motown

Hey guys i was wondering what you guys think about this its a tuff choice but i think it will work better in different hours. i scouted a nice spot yestereday and i found a well used run and about 60 yards away i jumped a deer that was bedded. What do you guys think about this? on the trail tree stand and also what time should i hunt it. I am thinking the best time to hunt it will be the am when there headed to it what do you guys think am or pm


mo

StealthyOne

STAY AWAY FROM THE BEDS. Put your stand up a good 100 yards away from the bedding area and watch the wind. If you mess up where they sleep, you will change their patterns entirely and it will be really tough to get one. I would hunt it in the morning - go in at least an hour before sunrise and wait until at least 11 or 12 before I left (if I wasn't staying in the stand all day). If possible, do not walk along their trail to get to your stand. I hope this helps and good luck.

adams

I repeat stay away from the beds!

If you've got a good run that leads to a bedding area hunt that. I would prefer to hunt a travel zone 100% to bedding areas and here's why. If you get busted on a travel route the deer will untimately continue to there destination but of you get busted in the bed room your gig is up. The deer will vacate this area. IMO it's the same case with a food source. Hunt them in the travel routes not over the food.

Now repeate after me, I will not hunt the beds

Also I noticed your post said main run. If you're hunting bucks look for smaller secondary runs. Buck will travel buck routes which ofter don't resemble a deer run. In my experience if you've found a cow path it's likely a doe run. Buck often parrell these "doe runs" just inside heavier cover or down wind (prevailing winds) of the primary runs.

rybohunter

Hunting the beds may be risky, but when it pays off it can pay off BIG time.

Jollyarcher

I try to stay out of the bedding areas, but, (oh there it is, the "but" word), I do have one spot that in order to hunt, you have to get in bed with them. Good grief, I hope my wife doesn't read this post. [8D] The tract is a mere 3 acres and is bordered by fields on all sides. I've caught a few deer off guard this way, but you sure can run them into the county if you don't play it exactly right. It's going to be a morning only stand for sure... step one foot inside the woodlot in the PM and they'll be going out the other side before your next foot touches the ground.

BobCo19-65

I also agree to stay away from beds especially if plan on returning to the area more then once a week or so. I have hunted bed areas, have pushed deer out, and shot the same deer the same day. But if you plan on hunting the same area more then once a week, I wouldn't do it. I wouldn't even hunt morning, get down, and get back up in the evening.

Now main runs, if you want to shoot a doe, then hunt the main runs.

I_Want_the_Big_Buck

i agree with Stealthyone

davidmil

Well, first off... at this time of year there ISN'T the defined bedding area you'll find later in the year. And, at this time of year a deer can and will flop just about anywhere they want. MOST woods don't have what you would call a REAL defined bedding area. You were on a major trail and jumped a deer 60 yards away. The major trail can be any number of things, but more than likely it's the results of a narrowing or and edge or major travel corridor. It doesn't mean it's a bedding area. IF you do find a real honest to goodness bedding area, I like to work my way in. Hunt the little thick necks coming off it, the trails the ridges and fingers around it. I move all the time. I'll sneak in on the place a bit at a time. I have no problem slipping quietly in way before daylight, climbing a tree and hunting it later in the year. I don't do it unless I'm positive I have it all figured out and things are right. To me it's something I do after a hard season of hunting and shooting deer and really educating them. Then kind of as a last hurrah when I don't really care as I'm about hunted out.... I'll do the bazzarre just to see what happens. Sometimes you win.