Attracting Bucks in North Carolina
Filed under: Ask Grant, Hunting Tactics
Grant, I have two stands I hunt the most. I live in North Carolina and in one of the spots we have a climbing stand and know there were three or more mature bucks around before gun season started. My stand is right on a trail that has 3+ rubs but every time I hunt there I never see anything. I also have another stand that has been set up for 13 years. It is right on the edge of a thicket that is too high to see in but I know there are deer there. This stand is also on a creek. All I have seen hunting in this stand is does. Here in North Carolina the rut is still on and I was wondering if you have any tips on how to draw any size buck out to either location. Thanks, Luke
Luke,
That is a good question. I have been in this same situation and have found that occasionally trying a brand new location now and again can really pay off. Sometimes hunters (me included) get in a pattern of hunting one or two great locations. It’s a tough decision to attempt to find a new stand location once the season gets rolling. In the last several years I have really pushed myself to try new stand locations every year. I find the most recent sign, throw up a stand, and come back to hunt it when the wind is right. Remember that deer pattern hunters probably better than hunters pattern deer. Changing stand locations and never hunting a stand when the wind is wrong are very important steps to harvesting bucks on a consistent basis!
No matter what stand I’m in I always have a grunt tube handy. Deer are extremely social animals and given the right circumstances can respond very well to a call, especially during the rut. I’m lightly blowing on the grunt call every 20 minutes or so during the rut.
Growing Deer together,
Grant
