Sweetwater

I am an avid deer hunter, always thinking of ways to pursue the elusive whitetail here in the deep south. One thing I need to improve on is patterning these sneaky creatures. What ideas do you have?

I want to be able to predict where a deer is heading when I see it. I need to figure out where they are bedding & why. We have a 30 acre of very young pines that they bed in, but I rarely see them in this section of our farm. I always see them feeding on ridges & in food plots. But I want to know their patterns.

Please suggest the best way to scout here in late summer to figure out such patterns. I am growing more eager every day.

kevin1

Finding their bedding area is half of the battle , now find out where and when they eat , and the water source(s) available to them . Look for rublines and scrapes along the way to all , especially those near the bedding areas . Once you determine these factors you' ll have an easier time predicting their movements , although the patterns will change as the Rut approaches . Concentrate on food and bedding then set up somewhere between the two .

Deerslayer_37

You would have been better off asking this question 6 months ago, but...

Early season hunting and pre-rut hunting is normally centered around feeding areas. Most hunters make the mistake of putting their stands on the edge of the fields. The bucks are normally the last ones to come in the field, after shooting hours. Walk the field edges and look for runways. Follow these back into the woods. These runways usually lead to doe and fawn bedding areas. Look for rublines when you are in the woods. Rublines are usually made from the buck' s bedding area to the feeding area. You must know what your deer are eating. When hunting the transition zone, it is imperative to know what they are eating. One week they might be hitting the mulberry tree, the next week they' re eating fresh alfalfa. During the early season and transition zone, set up on the trails leading from the bedding areas to the feeding areas. Normally, near a feeding area is a spot in the woods called a ' staging' area. The bucks hang back there and spar and generally hang out before entering the field. These are excellent places to hunt, but you must find them. Again, find the trails that go from feeding to bedding areas and you' ll be alright.

slayer

antlergetter

I think Kevin hit it right on the head!! Just remember, a deer' s life consist of food, sleep, and sex....thats it. So when trying to pattern. Just nail down the places they like to do the three and setup in between!