The Art of Killing Mature Bucks

The Art of Killing Mature Bucks

By Mac Chilton

Harvesting a mature buck is quite the accomplishment. It takes the right combination of time, effort, strategy, and just a little bit of luck to pull off the feat. It’s no secret that some people are rather good at the task, while many people struggle. To kill a mature buck could potentially take years of work. So, how do some people seem to do it year after year? What are they doing that others aren’t? Read on, and learn how to better your chances of wrapping that tag around a mature whitetail this season.

Grow the Groceries
If you grow it, they will come. It doesn’t matter where or what you hunt, if you want to increase the odds of killing a mature animal, you need to have a food source nearby. In Iowa that usually includes a corn, soybean, or hay field. However, small plots of turnips, radishes, clover, or other mixes can be deadly (pun intended). We purchased a small farm in Southern Iowa five years ago this Spring. The farm was 85 percent timber, and the rest was small open fields and a pond. The nearest row crop field was over a mile away. We noticed when we first walked the farm, there was very little deer sign, and it didn’t show much potential. The following season, after planting a few acres of food plots, there were nights we would count 20-30 deer in the small plots.

Over the years these fields have continued to produce large numbers of mature deer. This doesn’t mean disregard other food types. Mast producing trees that create nuts and berries can be a very popular food source among deer. They will often gather in these areas before heading to open food plots or ag fields to feed. I’ve learned you don’t need the best looking timber in the neighborhood with all of the thick bedding. Not to say that bedding areas don’t help, because they do. Actually a good combination of both bedding and food sources are great at getting mature deer to your property. But if I were to choose one over the other I would opt for good food sources that allow me to get a crack at the buck coming in for a meal.

Reconnaissance
Whether it’s by way of trail camera, walking your property, or watching velvet bucks in the preseason, scouting is crucial to killing mature bucks. Knowing what bucks are on your farm, where they live, and how they travel will put you on the track to success. There is no better way to scout than stepping on your farm and observing deer sign or movement first hand. However, we can’t monitor every acre 24/7/365. Trail cameras are the next best solution. Having them allows you to monitor certain high traffic areas at all hours. From there, you can analyze the data that you get, and move the cameras accordingly to pinpoint certain bucks. I highly suggest picking quality over quantity when it comes to trail cameras. You don’t have to monitor every acre, but you do want clear images when you capture a buck on camera. Today you can get a quality camera, smaller than a cell phone, for $100-$150. The pictures and information you can receive on a trail camera are an instant return on your investment. I’m a field staff member for Radix, a trail camera manufacturer in southern Iowa, and recommend their products if you are in the market for new trail cameras. They are new to the industry, but have made a big impact in the last year. Radix produces quality images at several price points.

Game Plan
You can stack all the odds in your favor and do everything right, but you can’t kill a mature buck if you kill the first decent 3 ½ year old deer that walks beneath your tree stand. Dr. James Kroll, A.K.A., Dr. Deer, claims that a whitetail deer has reached 90 percent maturity by age 4 ½ and full maturity by 5 ½. It should be noted that his studies were performed in a healthy deer herd. In some unhealthy herds, bucks may reach physiological maturity quicker. So, if your goal is to harvest a mature buck, you should settle for nothing less than that. Easier said than done, right? Judging and holding out for a deer of a certain age are two different things entirely. It can be tough if a 160 inch 3 ½ year old presents a broadside, 20-yard chip shot. There is no shame in killing that deer. However, if you’re setting specific goals, stick to them. There’s nothing more frustrating than being upset with yourself after walking up on a deer that you told yourself you’d let walk. Someone once told me, “Plan your work, and work your plan.” If you can apply that to your hunting strategy, it won’t be long before you’re tagging mature bucks.

Minimize Mistakes
I know this one seems obvious, but it’s worth being mentioned. You can’t expect to harvest mature bucks if you’re blowing deer out of the woods on the way to your stand, hunting the wrong wind, or putting too much pressure on one area. Sure, we can get lucky every now and then, but the people who are harvesting mature bucks year in and year out don’t rely on luck. Make sure you’re doing all the little things correctly. Cut entry and exit routes in the summer, hunt the correct winds, be alert in the stand, and when the opportunity arises, let your preseason practice go to work and make your shot count. A misplaced shot on a deer that you put so much time and effort into can be haunting.

Final Thoughts
This article isn’t a bulletproof system to killing Boone and Crocket deer every year, but it’s a foundation to get started. Maximize the things listed, and you’ll be off to a great start. Remember, if your goal is deer management, don’t settle for less. Don’t settle for an immature deer on the last day of season because you have one more tag to fill. If you need to fill the freezer, shoot a doe. They taste better anyway. Let the young bucks walk, and watch them turn into giants in years to come. To conclude, find the food sources, scout early and often, stick to your game plan, and minimize mistakes. Once these are perfected, you can move on to more in-depth management strategies. Good luck, and happy hunting!