Need help figuring out buck

[muskrats]

Hi everyone its been a few years since I've been on here but, I move to PA severally years ago and don't get to hunt Ohio anymore. I need some help. I have a 16 point I call shredder. I have been getting picture of him periodically since the middle of July including a picture taken on the 9/30 during daylight so, I know he still may be coming out during daylight . However the pictures I got have been on 3 different cams with picture of him maybe 1 or 2 day's of him a month with in 200-250 yards from each other.

I just can't seem to patter him to a spot to put up a tree stand. I guessing he's bedding in a small clearcut wood in between the field I have my cameras in and a corn field on the back side which is a different property owner. The field I have pictures of him in is soy bean but there are Oak's along the field to keep him there for now.

What should I do? Should I just void the area until rut or just pick a spot with the wind in my favor and hope he comes out? He has afew small scraps I seen him working would you put a scent drip of some kind on it? It's not a easy spot to sneak in to there is no way for me to walk in before daylight without spooking deer and in the evening I never know which way the wind is going to blow till I actually get on top the hill plus I work 2nd shift. What would you suggest? Thanks.

[zachc]

Well...I would (1) work those scrapes that he is hitting. Have you actually seem him or have pics of him working the scrapes? I wouldn't use a dripper IMO. And I also wouldn't use a big box store deer pee, who knows how long its been in the bottle?? Spend a lil extra money and get a good quality deer scent (look at huntfishjournal.com and try some of the scent they use, I think its called trail and scrape something or another. I work with one of the guys who is one of their "field staff" members and he swears by it, I purchased a bottle the year before last and am actually picking up a bottle tomorrow from him and its so much different than the stuff hanging on the shelves at the store smelling like 90% ammonia. And they have podcasts you can listen to and learn a lot from and will tell you how to use it properly). And (2) have you tried using a good mineral to bring them in? The year before last I started a mineral pit at the house and they are still tearing it up. Last year I dumped some whitetail inst. 30-06 mineral in it and I've never seen deer eat as much dirt as I did with that stuff! They love it. Matter of fact I haven't put any mineral in it this year and they are still pawing it up, I go out every couple of weeks with a shovel and break up the top 2-4" of dirt and they keep coming back. Another good, cheap mineral are the red mineral blocks from tsc...if you have them around you. Break them up into smaller chunks and it will make a good mineral site. Personally I wouldn't go the route of these flavored attractants, not sure if a big old mature buck will fall for them if they've never been there and then all of a sudden show up. That's where I would start. But most importantly, and I'm sure you know, try not to put any pressure on him...at all. Good luck and keep us posted.

[mrbb]

I'ma PA resident
unless you own a LOT of land, that buck can be any where in PA< based on human's hunting, traveling or just out and about
MY guess is the reason your seeing him all over is he is traveling to different food sources
and right now there all changing FAST< fruit tree's are dropping or running out of fruit, acorns will be dropping if NOT already
corn and beans will soon be cut, food plot clover will be puckering up as soon as we get a frost or two, leaves will be falling faster no and that means cover will change along with all the food changing
add in bucks will be loosing there tolerance for each other, and buck dispersal .

and BY waiting for later and the rut, your odds can go LOWER than hunting NOW when you are having him on your lands

if you have the time, I would hunt in between the two places your getting pic';s and do some all day sits

if your area is like MOST in PA< from here out pressure just gets MORE and more, not less?
and that pressure and the TONS of cheaters we have here,
can lead to hunting a ghost that has been killed by someone else

I say HUNT him NOW< and hunt him as much as you can

unless again, you have a LOT of land (300+ acres) and know he tends to stay on JUST your land
then if that's the case

follow the doe, and hunt where there at most in a few weeks?

[muskrats]

I have pic of him working the scrap and some play fighting with another 8 point. I bought a drip and order some plan buck urine not over the counter brand. Were not aloud to do any baiting or minerals during the season in PA. The farm is over 300 acres but it is mostly field. There are adjoin woods but owned by other people I don't know of anyone else who archery hunts it but gun season I know there are a few. Thanks for the advice I think I might put up that drip and a few more trail cameras this week to try to zero in where he is. I just going to have to be really carful not to spook him.

[00buck]

Post those pics of him please

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

[zachc]

Sounds like a plan, just make sure when you're in/around those scrapes you control your scent, one good wiff of you and he may vanish for awhile or good. Also I have been thinking about the dripper, a few years ago I was hunting a very small property that I had a few nice bucks running and there were scrapes all over the place. I hung a dripper with some of the Tinks power scrape in it and had every deer, doe and buck that passed it stop in the scrape and check it out. May want to make a couple mock scrapes and throw some of that out there?

[zachc]

Make a move yet muskrats?

[muskrats]

I move 2 of the trial camera's and hung a drip over a new fresh I found just 60 yard from the one I had picture of him working. I moved my treestand and will be hunting Saturday evening.

[zachc]

Awesome! Good luck and let us know how it goes, looks like some cooler temps are moving in so hopefully it'll be a good day to be in the stand.