[mattjt4]

This is my second year bow hunting. I've got some great trail cam photo's of a 165+ 10 point typical and have managed to track him down to a creek bottom. I've sat on stand now for about 5 nights watching him walk along the creek back and forth, but he will NOT leave the area he's in. I tried grunting, and even got in early one night and rattled a bit. He looks my direction attentively, but will not leave the roost. I firmly believe that's his bedding area, but I DESPERATELY need some advice on how to get him to move my way. ANY AND ALL ADVICE WELCOME! Thank you.

 

[hunt NH]

the smell od a hot doe? bleets? a good decoy? good luck

 

[Buckshot]

Getting a big buck out of cover is tough. If you have access up and down his travel route you might try to move into the thicket with him. Other than that take a grunt tube and next time you see him give it three soft short deep grunts and see if the thought of a another buck will bring him out.

Good luck.

 

[BruceBruce1959]

I firmly believe that's his bedding area, but I DESPERATELY need some advice on how to get him to move my way. ANY AND ALL ADVICE WELCOME! Thank you.

mattjt4, Greetings from Vermont & Welcome to the Club

The Best and only advice I can give you is to stay put & don't change anything you're doing except maybe the rattling and calling attempts.
I would refrain from rattling or using calls temporarily, you're in "HIS" area he's not concerned much with other bucks coming into "HIS" area so he isn't apt to respond to your rattling or calling, not yet anyway, the rut will change that attitude.

We're slowly approaching the rut and those bucks that always stay holed up for as long as possible
will eventually break away from the areas they feel safe in and begin to move out more in search of Doe's
and you'll be there when he moves and hopefully be able to get a shot at him.

Good Luck and please don't forget to take pics to share with us when you harvest your trophy

 

[joel the signman]

you have to be wary of burning out this stand site.5 days in one spot is too much IMHO.try moving closer(on either end) to the trail he's using .he may be hanging till the light is in his favor and by moving closer you may get a shot,theres also the chance you may spook him,otherwise try waiting for the rut to gear up and he'll stop thinking in terms of safety and instead ,breeding,good luck remain scent free ,nose to the wind or cross wind

 

[franky harrell]

dude

so heres my take on it, you know this deer is the same as in your camera? if you've seen him on a regular basis you've done an exceptional job, of putting yourself near him without alerting him, but sooner or later hes got to move somewhere? he can't possibly stay in one spot all the time. If thats where he beds then hes gotta be somewhere else when hes on browse. you should probably try to put yourself inbetween where hes coming from and his bedding area in the morning, i would just take the time to be extra cautious, 165 plus is a hell of a deer, me myself i would just wait it out, maybe hit em with the smoke stick in a week or two? not sure when your muzzleloader season starts...but good luck

 

[mattjt4]

Well, I'm in a spot where I almost ALWAYS have wind in my face and I'm a scent free fanatic. Not that he can't smell me, but his chances are slim. I have a few nice rubs and scrapes in front of me, so I know something is moving through there but I'm afraid it's at night. I'm in a creek bottom and he's kinda out on a horseshoe bend. The only 3 ways he has out is 1. through the creek, which is deep in the bend. 2. up a very steep hillside, which I'm not ruling out. 3. past me, and I'm sitting on a narrow strip with a swamp behind me, and creek in front. It's kind of a natural funnel. I failed to mention that about 60 yds closer (in his direction) is my property line. He's not on my property, and if he takes option 1 or 2 on his route out, he's not on my property. I'm trying to find a way to either bait him out, or basically I'm going to have to sit and wait. There are a lot of hunters in the area, so I wanted to try to take him before shotgun season which starts mid november. I like the idea of the decoy, I've grunted and it gets his attention, but with no visual he just seems not to care and meanders around as if not to care.

 

[mattjt4]

Try this link hopefully it works, there are several pictures, but you can't miss the buck I'm talking about!

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[joel the signman]

nice looking deer creekbed and steep ridge=thermals bring a wind checker(powder)and check from dawn t dusk i bet it does some strange things.its obvious from the pic hes moving at night

 

[franky harrell]

looked at the pics

looks like you have a promising season ahead of you big boy is really nice he woulda been stellar to get in velvet good luck hope u get em

 

[wmi]

Your location is one of the toughest to hunt. Variable winds and thermals in these locations only benefit the deer. Even with wind in your face does not mean he will not detect you with the swirling affect of such a location.
Best way I have found is the use of a scent drag on a breezy/rainy day. Both will disperse scent to the point of being a non threat to the deer. 5 days is too much to hunt one location. Believe me he knows you are there by now. Your best bet is to go after him the last week of the month (Oct) when the chase phase is in full swing. Going in very early giving you time to set the trap while deer are in feeding areas outside of this sanctuary. I do not believe this is bedding area but more than likely a staging area. His bedding area will be more than likely on the side of a hill off of a small point about a third down from the high ground where wind and thermals are a little more consistent.
Waiting to hunt him till the end of the month will also help by letting the other hunters push him more to you because their access points are from their side and hopefully not from your property side.
Many times such as this one traps need the help of other hunters intrusion to make the perfect set up.
I don't know the lay out of your location or your prevailing wind but moving in too tight into such a location without a good consistent wind will only blow him out of there. Stay higher and as far down wind of this area as you can to be still within this staging/scent checking location. The thing you need to keep in mind is the over all view of the situation. By waiting you get the benefit of the bucks expanding area of scent checking due to the up coming rut as well as the helping push from neighboring hunters to bring him to you. Last but not least is stay mobile always keeping access and exit routes in and out of there away from main deer travel routes.
I know it is a lot to think about but this method works.