Deerhead
Senior Member
Plenty of bucks are taken in September. I can find the does but not the bucks. So how do you do it? Where do you find the bucks in September?
If you know from earlier scouting trips that your woods contains a decent buck then start hunting him along edges of fields, near road crossings, anywhere there seems to be decent deer activity without you trapzing down thru all the woods spreading your scent around. During this early part of the season the buck has all his senses and he'll quickly know you're there if you spread your scent in all the rooms of his house. Hopefully you've done your homework way before now and already know the general areas the deer are actively using. Mature bucks like to "see" what's going on in their area without having to move out into wide open areas to see it all. This means ridge tops along thick planted pines, edges of thickets, back in the edges of thick swampy areas, etc. Mature deer are patient. They'll stand back and wait for younger, less experienced deer to move out in towards that hot persimmon tree or white oak acorn tree making sure the coast is clear without ever letting you know theyre around. Dont make the mistake of climbing that "hotspot" tree out in the middle of the wide open area where all the deer are coming to just to get busted by a momma doe with little 'uns and never getting the opportunity of getting a glimpse of the buck of a lifetime when he might already be standing there making sure the coast is clear. Remember, big deer dont get big by doing what's predictable. Look for the smallest signs that might show you where to get that shot on him from his observation points along his travel routes.