Father Forkhorn

Here's the question: For a buck, should I set up on a bench or above it? In my hunting spot, there's a steep-sided hill with a bench running its entire length. It's got plenty of browse and deer sign. That's obviously good, but there's a creek bottom below the bench that does and younger bucks use. The only way to see into it is to set up on the bench itself right among the deer trails. Is that a bad idea?

I might mention that I'm in Eastern Kansas and our gun season puts us, a month past the peak of rut in November. I'm guessing there may be some secondary rutting going on at that time. I can get the wind in my face easily enough as well. I've had some thought that I should set up above the bench and hope to nail a buck that's scent checking the does. Does that sound like a correct strategy?

BigBuck28

I would say that it is a great idea. Can you get to that bench without the deer below you knowing your there. Rember thermals rise in the afternoon and sink in the morning. I bet the bucks will run that bench tryn to scent check the valey below. I would make a few mock scrapes along that ridge. What is the food source around there?

Father Forkhorn

I can get there from the back side of the hill. Incidentally, the hill is actually the southern slope of a north-south ridge. The creek runs east-west down a couple hundred yards and under a road culvert to a narrow strip of Missouri River bottomland.

The bottoms (which we own) are specifically managed for natural habitat through an agreement with the government, so food is abundant. Even in winter, there are species of grass that are lush and green and there's plenty of browse. Deer eat there, cross the road and come up the river bluff at several locations, and get funneled by fences and steep hills into the creek draw as they head for a bedding area that's on another piece of property (which I may ask about hunting).

There are a couple of other food sources. At the far end of the ridge are a couple of soybean fields owned by a friendly neighbor, though they are harvested by then. There's also a corn field in the area owned by a neighbor. All of the various slopes are wooded and there many oaks.

By the way, I thought thermals rose in the morning and descended in the evening. Do I have that wrong?

NITEHAWKJS

No you're right thermals rise in the morning and settle at night and I have found that the bigger bucks travel on benches most of the time so you'll need to set up depending on morning or evening hunt, wind, and available cover for stand.

iSnipe

Thermals drop in the evening and rise in the morning. I've found does as well bucks prefer to travel the benches. It's the path of least resistance. In fact, if the bench is too pronounced and open, mature bucks are more apt to take the secondary trails above and below the bench because they're in more cover being less exposed. Bucks are bucks and usually keep their wits about them, 'til they're coupled up.

Cuts or valleys below the bench will have the deer wanting to cut around them up to the bench instead of cutting across them. It's easier traveling. Reverse that and if the area above the bench is too steep that will push the deer down onto the bench. So you could find areas where the spot below the bench is cut out and a mini-ravine created by the elements or a spot above the bench where it's steep, these are places more apt to funnel any deer. A dip, drop, mini-valley or cut out just below the bench push the animals up onto the bench, reverse what a steep hillside does.

What you want to do is look for the secondary trails above and below the bench, then start looking for larger tracks. That will better help you fine-tune your ambush point. Larger tracks reveal larger animals and hopefully a big buck, if that's what you're after.

Deer also, bucks especially, will bed on the side of the bench that is usually opposite the wind direction. It's mainly to keep out of the cold and if the deer can get light exposure for warmth, it's a double-attraction.(a third is for wind scent advantage) So depending on the wind that day, that's where you could set up at. If the bench is small and tight, preferable with slight cover and a good view below, a buck could bed right on top of that bench so he can look down to see any danger and pick up drafts from wind above and behind him using his nose to detect danger too. To top that off, if you can find that spot on a point on the bench, there's a high likely chance there's a bedding spot there.

I recommend this strategy for you because you mention the feeding areas, which are not that far off. Since the buck won't have to travel that far, it will be closer to dark before he gets up and starts making his way. If you want a shot at him, you'll have to get closer to his bedding area and since you said it will be around the second rutting time, he won't be as keyed up to run around all over God's earth looking for a mate, instead settling down to his old habits.

If it were me and it being that time of year, I want to know where he's bedding, then strategize what trail(s) he is mostly accessing to get to the feeding area and hunt those spots when the wind is right. Since does aren't his main focus any more, he's focusing more on food which will replenish the weight he's lost chasing.

Good luck,

iSnipe

Father Forkhorn

Thanks, isnipe.

One knock about the layout is that I don't think the bucks bed on our property, though I occasionally kick up deer in the afternoons. It's open to hikers, and though they generally restrict themselves to a two track. I think the deer use this as a travel corridor more than anything and bed where people aren't as prevalent.

Sheridan

Enter from backside and set-up above.



Good scouting makes for good luck !!!