HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

would it be allright to hunt deer beding area. the spot i am talking about
is a head high clearcut. the deer like to bed here. there are deer trails all over the place. there are rubs and scrapes all over. in the middle of the clearcut is an open area. this where i have a salt block put out. there is a good tree on the edge of the open area to put a deer stand. i would only hunt this spot with the wind blowing in my face. i treat this area like a sanctuary i do not go into the clearcut. i have never hunted a deer beding area. would it be ok to hunt this area. i am hoping during rifle season that the pressured deer will want to hide out in the clearcut.
thank you

RE: HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

Yes! Yes! Yes! Get right down in there snuggled up to a tree where you can see em' all nice and closethen take your pick all season long. Oh btw checkyour local hunting lawson keeping the salt block there. Some states its considered baiting. Us southerners don't need salt blocks too much we just kick a lil bit ofthat red earthup and the deer justgo WILD!!! ;) But I would hunt the hell out of it.

RE: HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

Go early!! If you plan to hunt an area like this, you will more than likely want to be there well before sunup. Cutting it close might cost you by spooking a deer on the way in. This may end up ruining the area for the rest of the season. Now would be the time to trim a path to the deerstand to prevent any unwanted noises, or scent being left on branches. If possible, I would look for places to hang a stand along the edges of the clearcut(about 50 or so yards away). This sounds like a great area for the opportunity to harvest a mature animal. Good luck this fall.

RE: HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

Yes, at the right time. I won't set-foot in a known doe bedding area until the first week of November. Most of the time, big bucks won't be bedding in the same areas as the does, so when they are in "search mode", these are some of the best places to set-up for all day hunts.

Other than during the rut, hunting bedding areas can often-times do more damage than good. Remember, you are leaving a scent-trail in, and out, regardless if you are actually getting winded while hunting.

One of the best tactic's for killing a mature buck is to find out where he beds, and set-up accordingly. One of my friends has killed some of his biggest bucks while using a tactic he calls "bump em' and dump em'". If he can't locate the exact area a particular buck is bedding in, he'll intentially bump the buck from it's bed and set a stand immediately. Then, when conditions are right, you can often catch the same buck bedding in the same spot. Remember, when you jump a deer, they're plan just worked. They were able to spot or wind trouble, and get out alive. That is the reason they were bedding they're in the first place. They will often times return within the same day or two and do the same thing. They now have confidence that they will be able to get out alive, and that is the life of a whitetail, survival. Some bucks freak out at a single encounter with a human, so this isn't a fool-proof plan. I can't tell you how many times I thought I had one figured out, and then he just doesn't show!

Remember that a big buck will most-often have several bedding areas for different winds, conditions, ect.... So, just because you found one of his spots, doesn't mean he's there every-single-day.

RE: HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

Sounds like a great spot. Clear cuts are responsible for lots of deer being taken. Get high in a tree so you can see down into it and play the wind.

RE: HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

Some very good advice already offerred! If it is a known doe bedding area I would wait to hunt it until bucks are no longer hitting scrapes.Once they abandon scrapes,they will be looking for does.At that point I would hunt it very cautiously from down wind.The bucks will be cruising the down wind edge or down wind game trails of the bedding area.If you stay clean and don't hunt it on an unfavorable wind,and don't over hunt it,it can and should be very productive! Sounds like a great spot! Good luck to you!

RE: HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

Actually not so good advice in my humble opinion. You know they are comming from it or going to it so why disrupt a known bedding area? Hunt that bedding area just a couple of times and them deer will move on.

RE: HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

I agree with with Motown. If you put pressure on a bedding area the deer will move out. They like to feel comfortable and safe. Consistent pressure will move them out and into another area. However, good bedding areas are used over and over because they meet certain deer requirements. One group may move out and another may move in because of the characteristics of the area.

Whitetails are very habitual. I have jumped a buck out of a bed in late morning on a hill side and then moved up the mountain about 60 yards. About an hour and half later I saw the same buck sneak back and lay down in the same bed.

If there are a lot of trails running through this thick stuff, and they are very defined, I would hunt the outside of the bedding area. Find the heaviest trails going in and out of the area. These are the main highways so to speak. Then check the down wind side of these trails for a faint narrow trail. This should be the trail the more mature bucks are using. This is the trail I would watch.

RE: HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

clear cuts now u talkin thats all i hunt when the weather gets cold .dont hunt clear cuts much if its hot deer dont bed out there much .u better off waitin on a cold snap to hunt if its a young clear cut hunt from ground if not a tripod would be the thing ,like everyone says watch how u go in and out and your scent .best of luck .

RE: HUNTING DEER BEDING AREA
 

I am pretty sure we are on the same page here.I don't recommend going in to the bedding area,that ispretty much an all or nothing proposition.Great if it works you have likely just destroyed the spot if it doesn't.I was suggesting that it be hunted from down wind of the bedding area.You would approach your stand location from down wind as well never letting your scent blow in or across the bedding area.As another gentleman had suggested you would look for faint trails if they exist and stay down wind of them,if they don't exist you would place your stand down wind of the well worn family group trails.
There are other considerations such as proximity to trail crossings or hubs and the wind direction relative to that deer sign.
Stay down wind,keep out of the bedding area,take in to consideration how a mature buck would use all the cover he can! You "always" move your stand location with the wind and you will keep your bait comfy (does) and you will not burn out the area.