Pressured Deer Are EASY To Pattern

[Gonzo]

Glad I checked back in to take notes. This past week I hung a stand on a spot in the thick woods away from the feeders where there is trails going in all directions. I threw some hand corn and put a camera up. I will try to check that card this week. Im excited to see what is in those woods that doesn't come to the feeders.

The last two yrs I have had some good bucks coming to the feeder. Every now and then I'll see a random mature buck stroll through but he'll only show up once by the feeder and never see them again. Last year I had one buck around xmas that was impressive but that was the only pic I ever got on him.

These are the two bucks I like for this year. IF the new spot shows better deer, I will take these notes to HUNT a mature 5yr+buck.



This is the view from the new stand



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[Marsh Bandit]

Just spent the week reading through this thread. Great info for sure! One question I have that I don't think was answered, do you ever use rattle horns or any type of scent attractant (like doe urine) in these sanctuaries or is it not necessary? Do you think it would mess up the area?

[Hix]

Great stories GG, thanks for sharing something that is as educational as it is interesting and entertaining. Hope to see more added this year sir.

[GarGuy]

Just spent the week reading through this thread. Great info for sure! One question I have that I don't think was answered, do you ever use rattle horns or any type of scent attractant (like doe urine) in these sanctuaries or is it not necessary? Do you think it would mess up the area?

I have rattled up a bunch of bucks and killed a few of them. When Im in his home thogh, I try to pretend I not there.

[..Ambush..]

I have rattled up a bunch of bucks and killed a few of them. When Im in his home thogh, I try to pretend I not there.

Steve when we spoke yesterday i had just started this thread. Absolutely the best thing ive ever read on hunting period... I literally could not stop reading and finished the entire 116 pg. thread in less than 24hrs. Very generous of you to take the time to share your knowledge with fellow hunters.. i was appalled at some of the rude comments made by some of these whack jobs. Keep doing your thing and posting these amazing stories, i dont doubt you for a minute. Rest assured theres a bunch of us out here patiently awaiting your next post and the experience of years hunting East Texas deer behind it.

I was hoping you might touch on something a lot uf us face as public land hunters.. Lets say im hunting a huge block of forest, where essentially the entire thing is a "thicket"... no clear cuts, no impassable creeks or rivers to funnel deer. Just miles and miles of loblolly pine ridges and hardwood bottoms. In an area like this where might a man look to find one of these safe places or sanctuaries for a big ole mature deer? I saw multiple references to you hunting close to roads with noise and thats great because im tired of hiking a mile in to my spot only to be drenching sweat when i get there!Anyhow if you would shed some light on this topic id be much obliged-

..Brad..

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[Serbin]

Hey Gar guy. Hope the season is going good so far. Wish I would have known some of your tricks 25 yrs ago. I killed a few good deer in the post oaks but could of done better. One question. Do you have any pictures of that huge buck that you said you lost in a fire. Sounds like a once in a lifetime x 2 deer. With beams like that you could make a living just on the pictures(lol). Thanks for some great stories.

[GarGuy]

Hey Gar guy. Hope the season is going good so far. Wish I would have known some of your tricks 25 yrs ago. I killed a few good deer in the post oaks but could of done better. One question. Do you have any pictures of that huge buck that you said you lost in a fire. Sounds like a once in a lifetime x 2 deer. With beams like that you could make a living just on the pictures(lol). Thanks for some great stories.

It was the pictures that got burned.

[GarGuy]

Steve when we spoke yesterday i had just started this thread. Absolutely the best thing ive ever read on hunting period... I literally could not stop reading and finished the entire 116 pg. thread in less than 24hrs. Very generous of you to take the time to share your knowledge with fellow hunters.. i was appalled at some of the rude comments made by some of these whack jobs. Keep doing your thing and posting these amazing stories, i dont doubt you for a minute. Rest assured theres a bunch of us out here patiently awaiting your next post and the experience of years hunting East Texas deer behind it.

I was hoping you might touch on something a lot uf us face as public land hunters.. Lets say im hunting a huge block of forest, where essentially the entire thing is a "thicket"... no clear cuts, no impassable creeks or rivers to funnel deer. Just miles and miles of loblolly pine ridges and hardwood bottoms. In an area like this where might a man look to find one of these safe places or sanctuaries for a big ole mature deer? I saw multiple references to you hunting close to roads with noise and thats great because im tired of hiking a mile in to my spot only to be drenching sweat when i get there!Anyhow if you would shed some light on this topic id be much obliged-

..Brad..

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Unless there is a lot of pressure on it, thats going to be hit or miss. If its heavily hunted, you have to figure out where the hunters are not going. You can bet the deer know. It may be an area thats to far for most or it may be a thicket close to the road.

[..Ambush..]

Unless there is a lot of pressure on it, thats going to be hit or miss. If its heavily hunted, you have to figure out where the hunters are not going. You can bet the deer know. It may be an area thats to far for most or it may be a thicket close to the road.

Gotcha Steve, just one of those things that takes time and a lot of trial and error.. the search for that magical spot continues, Thanks for the response

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[GarGuy]

Gotcha Steve, just one of those things that takes time and a lot of trial and error.. the search for that magical spot continues, Thanks for the response

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The good news is that I have spent a lifetime doing that research in the spot you are hunting. You know darn well you are on the right track! I hope you get him.

[..Ambush..]

The good news is that I have spent a lifetime doing that research in the spot you are hunting. You know darn well you are on the right track! I hope you get him.

Haha! Yessir that is definitely one heck of a honeyhole.. actually heading up soon to spend a few days in the woods.

Trying to figure out something similar in my neck of the woods, the SAM down here is a different animal LOL

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[Johnny]

The good news is that I have spent a lifetime doing that research in the spot you are hunting. You know darn well you are on the right track! I hope you get him.

Ol Ambush had his chances last year...that little thing called buck fever kicked his *** pretty good. He's due.

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[..Ambush..]

Ol Ambush had his chances last year...that little thing called buck fever kicked his *** pretty good. He's due.

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Ya i got rattled pretty good on that one.. them great ole bigguns will do that to ya, especially when theyre at point blank range! I'd sure like to have that one back..



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[Kirby86]

Man, I had looked over this thread a few years ago rather quickly and found it to be interesting and told myself "ill go back and read it." Well, today during my 12 hour shift I can honestly say today has flown by as a result of reading this whole thread.

I've only got one great mature buck under my belt, but I've been blessed enough to kill a buck for the past few years. All have been off public land. I've been trying to figure out the secret, and I have burnt up so much time and energy trying to "get as far away from the road" as I possibly could, only to have some other guy walk through my setups at prime time or otherwise.

This has changed the way I intend to hunt from here on out. I lucked out and got drawn in an area known for monsters... Let's hope it pays off. Thanks for sharing your knowledge Garguy. There aren't many people out there as generous as you, and I wish EVERYONE on here was appreciative of it, because I know I sure am!

[BDBA]

Question: When you say Thicket are you referring to the nastiest stuff you can find. Or just an area that doesn't see that much pressure? Or just an area of the woods? Like some, pature, clear cut, etc.... Been hunting DCNF for some time now and after the past 10 yrs finally see deer almost every hunt. Nothing to the caliber you see. Second time reading this thread. Just waiting till the day I bump into you in the forest. You definitely know how to hunt East Texas.. Thanks for the great stories and info