In many parts of the country, deer season is either underway or just around the corner. For whitetail hunters, this time of year is both exhilarating and frustrating. Exciting because the bucks are on the move and the anticipation of filling a tag is at its peak. Frustrating because the deer are so much harder to pattern during this time period. Early season deer hunting can be a real challenge, but there are a few secrets that can help you be successful.
1. Be patient
It can be discouraging to put in all the effort of scouting and not see the results you want early on. Remember that bucks are creatures of habit and with time you will be able to pattern them.
2. Look for rubs and scrapes
These are signs that a buck has been marking his territory. The taller the rub and the higher the scrape, the bigger the buck.
3. Check the wind
Bucks are very sensitive to smell and will avoid areas where they might be detected. Make sure you are downwind of where you think the bucks are likely to be.
4. Move cautiously and quietly
Bucks have keen hearing and will be alerted by even the slightest noise. Be extra careful when moving through the woods.
5. Be aware of your own scent
Bucks can smell human scent from a long distance away. Be sure to use scent-free products and avoid areas where you have recently been.
How do you attract a buck early season?
Deer urine is often used by hunters to attract deer. It can be real or synthetic. Early in the season, it is suggested to use a straight doe urine, such as Select Doe Urine or Golden Doe. These urines do not contain estrous scent, which is a key element during the rut but not important during the summer and early bow season.
When scouting for deer, look for signs that they have been in the area, such as sheds, and look for food sources that they may be interested in, such as acorns, fruit, or nut bearing trees. You can also look for rubbed trees that indicate a buck was there; and look for rub lines that suggest it could be a buck’s core area. If you see a deer in the woods, make note of where it was, as it was there for a reason.
What is the best deer attractant for early season
There are a few healthy and attractive options available when it comes to store-bought attractants. Shelled corn is one of the most commonly used baits, while ear corn, acorns, vegetables, apples, peanut butter, and salt and mineral salt are also popular choices.
A grunt call is a great way to lure in a deer, especially during the rut. However, it can also be used during early season. The key difference is the intensity of the call. During early season, you want to use a softer, more subdued call. This will attract the deer without spooking them.
Should you hunt mornings in early season?
Overall, there is no doubt you can successfully hunt mature bucks in the morning during the early season. You have to be extremely careful while hunting and stick with it even if you don’t see a deer on a specific hunt. If you are patient and persistent, you will eventually be rewarded with a trophy buck.
If you are looking to attract the attention of a mature buck, using a grunt call is a great way to do so. You should only grunt periodically, every 15 minutes to 20 minutes. Blind calling can work, but it is best to make the calls subtle and sparingly because you don’t know how close a deer might be to you.
What time of day are most mature bucks shot?
There are a few things that affect this. One is that deer are crepuscular animals, meaning they are most active at dawn and dusk. Another is that they are very sensitive to light and darkness, so they are more active when it is darker outside. And finally, they are also very sensitive to temperature, so they are most active when it is cooler, like at sunrise and sunset.
If you’re looking for a long-range attractant that is both effective and durable, look no further than Cherry and Apple Bomb from Redmond Hunt. This granular product is fortified with a high nutritional value, making it an ideal supplement for the deer herd.
Can you use doe estrus too early
Estrous scents are used during the specific time of the year when deer are mating. If used too early or too late, we can see major issues with a scent like doe estrous. If used too early, it could scare bucks because of the hunting pressure put on them throughout the season.
If you want to attract deer to a particular spot, try pouring some buck or doe urine, or scraping starter into the soil. This will create an appealing scent for the deer, and they will continue to check the area every time they pass by.
How do you attract deer quickly?
One of the surest ways to attract deer is through their stomach. By planting various crops including corn, milo, turnips, peas, clover, and alfalfa, you can create a food plot that will attract and keep deer. Larger plots of forage soybeans covering 10 or more acres are especially effective, but even small parcels of broken tree canopy planted to brassica can be attractive to deer.
In the pre-rut, bucks and does tend to stick to their own kind. bucks will hang out with other bucks (termed a “bachelor group”), and does will group together. Because does are not yet in heat, using Code Blue Doe Estrous probably won’t do much to attract bucks to your stand.
Why am I not seeing deer early season
If you’re not seeing deer, you might be reaching your treestand too late and leaving too early. Get settled at least a half-hour before you expect deer to move. That means arriving before first light in the morning, and at least an hour before dark in the late afternoon. For evening sits, plan to walk out in darkness.
The best time to hunt during the early season is the last two hours of the evening. Warm mornings and hot days cause deer to spend more time feeding at night, so they are bedded down by dawn and will be less active during the day. As the evening cools, they’ll move around for food and water.
How long should you stay in the deer stand in the morning?
It is important to be in your stand and ready to go at least an hour before shooting light. This gives you time to cool off from that extra-long hike, get your gear ready and let the woods settle back down before the sun peaks over the horizon.
When you are going into the woods, it is important to make sure that your clothes are scent-free. This means that you should wash them in a detergent that has no scent or dyes, and that they should be clean. You should also take a shower with scent-eliminating soap and shampoo, and use a scent-eliminating deodorant. You should never wear cologne or scented deodorant, as this will make you more likely to be smelled by animals.
Should you hunt the same spot everyday
Stand burnout is a real phenomenon that can happen to even the most dedicated hunters. If you find yourself hunting the same stand day after day, for the entire season, it’s important to be aware of the potential for stand burnout. This can happen more often than we might think and it doesn’t matter how good the spot is or how many deer you see in there. Be sure to mix things up and give yourself a break every now and then, or you may find yourself dreading your time in the stand.
The Katie Clancy test is a simple but effective way of testing the effectiveness of a rattling device. By measuring the distance that the device can be heard from, it is possible to get an idea of how far it can be useful in scare game animals. The results of the test show that, on average, a rattling device can be heard more than 23 times further downwind than upwind. This means that, if you are trying to scare animals away from a certain area, it is much more effective to use a rattling device downwind than upwind.
Final Words
1. First and foremost, you need to do your homework and know where the big bucks are living. You can use a variety of resources to find this information, including topographic maps, aerial photos, and local knowledge.
2. Once you have a good idea of where the big bucks are living, you need to start scouting early in the season. The best time to scout is during the pre-rut and early-rut, when bucks are still in their summer patterns and not yet actively chasing does.
3. When scouting, look for areas that offer a combination of food, water, and cover. These are the areas that big bucks will be using the most during the early season.
4. Another key to early-season success is to be as stealthy as possible when you’re scouting and hunting. If you can avoid disturbing the deer, they’re much more likely to stick around and not move to another area.
5. Finally, don’t be afraid to be creative when it comes to early-season hunting strategy. If you can think outside the box and come up with a unique plan, you’ll be in a much better position to take a big buck during
While there are many different ways to scout for early-season bucks, the bottom line is that you need to do your homework and put in the time to be successful. The most important thing is to have a clear understanding of the deer herd you are after. Pay close attention to deer sign and learn to read the land. With a little perseverance, you can put yourself in a great position to take that buck of a lifetime.