Ag, first off I know their are others that are as or more experienced than I. Secondly my mountain & deer experience is absolutely zero so fellas like JD, Duffy, etcare probably better equipped to give you specifics seeing they actually have mountains where they hunt(not man made ones like here).

Spot 1: Bumping deer b/c your in their bedroom. River bottoms are prime bedding areas for whitetails. If you want to hunt thisspot I would wait tilllate-pre rut(chasing but not getting any) and rattle, this works really well next to the bedroom but it is atouchy proposition since pressure in the safe area is bound to effect the deer using it. I would suggest some more scouting time! What are they eating? Where? Relation to bedding area and water? Trails to and fro? Wind direction accounting? Try to establish their routine and then intercept it at the best location that doesn't effect the deers natural movements.I'd look toset up on intersection of where heavily used paths meet the lesser travelled(often the one bucks use), basically in transition areas from bed to sources. Staging areas they use before moving into a vast opening or food source. If thick/dense cover a treestand would probably be to your advantage. I basically start out close to food and as rut approaches move back closer to the bedroom. I hate being right in the bedding area though, 100 yards on the outside is where I feel more comfortable when rattling.

#2) You know the food source, the next is to determine where they are coming from (bedding) and how (trails). Mature bucks will often hang in the shadows waiting until last light or even darkness to enter a open field. Early season and rutcan beexceptions to this rule. When I find a hot food source I try to determine the basics then look to a transition area to where I can best intercept the deer moving in safety to this source. Last resort is sitting on the food itself for me. It can be a trail that runs lateral along the food source that is just yards from the fields edge, it maybe a ridge, funnel, small meadow, etcseveral hundred yards back..commonly called"staging area". These are where I prefer to be if not getting aggressive and rattling.

In short you need to answer some questions the only way to do so is putting in some boot time.If hunting is open then by all means still hunt itb/c you never know what you may come upon. Scouting doesn't end when hunting season begins!

Sounds like you have 2 spots with very good potential, you have seen deer &limited pressure is a big bonus. All that is required is getting your hands a little dirtyto find"the spot within the spot".

Best of luck and hope it helps you some.