Josh Bowmar’s Big Buck Finding Tactics

Want to get a big buck on camera? Well, as I’ve said before, there’s a lot more to it than simply slapping a trail camera on any old tree in the woods and hoping for the best. Sure, you might get lucky and see Mr. 10-point stroll in front of your camera once or twice, but if you really want to start seeing more buck action, these big buck finding tactics Josh Bowmar has been sharing on Instagram lately are a must watch.

If you have gone through the work to scout and hang trail cameras before, then you probably know that sinking feeling when you go to check them only to discover your camera has been sitting dormant the entire time it’s been in the woods.

So, how do you optimize your camera locations and get more accurate buck inventory and patterns?

Well to start, you need to think like they do and create areas the deer want to visit more consistently. You can extend field edges, create mock scrapes, and optimize trails to make them easier for deer to access. Just be mindful that deer are very alert and aware of their surroundings, and DEFINITELY know when they’re being setup – especially those mature bucks who have been around the block awhile. So making a trail a tiny bit easier to use will go a long way and give you a prime opportunity to start collecting pictures of big bucks.

 

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This seems too silly to work, but I promise you this will make all the difference! Sitting in a stand you’ll watch deer walk around your trail camera and never get their photo taken all time. So optimizing trails doesn’t have to be dropping trees and pinching deer down to tiny areas. TRUST ME, they know when they’re being trapped. So just make a trail a TINY BIT easier to use than another will work extremely well. Helping you optimize your camera locations and get more accurate buck inventory and patterns. Hope you enjoyed this! Let me know in the comments if you did

A post shared by 🎯Bowmar Bowhunting🎯 (@bowmarbowhunting) on Jul 24, 2020 at 10:14am PDT

Extending field edges is another great piece of advice if you already have, or just took on a new piece of hunting property. As Josh explains in the video, overhanging branches are excellent spots for deer to make scrapes, and if you create the best spot for deer to make scrapes, you’re going to have the largest bucks on that property ‘claim’ that area and take over that territory.

Watch how Josh does it, and listen for his “bonus” piece of advice:

 

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Extend the field edges! You can do this with a machete, bush hog, weed eater, or a push mower. I promise you; this will make a huge difference with mature bucks. If you guys like these tips, let me know in the comments below!

A post shared by 🎯Bowmar Bowhunting🎯 (@bowmarbowhunting) on Jul 20, 2020 at 12:52pm PDT

And finally; scrapes.

A lot of hunters think bucks will only hit scrapes in the fall, but summertime scrapes can be just as popular in late July as they are in October. All it takes is some planning, a little manual labor and some strategy. Also, this tip from @whitetail_habitat_solutions is worth giving a shot to see if it increases deer hitting your scrapes:

 

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These summer scrapes can do wonders! I’ll get deer hitting these all year, but it really starts picking up in August. @hodaglickingstick makes great scent for this that I’ve used for a couple years now. Seems to work great! Thanks @whitetail_habitat_solutions for this vine tip. It’s definitely increased deer hitting my scrapes 👌🏼

A post shared by 🎯Bowmar Bowhunting🎯 (@bowmarbowhunting) on Jul 26, 2020 at 6:32am PDT

OutdoorHub Editor: Keenan Crow

Keenan Crow is an outdoor writer who graduated from Central Michigan University with a degree in journalism and creative writing. He has been writing for OutdoorHub for nearly five years, but anybody he is close with will tell you he has been telling hunting stories for far longer. He uses his experiences outdoors to write about things he loves - bow hunting, fishing, upland hunting, shed hunting, turkey hunting, waterfowl hunting, dog training, shotguns, ATVs and the outdoor lifestyle he lives in his home state of Michigan. Outside of hunting/fishing, he also loves to cook - especially with wild game - play golf and go on hikes with his yellow lab, Stella.