ORIGINAL: magicman54494
ORIGINAL: Schultzy
I'm curious to hear how you all go about this. I myself struggle with this not knowing 100% for sure where a particular buck Is bedding. Also, do you believe there bedding area's change through out the fall? How do you know this as well? I don't want to hear opinion's, I want to hear facts that have proof.
I "believe" the bucks where I hunt have multiple bedding areas. I knew where 2 different big bucks were bedding last year. (at least part of the time) I believe the big woods bucks move around a lot with changing food sources, the rut, and wintering ranges, and pressure. The partial proof is from personal experience and also a tracking study that was done in my area years ago.
Both of the bucks disappeared this year. Maybe they didn't make it thru the winter.
You can find their fall beds in the winter. Their beds will have rubs near them. Just like the beds that the blood bro's show in their videos. I agree that finding the beds they are using right now may not help you in the fall.
The one thing I found interesting from the tracking study was that each buck did things differently from the others but what they did do they repeated year after year. Or put a different way, they were patternable.
I too believe that the big bucks have more than 1 bedding area. They like to have a plan B and probably C as well, in case some intruder invades his main place.
In the summer, scout feeding locations in the evenings and try to spot a nice buck or two. Go back during mid day and try to find their tracks then back track. The use of maps (all kinds), cameras and some leg work should get you close. Then try observation stands. Advance slowly and carefully until you see where he gets up from in the evening.
The more buck bedding locations you can find the better you are. You can possibly hunt a different one when the wind isn't right for the others.
As far as finding antlers at this time of year, it tells you which bucks are still around. Also, the sign in the snow tells you how the area is being used after season..... why the deer are there. When the snow melts you should be able to see sign from the rut.
With tons of
year round scouting and observation, a person can put together the big picture of the herd in their area and get a good read on the mature bucks enough to put together a plan on how to hunt them. Not many people are able or willing to invest this kind of time in the pursuit of whitetails. Myself included. I have done this kind of scouting many times. Whether I get the buck I'm after or not, the scouting only helped me to become a better hunter. It never hurts you! Some years I don't invest this kind of time and hope for the best by hunting in accordance with what I have previously learned.