I've had many hunters tell me, "I would do anything to kill just one buck like the ones you have taken." I believe they would do anything . . . anything, that is, except put in the hard work and sacrifice necessary to get the job done. There is only one way to consistently kill mature bucks legally -- you have to earn them!

I'm often asked why I don't smile in photographs with huge bucks.

It's because I'm mad! You have to be mad to work as hard as I do to kill a mature buck.

POINT 2
HUNTING THE RUT
Generally speaking, the older the buck, the more he'll tend to be nocturnal. If a given buck has a routine geared toward daylight movement, his chances of being shot will increase each year. In a moderate to heavily hunted area, very few bucks with this trait will survive past their third birthday.

Considering this, we know that the older-age-class bucks we desire most are usually nocturnal by nature. This is the primary reason they are so hard to kill. Because these bucks are nocturnal, it takes something out of the ordinary to get them on their feet during daylight hours.

Four Essentials FOR SHOOTING TROPHY BUCKS 1. Hunt Hard 2. Hunt The Rut. 3. Choose The Right Stand Location 4. Spend More Time In Your Stand

One situation that gets a mature buck up and moving during legal shooting hours is the desire to breed. It is my belief that no matter how nocturnal a buck is, he will move at some point during daylight hours during the rut. Therefore, it stands to reason that serious trophy hunters should concentrate their hunting during the breeding season. I've been fortunate in having killed a number of mature, older bucks. I've never shot one before the rut started to heat up. Nor have I shot one in the post-rut.

I realize there are exceptions to hunting only during rut. However, you will do best if you plan your strategies around proven deer behavior and tendencies. There are always unique situations in which mature bucks can be shot outside the rut. One such situation would be in a location where the season opens early enough so that a mature buck can be successfully hunted while he is still on his summer feeding pattern.

There are also places where relatively little, if any, hunting pressure exists. Some bucks with a tendency to move during daylight hours in these areas will live to reach maturity. Most hunters -- myself included -- don't have the privilege to hunt in locations where these situations exist. So for real-world mature buck hunting, I'll put my money on the rut every time!

POINT 3
STAND LOCATIONS
Whether you are targeting an individual buck or a specific age group, it is my belief that hunting funnels is the most productive technique you can use during the rut. Hunting funnels during the rut will put the odds in your favor more than hunting other locations. Let me explain why.

Let's say that you've done a good job scouting and you've found a setup in a corridor where one or more mature bucks pass through occasionally. You might have a decent chance of success at this location if you hunt it long enough. However, keep in mind that during the rut mature bucks can be anywhere. They may be out of pocket -- chasing a doe that is on the verge of coming in heat. Or they could be tied up for several days tending a doe that already is in heat. These situations will greatly lower your chances of seeing a mature buck.

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