How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
#21
RE: How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
I found a few common characteristics in the beds of mature bucks in the big woods. 1. they are usually elevated. 2. they are almost impossible to get near without making noise. 3. they tend to be on the edge of good escape cover. The common thread is when I find oneI always think to myself : This is the perfect place to bed for survival.
Some trackers don't worry about bumping these deer out of their bedding areas because they realize these places are almost impossible to sneak up on. They opt instead to move the deer out of there to hopefully a place where they have a better chance to kill them. After finding a lot of beds I can understand this line of thought.
Some trackers don't worry about bumping these deer out of their bedding areas because they realize these places are almost impossible to sneak up on. They opt instead to move the deer out of there to hopefully a place where they have a better chance to kill them. After finding a lot of beds I can understand this line of thought.
#22
RE: How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
I cant say its a fact but its a common occurance with what Ive seen and had local farmers tell me. The mature bucks distance themselves from the other deer and in my area they find the most unlikely spots that youd think they would be. What Im talking about is for instance one piece of land I can duck hunt but not deer hunt theres a decent amount of timber BUT I witnessed the dominant buck IMO on several occasions walk across 2 open fields and bed down in this little piece of CRP. (maybe 20yds long by 15 yds wide grass was only about thigh high)Thats just one of several mature bucks Ive seen in places that are so small you just overlook it. Im in the same boat as you now though, I have a nice property to hunt but cant find the mature bucks bedroom. Its a big timber but theres no small spots on the property that I could check to see if its true for this particular area. From what Ive seen though in my area smaller is better. The mature bucks find a spot that has enough cover and a close food/water source and they bed in that area. If you have an area that when you look at it you think "there might be one or two pheasants in that" go check it out for deer beds. Ive heard the farmers and witnessed it myself. Hope you can make something from my experiences cuz on my new hunting ground its all big timber and I havent been able to put anything together finding the bedroom either.
#23
RE: How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
ORIGINAL: MeanV2
Jeff,
If it was Not for the Rut many hunters could not kill a buckThat does not apply to most on here. I am talking your average hunter.
Dan
ORIGINAL: early in
That's great strategy for the rut. Won't workearly season.
ORIGINAL: hardcorehunter
I don't worry about where they are bedding. I watch the does...know their routine...and hunt funnels where bucks have to pass to get to the sweet stuff
I don't worry about where they are bedding. I watch the does...know their routine...and hunt funnels where bucks have to pass to get to the sweet stuff
If it was Not for the Rut many hunters could not kill a buckThat does not apply to most on here. I am talking your average hunter.
Dan
#24
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: IOWA/25' UP
Posts: 7,145
RE: How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
ORIGINAL: early in
That's great strategy for the rut. Won't workearly season.
ORIGINAL: hardcorehunter
I don't worry about where they are bedding. I watch the does...know their routine...and hunt funnels where bucks have to pass to get to the sweet stuff
I don't worry about where they are bedding. I watch the does...know their routine...and hunt funnels where bucks have to pass to get to the sweet stuff
#25
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: IOWA/25' UP
Posts: 7,145
RE: How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
ORIGINAL: MeanV2
Jeff,
If it was Not for the Rut many hunters could not kill a buckThat does not apply to most on here. I am talking your average hunter.
Dan
ORIGINAL: early in
That's great strategy for the rut. Won't workearly season.
ORIGINAL: hardcorehunter
I don't worry about where they are bedding. I watch the does...know their routine...and hunt funnels where bucks have to pass to get to the sweet stuff
I don't worry about where they are bedding. I watch the does...know their routine...and hunt funnels where bucks have to pass to get to the sweet stuff
If it was Not for the Rut many hunters could not kill a buckThat does not apply to most on here. I am talking your average hunter.
Dan
#27
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: IOWA/25' UP
Posts: 7,145
RE: How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
ORIGINAL: MeanV2
Ithink that pretty much covers the Bow Season[8D]
Dan
Big mature bucks only drop their guard imo during the prerut, rut, post rut
Dan
Our bow season opens Oct 1st and closes Jan 10th...so nope..doesnt cover the entire bow season.
#28
RE: How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
ORIGINAL:
Ithink that pretty much covers the Bow Season[8D]
Big mature bucks only drop their guard imo during the prerut, rut, post rut
#29
Banned
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: IOWA/25' UP
Posts: 7,145
RE: How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
Mature Bucks bed on fence rows, high places, low places, thick cover, no cover(small tiny weed patches) I have seen mature bucks do all of the above. They dont go lay down in the same place every day...not in my experience in the woods where I hunt.
#30
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manassas, VA
Posts: 3,612
RE: How do you guys know exactly where your big bucks are bedding?
I do NOT know where bucks bed from day to day. Call me an idiot but I have no idea where 1 particular buck may bed. Also, I don't know where the does bed. I hunt large open woods with military troops walking through those same woods so patterning the deer can be very difficult. I have learned to adapt a more general approach to hunting because if I put "all my eggs in one basket" where I hunt, I would be consistently disappointed as the hunting conditions change rapidly due to military training and certain areas being shut down for extended periods of time.