how do you find that honey hole?
 

how do you find that honey hole where the bucks are...what food source other than acorns should you look for ext

Just take a day and scout in the woods. Look for tracks, bedding areas, and especially right now look for scrapes. They're starting/finishing (depends on location) to shed their velvet. Also, food sources depend on your location. I know here in Northern NY right now they're loving little wild cherries off of cherry trees, and also oak buds.

my buck hunting only stands are located in the wood's, deep in the woods. I like to find and map the major food sources, try to find some bedding areas, then add in some topographic changes. a creek or draw between them all.

I hit topo maps and sat maps, then go scouting. It saves walking around in the woods for hours. Then have trail cams up on trails and scraps to confirm your "honey hole". This is what i do.

I stick near the does, the bucks know where they are and will be cruising the area...To find the does, I scout through the woods until I smell them...

I like thick dark bottoms. I like to walk the lengths of long bottoms and find funnels/pinch points. Seems like I can always find a good funnel some where in every bottom. I dislike hunting ridges because to me the deer are too scattered on ridges. I like finding that good funnel in a dark bottom between the bedding area and the food source.. My next favorie is inside corners where thick woods meets a field.

i like to see fresh buck poop right where i want to be hunting. i mean almost steaming is best. i dont know about research says, but i believe if a deer poops they are not worried about being scented in that area plus it shows they are definitely there. just got back from my spot and found a nice fresh pile. i have had spots that ive made mistakes and been busted and suddenly there is less poop laying around. tracks aint always everything especially if the ground is moist because they stay in the ground for a couple weeks or more sometimes. now if i see dozens of tracks like the ground is tore up then im happy to hunt there as well.