It is pretty easy to tell that you hunt the beds. I have heard alot of good things about hunting beds, but it is pretty risky right? Also, when you hunt the beds do you prefer to stay on the outside edges or do you go right in? Any tips that you can give me would be greatly appreciated. Thanks alot.

I have an area that I hunt where the deer bed near a large field. The area that they bed in is covered with furns and ranges from 5 to 50 yards from the field. There is also a small creek that stays wet in the summer (maybe 100 yards from the beds) Inbetween the bedding area and the creek are some decent woods. So basically there are a few assumptions with this spot. First the deer to not have to go very far to eat, so trying to cut them off inbetween the bedding area and feeding area is impossible. Second, if I try to get into this area (bedding area), I will bump deer everytime. So, what I do is hunt the area in between the bedding area and the creek. My stand is hung maybe 50 yards from the beginning of the bedding area and about 40-50 from the creek. I still have to get in there quietly though, because it is still pretty close to the bedding area. This has worked for me.

Rack-Attack is Mr. Popular

OlMossy,

My best stand placements are about split 50-50 between being smack dab in the middle of a bedding area or being withen 50 yds from it. Early in October I will hunt more low impact stands away from the beds in more traditional staging or funnel areas - but only if Aug-Sept scouting tells me a bachelor group has been using that area during the summer.

It is a very risky way to hunt - but I combat this a few ways.

1) I spend all year finding new bedding areas (you can' t rely on one or two to hunt the whole season.

2) Most all my stands are set up well before the season. These areas are usually so thick that it will often take over 8 hours to trim out lanes and cut out entry and exit routes. Stuff you just cant get away with close to the season.

3) You need to have many stand locations ready and waiting. Come this season I will have over 30 " prime" stands awaiting my climber, covering around 12 or 13 bedding areas, in over 7 diff woods. This number has taken years to build up, as I often loose areas to developement, or private property every few years. You can never have to many options

I do all this because it is easy to ruin a spot. Not only are these areas high impact areas but I also like to play the wind risky. In the areas I hunt, good bucks don' t like to move much with the wind at there back. So in the evening I like to have the wind blowing into the beds at around a 45 deg angle or a cross wind. I never like to hunt when the wind is 100% in my favor - because then it is 100% not in the bucks favor - and he knows it So I compromise a bit and like the wind to be in both our favor. I will get busted more often, I will ruin more stands - but I definitly see more bucks this way. And if I ruin one, heck, I got 29 other to hunt....LOL

During the peak rut I like to set up right in the middle along any main trails I can find. I sit all day in these stand - waiting for a tending or searching buck to bust some does past. It is amazing what goes on at 12 o' clock pm on public land when you are set up in the " unhuntable stuff" .

During the pre-rut the edges are great places to be. Bucks run the hardwood/scruboak edges scent checking for does. I am never more than 50 yds from it and never in open woods. Its more like a breaking up of the thick stuff as it transitions into open woods - Its still thick - but a bit more managable.

The best advise I can give would be to really try to pinpoint the thick bedding areas that deer stay all day during hunting season. Set up as many stands as you can along the edges and see whats happening. You can' t hunt these stands but once a week or once or twice a season even - so take it slow. Be very careful of your exit and entry routes (these are what bust us more than being on stand imo)

I rarely bump deer during morning dark whne I am truely in the daytime core bedding areas - it happens but not as much as when I used to hunt transition or feeding areas. Afternoon entry is a bit tricky and if I am not staying in a stand all day I usually hunt the edges in the evening.

Hope that helps

forgot to mention to you Rack. I contacted the headguys on this place. I emailed them on recommending you to become a moderator so hopeully you' ll make it [:-]

Thanks Hawk[8D]

But I think this sight has plenty of great cyber cops[]

Besides the only thing I would be good for is a forum on complaining and whining about your equipment - Yea I could be real good at that

Red Hawk you are kidding right? The man is a lunatic when given the least bit of power!!! He makes his own children stand at attention and salute when he enters the room!!!!![]

LMAO Taz! Nice....

hey rack-attack.....

are there lots of bedding areas in briar thickets.....

sometimes when pheasant huntng we flush some nice bucks outta them... and if so.... do u just cut a lane that works with the wind to get into the stand.... theres usually a tree or two in the middle.... is that where ur sposed to hunt?

then cut a couple shooting lanes and ur good?

OH YEA - sure are - but those thorns will kill ya

Briars can be great buck and doe bedding areas. You can tell the well used trails in them as the deer cut and trim the briars themselves. You can see the bitten of stalks - I guess those thorns even anoy the deer

You have the main gist of it. In the mourning enter from the oposite areas you suspect deer to be during the night. Use people, horse,jogging,atv trails to get you as close as you can then cut a trail into your stand.

When inside a bedding area you will always have the wind blowing your scent into a section of productive area. Use the wind to allow for the best routes to be scent free and hope the deer do as you plan for......LOL....which will be never

For afternoon stands hunt the edges of the briars in areas that show some buck sign. But stay real tight to the thick stuff.

Good Luck

Hunt these areas all day during the rut and good things just might happen.