hoytusa10

So would you look for a better spot when you don't have a funnel or the other stuff you mentioned in conjunction with the rubline? Because I can think of 15-20 rublines off the top of my head at the one property but most don't have those features...i.e. funnel/terrain. I have a good idea of where the bedding area is...but do you think that I should make sure I know exactly where they are or should I just start from where "I know" that they are?? Thanks again guys!

hoytusa10

Rack, how do you go about hunting a bucks bedding area?? Do you use rublines? And how far away do you get from the bucks bed?? Any calling/rattling?? Scents?? Thanks! Jim

skeeter 7MM

Hoyt I am a little confussed by this statement, either you know where they bed or you don't. I am assuming your refering to the sign they leave (ie: tracks, rubs, etc) vs actual bedding areas. When I scout I always start at sign and make way back from there. Finding activity areas is always a good thing but I don't stop their, like mentioned you need to find where "He" calls home, where "He" eats/drinks and where "He" travels(this can be several routes BTW). Then you form a plan that will give you the best odds at catching up with him during daylight hours. I will gaurantee there is something that deer uses in land mass to channel his movements from bed and out, you just have to find it, which is what scouting is all about. These land masses can be funnels, draws, points, saddles, ridges, fencelines, etc - don't get caught up in the funnel word persay but look for routes that offer concealment and safety to the deer. Nothing is more important to a buck than safety, you find his safe zone and hunt the shadows you'll have your chances on bucks.

Setting up in his bedroom can be tricky business and you must know his movements with direct corelation to wind direction...hence the importance of scouting. How close I get depends on the time of year, in early bow I stay a bit further away usually on his route to food or water, as rut approaches I then transition closer trying to catch him or call him out to the fringe of his bedding area. I even setup right in his bedroom if the area will allow it, this is when I use rattling techniques to entice him to come searching. However like any calling one must remember it gives your ambush spot away so it is very important to use the wind, land mass & cover to your advantage but always have a backdoor open for a shot. DO NOT OVER CALL!!!! Big deer can come hard and loud or soft and silent so be prepared know your lanes & shooting distance well inadvance. Extremely important to keep a finger on the pulse when doing this so close to his home range as one sniff and he's long gone. I pan constantly and keep very attentive, yes many a squirrel has almost caused me to go into heart failure but one must be on their toes and ready to excute. Of course staying quiet is another option and go on your scouting to bring you the deer. Both have worked for me when I put the pieces together. I can honestly say since I started hunting closer to the bedroom I have had more success and much more excitement, but this hasn't come without its share of mistakes. Experience/knowledge are the defining factors with hunting IMHO, as such the most important things are: practice, patience, persistance and never stop learning. Scouting falls under many of these skills. Interpertation of sign is something that must be learnt, we can give you help but the man looking at must be able to use it to his advantage...only way I know how to do this is to actually DO IT!!!!! With it will come both highs and lows, just don't be discouraged and use the lows as learning points.

Best of luck

JagMagMan

Skeeter, we'll just agree to disagree. Anyone who shoots 7MM, knows a thing or two about hunting!
In my area, I'd much prefer the scrapes! I do agree that they are mostly freshened at night, but a fresh scrape tells me he has been there very recently, while the exact age of rubs is hard to tell.
I also have seen bucks work their scrapes during daylight hours too.
Another thing I like about scrapes is that when you find a lots of them in one area, you know you've found his bedroom!
I think that the method of hunting scrapes would not be too different than hunting rubs. As always pay attention to wind, and travel directions, and try not to set up too close!

skeeter 7MM

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