RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

Dead on, mature bucks are very reclusive, only with the does during the rut. Comparing MATUEREbucks todoes is like comparing cats to dogs.

RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

i believe seeing sign is a good thing. it lets you know that deer are in the area here are my thoughts on hunting that sign.

Say a rub. A rub is just a rub if its alone i wouldnt hunt it. However if the rub is a part of a series of rubs that tells you alot like were the deer is coming from and going to. The size of a rub can teach you alot too. Finding a rub on a large tree before rut tells you that this is part of a big deers core area.

Scrapes: Im from the school of thought that a scrape means nothing unless its in the woods or its really big like the size of a truck hood. A big buck would never make or even use a scrape along the edge of a field until nightfall, so whats the point of hunting it?

Hunting sign during the rut or chase phases is pointless bucks leave there core areas during this time looking for does. You are better off spending your time hunting over does then hunting over sign.

RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

OK, I see a pattern forming here......It sounds to me like we need to be using the sign as it relates to the terrain, right? Bedding areas have always intrigued me......Doe bedding areas I get...they are fairly simple to locate, but what about bucks? Do we just take an educated guess at the bedding area, or how do we get confirmation of that?

We need to use sign, I would guess. So in other words, sign is very important in the puzzle, but not necessarily the best place to set up, yes?

RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

Precisely

RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

OK, here's where the davidmil school of deer hunting differs from all the "EXPertTS" AND TV celebrities. People preach the bedding area the bedding area. Put yourself in a big BIG woods and find me a deer that follows the same routine day in and day out. Bedding areas are over glamorized to me. THey're not some magical spot that the deer go every day. Un molested and unbothered a deer will flop and chew the cud just about anywhere. We've all had deer bed down within yards of our stands. Today the deer might choose to bed up on a wide open hardwood ridge where they can see forever if anyone approaches in the noisy leaves. Tomorrow or even today if pressured, they may head for the thicket in the bottom where the wind swirls every which way. A bedding "AREA" can extend from a field edge all the way to the top of a mountain, and anything in between. Heck, a standing corn field is one of the best bedding areas going from mid summer through Oct. You don't have to walk in there to prove it. You just know. There are some secretive thicker than normal areas they'll goto andhide but if not pressured they'll stop where the mood hits them. That isn't necessarily in that high pressure escape thicket. I prefer to look for patterns of travel with the right sign and set up along those routes. If the deer are pressured and seeking out the thickets, that's where I'll go. I'll find a low impact entrance and exit and do it. Hunt the edge the first time or two to see what's going on. Weather also effects where deer bed. Bad storm, find some thick pines. Sunshine cold day, find a sunny protected spot in the open maybe. I don't subscribe to "An every day bedding area". I subscribe more to, here's the food, where does a deer go for a little daytime nap.

RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

This is where Davemill and I disagree, I love to hunt bedding area's and have taken over 1/2 by bucks in them. I do not search for any bedding area. I look for the one near his home range. Near where he "lives", I call this place his kitchen. This is where he prepares for love making during the rut. I believe a hot doe in the area will come to find him in this area.

In 2005 when I step in the woods to my bedding area stand I could smell the "rut", funny year after year it happens in the same area. I believe the older doe's know where the domiant buck lives. When thedoecome into heat they will go to his "kitchen".

When I look for this area I look forthese things Primary scrape, escape routes, seclusion. The last ones does not mean out in the middle of no where. It is a place he(buck) feels safe. It might be right behind a persons house.

Mobo I could show you a place with more scrapes and rubs on my land then where I have killed most of my bucks, andI have never seen a buck there, lol

RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

davidmil, I've thought that very same thing for a long time. I think however, and maybe I'm wrong, but I think there's a difference in "napping" areas and a true bedding area. I've seen too many times deer come from the same area routinely to not believe they don't bed in a particular spot. I certainly don't argue, however, that if a deer feels inclined to lie down for a while, they're gonna do it. You mentioned big woods, maybe this is where the difference lies. I hunt mostly agricultural lands.....I personally think deer follow more of a pattern than what I hear about big woods.

Germ, I hear ya buddy. I have one of those same spots, and the question is......WHY? Only thing I can come up w/ is it's all nocturnal sign.

My second question then, is why do you kill your deer where you do? Is it related at all to all those rubs and scrapes? Is it like we've been talking about and just part of the puzzle that you use to set up where you do? You've obviously hunted over that sign before or you wouldn't know they don't use it during the day......so why do you move where you do?

RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

Where all the rubs and scarpes are is located in the center of the farm. I believe this is where all the 1.5 and 2.5 year are rubbing the trees and making scrapes. I should make the point i never see a mature buck here, I see plenty of dinks. This is where I feel most(and me years ago) get trapped into thinking it is a great spot. The bucks know there pecking order and will stay out mature bucks area during the pre-rut. Why they get pushed to these areas like you and Ihave seen.

I am just guessing, but does your area have

1. Some cover but not too much!
2. Real close to food source or water source

These are where I find these sign rich areas.

1. Cover and seclusion
2. Mature bucks can live back there un-disturb
3. escape routes, he can get out there without meor anyone knowing he was there.
4. In the rut the doe's seem to be draw to this place when they are ready to "do it"

I know number 4 will get some debate, but how many times have we seen a old hot doe bring a buck to a certain woodlot?

When you find a matue deer sanctuary it will be good hunting for years to come. One thing I do is I NEVER hunt the same tree year after year. I believe in good hunting area, not a good tree.

Like this if you kill the mature buck another one wil take of the area. Just like humans prime real estate is always occupied. I have killed the mature buck in one spot 3 out of the last 5 years. Every year another brute moves in[8D]

RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

In regards to cover, my area has plenty of that. Most of the woods I hunt are pretty thick. There is a 5 acre spot that was clear cut several years ago and you can only imagine how nasty and thick that place is. I see does come out of that area routinely.

You are correct w/ #2 though. Most of that sign we are talking about is in close proximity to water and/or food.

Oh, and I agree w/ #4. I know bucks go in search of hot does, but those mature does havea real NEED to breed, so I too believe they will search out a buck.

RE: To hunt sign, or not to hunt sign, this is the question.
 

Here is a better more broader defination for no 1.

On the out skirts of what we all think are "bedding areas". Like a swamp, the sign would be on the outter edges of the swamp. Not the outside, but real close!!