RE: RIDGES OR BOTTOMS??!!
 

You have a lot of good advice here, but let' s boil it down, so that no matter where you hunt you can use it.

Finding a buck bedding area and the route into and out of it is the key to hunting that particular buck. Bucks leave their bedding areas in the evening, so you should hunt close to the bedding area on the route out in the evening. If you get too far away the buck may be traveling after dark. But, remember, during the breeding phase, bucks often come out earlier than normal, so get to your stand about 3 PM, to let the area settle down.

Buck' s return to their bedding areas in the morning, so you should try to get on the route they use, or into the bedding area, before they do. If you get too far away from the bedding area the buck may again be traveling in the dark, when you cant hunt. But, remember, bucks often run late in the morning during the breeding phase, so hunt until 10 AM or later.

Also remember the wind affects thermals, and thermals don' t alwasy begin to rise or fall at the same time every day. If the wind or thermal is going uphill, get uphill before the deer show up. If the wind or thermal is going down hill, get downhill before the deer show up.

You can also locate doe bedding areas and food sources during the breeding phase to hunt bucks, ' cause the bucks may show up there. And they may look for does all day long.

Locate the buck core areas, doe core areas, food sources and travel routes. Then choose your hunting spot based on the travel patterns of the deer, the weather conditions, and the air currents, for the time of day you hunt.

We' ve got lots more hunting tips on the " T.R.' s Tips" forum. Come on over.

T.R.