck", perhaps it should have been "when do you typically get a chance to shoot a deer"! If it was that easy to kill a buck, I would probably take up knitting. The reason I hunt hunt is to be able see a deer, enjoy the whole hunting experience and to reunite with fellow hunters/friends etc.Being able to kill a deer of my choice when the opportunity presents itself is the ultimate reward.

[nyslowhand]

Did you just come from the Jets fan or property taxes topic? lol

What you are implying was not my intent when I initiated this topic!

Sorry if I was not PC, possibly a poor initial choice of words for the topic title.

"Historically, when have most of your bucks been taken during the season?"

Better?

[sweet old bill]

the first week of Nov

[Lawdwaz]

Election week is when I hit it the hardest.