Have found a new farm last season. Bordered by a major interstate on one side and a large river on the other. It's 400 acres or so. There is a gully running through the south end. The gully is only about 100 yards wide and does not have much for cover but there is some. There is a SPRING on top of the gully where all the crop fields meet.
Last year I got numerous photos of a few big bucks but all at night. On the evening of Nov. 15th I got a photo of a big buck responding to pre-orbital gland lure but not until last light and I was not in that stand anyway...
I am near certain I found his hideout. It's near the spring. Within a few feet he can have water and food while never risking his hide by being exposed in the gully. The thermals in the evening cover his back side if he chooses to travel the gully in search for does. He does not need to leave the comfort and security of his hideout. It's on higher ground and he can observe in all directions from the vantage point and smell anything out of his view. I realize this is all theory at this point.
In his hideout I found about 50 rubs (big ones) so I could tell that he likes to hang out there. It's an old fencerow that has grown up in tangles, come summer will be impossible to walk through. My plan is to put a camera on that spring or near it and leave it all summer. The area is pretty flat and I am thinking ground blind since there are no trees up top, just brush.
Potentially this is going to be a very very good spot. Wondering about building a semi-permanent blind, pit blind, etc. My gut and prior intel tell me "this is the spot."
I will update you all as this unfolds.
Justin
Justin:
Good luck in your quest for this Big Buck. There are so many variables and it sounds like you have found his sanctuary. The only down side I can see is during the rut. He will leave the sanctuary in search for does and travel many miles to find them. My suggestion would be to find his early season pattern and try to get him before the November rut.
Thanks Doug. I agree completely! What I suspect is his hide out near the water spring and food sources will likely be abandoned come November. It is just pretty exciting to have this type of realization so to speak. I will keep you all posted.
Justin
Your title say "question for big whitetails"
What is the question?
Good point.
My question is this: have any of you had success building semi-permanent blinds? We get a LOT of wind here. This spot is not very protected from the wind and even if I stake my blind down really well, it will not hold up in the winds we typically have.
I went out today and looked at the area again. There is a nice location for a blind of some sort. Maybe I will just make a sturdy natural blind. Just wondering what some of you have done. The wind is fierce here.
Justin
I would prefer a natural ground blind, just build it good to last.
Awesome! Good luck and keep us posted!
Natural ground blind built early, preferably during a rain.
Careful on access route so not to blow him out of there during hunting season.
For starters I wouldn't hang a camera anywhere close to his suspected bedding area. It will be to tempting to check the pics. Every time you go near that spot he will wise up. If you have to hang a camera, do it at his suspected food source.
Get in now, prep a natural ground blind or pic a tree out. STAY OUT until it's time to hunt. Your first time sitting will be your best chance. Only do it with a good wind direction.
If I didn't know you, I'd say not a chance on killing this buck. Given the topography in Eastern SD, you have to be patient until everything is tilted in our favor. Build the ground blind then wait until the wind is perfect. Don't you owe me a burger or is it my turn?
Mark
Let's eat! My schedule is open.
Justin
A brush blind is not difficult to build. I have one that has been in place for several years. Each year, I spruce it up with new stuff, particularly evergreens after Christmas. Also, I have planted shrubbery that will eventually grow up and make maintenance a simple operation of trimming. It is located along a travel route, so deer use the area regularly. I don't worry about chasing them out of the area, because I don't go there very often, either. Since your location is near a favored bedding area, you need to be sure not to be overly invasive. Get your blind set up, then clear out. Playing the wind, just as you would when hunting, may be a good idea when building the blind. The blind does not need to be elaborate. Remember, you are not building Fort Apache, just a simple hiding spot. It is kind of fun. Good luck, and hopefully, we will see a hero picture of you and a big buck.
The lines "totally different species" makes sense to me now. Big deer just don't tolerate pressure.
That is why I think this spot is so good. No pressure. I am going to get my blind constructed and wait. I know he will be there. The terrain will put him there as he cruises for does. September seems like a long ways away!
Stay tuned.
Justin
Comments above are correct you'll probably only get one chance at him. He looks like he has a few more years to go.
I don't know for sure. I played hide and seek for two years with a monster that could go 200 P&Y. it is very difficult to predict just when and where a big deer can be in this part of the world. It will be very possible that influences that you have no control over will affect any pattern that may develop. The worst influences on this side of the river are night time poachers. I think my 12 pointer buddy may have been killed by one of them.
You've received great info from some obviously experienced big buck hunters. I might suggest that your first hunt, with all other conditions exactly right, be a morning hunt where you sneak in very, very early and wait for him to return from a night of feeding. If you don't snore, you might get there even earlier. Might work, but you'd need to determine his travel route from food to sanctuary and intercept him heading for bed. I wish you well!
One thing I've learned about buck sanctuaries: Seems that when a buck's sanctuary works for him and hears/sees/smells me coming from a ways off and makes an easy, early escape, he'll return to such a sanctuary as it 'WORKS'. Conversely, seems when I sneak up on a buck, get close and startle him out of his sanctuary, he doesn't return as it 'DID NOT WORK'. He'll relocate to find a 'better' sanctuary. Knowing this, when I'm scouting new areas, I do not try to be too stealthy as if I scare a buck while scouting, he'll most likely relocate and I'll most like have to continue scouting.
I'm going to build a blind in the next few days then stay out.
I suspect he'll be on his summer pattern soon. When it cools off I'm going to be ready. Can never plan too much! The wind has to be right!!!
Good luck to the future.....sounds like you got a good plan & advise.
I've built quite a few blinds using all sorts of stuff. Concrete wire that comes in rolls works best for me. It gives a solid structure that lasts many many years. It's very easy to add brush logs or cedar boughs to it and have them stay where ya want them. Hope this helps and good luck
Tim B
I like all the ideas!!!!!
Let's take this to another level. How about a wireless game camera? I am tempted to try it because I know how tempted I get to check them. Large/old deer don't tolerate intrusion. Thoughts on wireless game cameras??
Justin
When hunting antelope in Wyoming we built numerous waterhole blinds. Our material was hog netting, a fencing material readily available, cheap, and not too difficult to work with. Shape to suit then weave in grass and brush. Amazingly effective. Good luck.
:thumbsup:
Wireless game camera with no visible flash as long as there's signal capability in the area. Energizer Ultimate Lithium batteries should make it thru the season. Keep it all scent free and disguise the strap with a couple carried in branches with leaves/needles. It should help pattern his coming, going, time and direction. Good idea by me.
:thumbsup:
Hog netting. I'm on it. Thanks for the tips. WIth your guidance, I may have a chance!!!
Justin-
Your Spring at the head of the gully is probably a tile drain coming from under the adjacent farm fields. No big deal, I just wouldn't depend on it for consistent flows.
I also like temporary "natural" blinds but the deer always manage to find the holes in them. For semi permanent blinds I have gone to using sections of cattle panel wrapped first with black sheet plastic and then with burlap. They are less expensive than Pop-up blinds and wind, rain, sleet, snow... and COWS can't hurt them. They don't take any longer to put together than cutting and dragging brush would and last a whole lot longer. Unless you really go to town with the construction, natural blinds rarely have tops and I don't mess with roofs on my panel blinds.
Don't buy new panels unless you just want to. In my experience there isn't a farmer or rancher in America that doesn't have a few rusty ones (I see CAMOed, rather than rusty) laying around and the smell is pretty much knocked off of them. You can probably get them just for the service of hauling them away or if the farmer is thrifty, buy him a couple new ones and trade for the weathered ones. I'm happy to go into a little more detail if you would like to know how I build the panel blinds.
Sounds like you have your new obsession for the Fall! Good luck!
OkKeith
I do not recall if you mentioned travel routes, or had an alternate spot in the event the wind changed directions. Does he cross the river to and from his bedding area where you might set up a second blind, especially if the two a far enough apart. Good luck, I like your approach.
HUD
The west end is pretty isolated. The river on the east side is a half mile away.
I have an observation stand on the east end and could add a second ground blind nearer the west end if needed. Mostly I don't want to disturb it. Hence the cellular camera. It got my mind off turkey hunting!!!
It sounds like the old buck has met his match and the turkey should be thankful.
I wouldn't go that far, but I do think that I have a chance to get this guy, especially since I am planning to put a cellular camera on the spot and stay out.
Blind is nearly complete. Spent much of the morning in the rain yesterday getting it ready. I have a trail cam pic that shows a buck walk right up to my shovel. I need to resize it because it is a picture of a picture. At first I thought it was a doe. Nope. It's a buck. Guess the blind will be in the right spot!
Justin