Blizzard Ridge
Well-Known Member
Ok guys I am working on my theory here and am curious to what others take is on the subject. I am located in farm country Illinois. Sometimes you can drive two or three miles and not see a tree when you get a few miles north of me. I have been blessed to harvest some good deer that some would call giants. I see a lot of guys on here talk about killing their big bucks in timber, I am assuming these folks are in heavily wooded parts of the country.
Here is what I have found in my part of the world. I have killed every one of my deer that are in the big old category in fence rows or very small woodlots of 10 acres or less. Also, every deer in the 170"+ category was taken on the edges of these small lots within 40 yards of the field edge just on the outside edge of the thickest parts of the fence row or small woodlot. This has been the tried and true way I have the opportunity to take a big old mature buck every season. That does not mean that I go ahead and kill the buck but the opportunity is there and I may pass at that given time. These big mature bucks will be in these areas every year around the same time give or take a few days.
I have a fence row that I have used as a stand by that I may only hunt once in a season and usually when the woods hunting has become frustrating. I will go to this fence row and typically can hunt this spot one sit and take a 150" or better buck in that sit. This same fence row has produced a 172", 156" - 9 point, and two other low 50's 10 points. I have let numerous bucks walk in the mid 40's - mid 60's area and hunted a deer that would push the 200" mark in this same stand.
So that being said what would everyone's theory be on why big mature bucks can be killed in these areas every year, yet for folks hunting bigger timber areas around my parts very few big mature deer are killed in them? I honestly have never killed a deer over 150" inside the timber and have had very few sightings of big mature deer in big timber. This is a question I have often asked myself. I have a ton of the type of ground I am talking about. I have not found the right approach to convince hunting clients and out of state hunting buddies that if they want the chance to kill a giant these are the places to hunt. Yes you can have terribly boring hunts along the way because you will not see huge numbers of deer unless they are across a field feeding somewhere in the vicinity of you. But, when you do see a buck it will be a good one typically. Thanks I am just curious on everyone's thoughts. I do have my big boy pants on so feel free to argue my theory as well. I can then show you numerous examples of why I feel this theory is correct.
Here is what I have found in my part of the world. I have killed every one of my deer that are in the big old category in fence rows or very small woodlots of 10 acres or less. Also, every deer in the 170"+ category was taken on the edges of these small lots within 40 yards of the field edge just on the outside edge of the thickest parts of the fence row or small woodlot. This has been the tried and true way I have the opportunity to take a big old mature buck every season. That does not mean that I go ahead and kill the buck but the opportunity is there and I may pass at that given time. These big mature bucks will be in these areas every year around the same time give or take a few days.
I have a fence row that I have used as a stand by that I may only hunt once in a season and usually when the woods hunting has become frustrating. I will go to this fence row and typically can hunt this spot one sit and take a 150" or better buck in that sit. This same fence row has produced a 172", 156" - 9 point, and two other low 50's 10 points. I have let numerous bucks walk in the mid 40's - mid 60's area and hunted a deer that would push the 200" mark in this same stand.
So that being said what would everyone's theory be on why big mature bucks can be killed in these areas every year, yet for folks hunting bigger timber areas around my parts very few big mature deer are killed in them? I honestly have never killed a deer over 150" inside the timber and have had very few sightings of big mature deer in big timber. This is a question I have often asked myself. I have a ton of the type of ground I am talking about. I have not found the right approach to convince hunting clients and out of state hunting buddies that if they want the chance to kill a giant these are the places to hunt. Yes you can have terribly boring hunts along the way because you will not see huge numbers of deer unless they are across a field feeding somewhere in the vicinity of you. But, when you do see a buck it will be a good one typically. Thanks I am just curious on everyone's thoughts. I do have my big boy pants on so feel free to argue my theory as well. I can then show you numerous examples of why I feel this theory is correct.