Cody from Minnesota asks,
Bill- I did buy that 90 acres of grass I wrote about months ago to you. I have 7 does/fawns living there, but I'm near certain no bucks (or decent ones) live there. Bucks seem to come and go, but usually at night. September there was some day activity, but not anymore. I'm not surprised bucks don't live there...yet anyways. Anyways, I got a few decent bucks come through at 2am last night that I would shoot (it finally cooled a bit). These aren't deer of your caliber, more like 2.5 maybe 3.5 YO, but they are the realistic ones for me. There is a big cold front coming through later this week and I'm planning on going out Friday regardless, but the temps will be lows around 40 and highs about 55. It's been 70's here or above for a month plus. In your opinion, would you expect any chance at these bucks if they don't live there? Would you wait to hunt serious until cameras indicate different or very end of October? Based on my info, my guess is during the rut some will come through, but I'm going to have to be there because they probably won't stay unless they bed up with a doe. On backnote, next spring I'm planning to plant over 1,000 trees so that in 10-15 years things will start getting better with more cover. That's what I need. I'm 35, so time to plan for the long-run. I appreciate all your info.
Bill responds,
Topic: Hunting Cold Fronts:
Even if the only photos of a shooter buck have been at night, it is still worth hunting him when a cold front comes through. If he is going to break from his nocturnal patterns before the rut, an October cold front is likely the time.
Cody,
Congrats. I am happy for you. I am sure that will be a fun project and a profitable one in time. I would hunt the cold front. Since the bucks aren’t really living on you – just passing through, the chances that you impact their behavior with hunting pressure is less than if they were living right there.
But, you still have to be careful because if you educate the does, their body language will alert other deer that there is danger there even when you aren’t hunting. So, I would focus on parts of the travel area that are not close to where you think the does bed.
That way you run less risk of educating the does but you are still in the game for a passing buck. Good luck. (10/12/21)
