I could use some help with this one

bpost

Went for a stroll Tuesday afternoon, I found an active scrape with two trees rubbed nearby, on the side of a hill. The next day I saw a big buck at 3:30 in the afternoon near that area, he is quite the fellow from what I could see at 200 yards. I happen to have a tree stand set up that is 10 yards from one rub and 25 yards down the hill from the scrape. I know this buck is wandering around the area. Today, we had NE winds, a rare occurrence, I saw nothing but squirrels from noon to flat dark.

Should I wait a few days in case I spooked him going in? Normally we have SE winds, should I wait until the effects of the Nor'Easter storm changes winds back to normal patterns? I would like to see this guy and get him on camera if he is not a monster, and put an arrow into him if he is as big as he makes me think he is.

DIRTYRAT

I personaly,... would get some estrus lures out on those scrapes to try to keep him around. Use scent pads or a drag and take the long way to your stand and play the wind.. Or make a "mock" close by with lotsa tarsel lure and rattle and grunt like hell...Maybe even a decoy[:D]?? Its the time of the year when the "wandering-around everywhere" is going on so who-knows...Lots of sitting and waiting..Maybe someone else has something better for you to try[?]...Good-Luck!

tclear

I guess for me it would depend upon how much longer your season is. We are wrapping up our archery season here in PA tomorrow. If that were here, it is a no brainer - hunt it because the season is about done. If you don't have much season left, I would get right back on it. If you have some time, give it a day or so. Best buck I ever took with the bow was on the last day of the season. I took a day off and hunted a very active scrape line the full day on Friday and saw nothing. I was having the same debate you are now. I jumped back in that same stand for the last day (saturday) and arrowed a nice 10 at 11:00 that day working that scrape line. YOu just never know.
If you do hunt somewhere else though it will be tough not to think about what might be under the tree in this location!

bpost

UPDATE; five hours tonight in the tree again, same NE winds, and they really blew as it got towards dusk. Nothing but six squirrels around the area. We have seen the buck every day between 10:00 AM and 3:30 in the afternoon. Where we see him would be a real bear to get a shot from any safe tree I could climb. He is a smart old geezer for sure. He stays away from areas where tree stands are likely. Some of my land has trees too small for a climber. That is where he lives all the time.

Archery here goes on until Feburary!!!!

tclear

February!!??? That is fantastic. Our archery season is out here and rifle does not come in until the Monday after Thanksgiving. This is why I go hunt NY.
Have to love those smart old buck! I had one like that driving me nuts a few years ago. I went into the area I saw him and cut out the center of some small multifloral rose bushes. I had one just off of each trail that I had seen him enter the field on. No matter which bush I sat in, that buck eluded me. To the best of my knowlege, he was never taken (which is a rarity in PA with the number of hunters we have in this area). Is there any chance of cutting in a ground blind into some of the cover that is there or creating some ground cover somewhere? I was never a fan of hunting the ground. I always had to be up a tree 25 foot or more. The last two buck I have taken with the bow have been from ground setups and man is it fun being eye to eye with them!