Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

My son and I, on the way back from hanging his deer stand,went through some heavy brush on top of a hill--really thick cover.
Well,we heard a snort and jumped a nice 10pt mature deer.
My question is if we leave this area alone will he return there to bed?
We must have walked by this area years in the past many many times.
Let me know what you think.

Thanks in advance---Mark

RE: Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

Could be yes, could be no. If ya'll left a lot of your scent around, I doubt it. But, with that said, deer are used to being bumped.

I have had deer come back after situations like that, but I have also had some never to be seen in that area again. From what I have seen through my hunting life, is that deer (at least here in SC) will pretty much bed anywhere they feel like. I think they just lay down when they get tired. I done the same thing you done yesterday. It was a really nice 8-10pt. He was bedded out in the middle of a field in some plum bushes. I drove within 30yds from him, he never moved. I walked 20yds past him, he never moved. It was only on the way back to my truck that he got up. When he stood up, he was 20yds from the bumper of my parked truck. And I never seen him until he got up, talk about camo.

Overall, I think its according to how much pressure the certain deer get. I am hunting a place now that is about 15ac of nothing but bedding area. I have jumped several deer and they keep coming back, but this land hasn't been hunted hard in years and years.

RE: Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

I agree with StrutnBPS.Also due to the thick cover the buck may have just been spooked. If your scent is minimal and away from his bedding area he probably will return. Then again, he may have just been resting and on the move. I have spooked nice bucks and seen them return the next day. Lots of variables. Hopefully your tree stand has accessfrom a different direction. Good Luck!!

RE: Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

No doubt,, he will be back.

RE: Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

Excellent way to put it Strutn - - deer will go about anywhere they like, and if I may add, they'll do about anything they want also. That should be a sticky. The unpredictable is what makes it so fun.

RE: Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

I'd say he'll be back, but you never know. Those big mature bucks are so smart sometimes it's scary. I remember hearing about a story of a group of hunters who drove land every year looking for that monster that disappeared every gun season. Decided to go in the basement of an abandoned house on one drive, and GUESS who was BEDDED DOWN!!! That big boy. You just never know! My advice is to be careful.

RE: Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

I would be suprised if he wasn't there in the near future. He was there for a reason. The area offeredcertain things that make a buck feel safe. As soon as he suspects a threat, that's when he'll make his move to relocate. Even then, it may only be a few hundred yards away. I have seen this first hand. Honestly, sometimes people give a buck waaaaay too much credit.

A few years backa buddy and I always took the same trail to our stands before sunrise. These stands wereabout 3/4 mile away. We always took at left at the fork in the logging road. One morning my buddy saw a nice buck, not 15 yds in the thick stuff. He was slowly walking away, neck down like a goose. He must have been watching us every am when we made our daily treck. The very next morning, my buddy went ahead, circled around and watched asI passed by. Same time, same station. Within 20 min, he had the 8 pointer in his sights.

RE: Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

It took me 3 years to nail the 8pt that bedded 10 yds off my neighbors yard.I could not find which direction he came in from,since it is real thick and trails all through the thick stuff.Could not get too close to the house to shoot.he would call the cops if he thought I was 499 ft away instead of the legal 500. Finally caught up to him on opening day and neck shot him at 40 yds. most satisfying deer I ever took.Point is,he always came back to the same spot,no matter how many times he was bumped.

Charlie

RE: Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

PUT SOME CORN DOWN ...HE'LL BE BACKKKKKK ;>))


ROLL TIDE
DD

RE: Big Buck's Bedding Area
 

Doc can you believe I told a gamewarden that one time and he didn't think it was too funny. But it always seems to work on my land. Like they always say, "The way to a Big Bucks heart is through his stomach!!!"