"That one buck"

[AntlerHound]

I've been trying to kill a certain buck for a few years now.. Seen him on the hoof twice.. Of course before season.. Having a hard time locating him after he shreds velvet.. Frustrating ordeal.. I know a bunch of you guys have been at it a lot longer than me.. So how many years have you been after " that one buck"?!? Also any tips on high mountain whiteys is much appreciated!

[AntlerHound]

Some meat with the bread..

[AntlerHound]

This year

[headshot5]

I'd be spreading my trail cameras around to see if I could get a pic of him now that his horns are hard.   Sometimes bucks move quite a ways after shedding velvet.  The huge problem with targeting bucks is they are nocturnal up until the rut, and then they are on the move, and it is hard to pattern a buck that is chasing does.  Trail cams can give you an idea of how far they have moved.

Your other option is to find a group of does close by and wait for him to check up on them.   

Personally I'd try rattling now through the end of the month.   He is probably the dominant buck in that area, so you should be able to bring him in.  I don't focus on one buck anymore, that path leads to insanity and heartbreak.   

[Chesapeake]

I'd look at this research project to get an idea how they behave through the year. Particularly the bucks travel patterns... There are other studies out there where they tracked whitetail movement patterns and behavior. They are pretty heavily studied. Your buck isn't too far away..........

http://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/projects/deer/news/2015/the-life-and-times-of-buck-8917

http://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/projects/deer

[h20hunter]

D-Rock and a few others have tried to find and kill Droopy for a number of years. Hasn't happened yet. Somewhere on here is a link to some handheld vid I took of him a couple years ago.

http://hunting-washington.com/smf/index.php/topic,81032.0.html

[Grizman]

I started "targeting" certain bucks seven years ago.  It can work but you have to really be persistent.  I am retired, live in the middle of GMU 111, and am able to hunt every day.  I have 3 game cams out in different locations all year long.  I have been able to get my targeted buck 4 out of seven years.  One during the general season and three after Nov 13th during late season.  (That should tell you something). I pass on smaller bucks during the general and late season at about the same rate.  My main goal is to be able to hunt almost every day!!  Being persistent is the biggest secret to any type of hunting success.  This morning it is totally fogged in here, but as soon as it lifts I'm out of here.  Here is a picture of this years "target".

[h20hunter]

That one is a dandy for sure.

[beaslayer6]

I have been after the same buck for 5 years. I see him all summer and the first 2 week of bow season. Then gone like the wind until after season is over.. every once in a while I see him in between rifle and bow season. This year he came in with 6 other bucks and the front one was a really nice buck. The wind shifted and There was no way that he was going to come by at 15 yards. So I toke the first one.. plus we just had a kid So I don't have the time to spend chasing deer this year. next year its game on. I order 10 more trail cams plus the 10 I have to just chase this deer next year.. They don't get that big because there stupid. At some point they will mess up and being there when that happens is the key.. good luck hope you find him.

[saylean]

"fawnbuck" is still out there where I hunt.
I saw him for a long ways off...thought it was a doe and a fawn, doe on left side of the tree, fawn on the right...until it lifted its head and the fawn came straight up....the "fawn" was its rack....
My youngest brother saw him last year just before he shot his bear.

I know he is still out there (or at least wasn't killed by a hunter yet), because he would have made his rounds here if/when he gets popped.

[BackStrappin]

I ve been chasing one for a few seasons now.  Big ole blacktail that I should have had last season but slipped away.  I know his stomping grounds well and hopefully this is the year we meet for the last time.

[Odell]

The worst part is wondering if someone else has already shot the buck you are targeting...I'm passing other deer while the one I want is already backstap on someones table...??

[beaslayer6]

Isn't that the truth. Hunting one deer is hard. Especial when its on public ground. Because you never know if some luck s.o.b got him..

[Seabass]

There is a particular buck that I named the "Hartford" and this will be my 4th season if he's still alive. He is really old and has lost a point every year that I have hunted him. The shape of his rack never changes and he has a mark on his head that makes him very identifiable. I don't leave a year round camera in the area I hunt him because it's very high traffic and it would be gone if I left it. Last season I had difficulty re-locating him but I finally found him towards the end of the season.

I'm still amazed that he has lived as long as he has with the amount pressure in the area.