Perfect area would have more than one of these, but if you only had one choice?

I have taken all my bucks in swamps, but I guess it is pretty much there bedding area?

I have taken most of my bucks just outside their bedding areas. I try not to "invade" their bedding area by getting too close, thus in return making me successful. When setup just outside their bedding areas during the rut, I like to rattle lightly for about 2 minutes about 20 minutes before dark, then wait about 5-10 minutes and rattle again.By doing this, im not spooking the bucks from the bedding area, but attracting them to my calling. It has been working for me the lastfew yearswhenI decided to start setting up outside the bedding areas. Heres the one I got in Nov 2005.

I can't pick one. I hunt all of them different times of year. They only one haven't had that much luck at are rub lines.

Setting up in a bedding area for a mature buck, in my opinion is the worst thing to do unless you have wings to fly into your stand. You will jump a mature buck almost everytime. Set up just off a trail NEAR (100 yards) the bedding area.

Just my opinion though.

Remember, a buck didn't get old a mature by being stupid.

I had a tough time picking one answer as well. The buck I was hunting this year (never got him with bow or rifle), bedded about 350 yards from my stand, had about a half dozen scrapes and a bunch of rubs in the tree line I was nestled in. The tree line also bordered the feeding area. So, everything he needed was within 400 yards of where he bedded.

I'd add funnels to the list, especially during the rut.

Amen Rob, You just can't beat a good funnel.

I'm on a monster buck/state record that utilizies a knuckle, sandwiched in between a point and a ridge in semi dense cover. This is and has been his core bedding area during the late season hunt ever since I spotted him four years ago.

During August, September and October he is on the other side of the 200 acre farm using a very similar set up. All I have to do is get between his bedding area and his preferred water source. He prefers two underground spring fed ponds vs. a stream that is full and flows year round.

If you know the core bedding area ones average of seeing and scoring goes way up... They may not show up in other areas such as food plots, junctions etc. until after dark, but most of the time will browse comfortably and somtimes carelessly in their bedding areas.

I'm talking bucks, big bucks...

bait pile and spotlightjk

i like rub lines pre-rut, wherever during rut, and icant find them late season.