Anyone have any real life maps on this type of set up...or a good detailed explanation? Im lucky to find one real solid doe bedding area every 500 acres! Haha Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
I have somewhat the reverse situation. Where I've found does and their breeding are in thick stands of pine and nearby edge habitat. Almost always near (still or slow moving) water. The rub lines I've found have been at/near (military crest) ridgelines...most bucks (on the public land in hunting) seem to still be (mostly) nocturnal due to heavy pressure
Hmmm Here in MW does VERY often bed in/near CRP and also on terrain edges. Try to hunt just offwind for bucks scent checking the bedding
I dont have any problems hunting near doe bedding and getting onto bucks scent checking, I just have a problem finding a good core hub like Gri22ly talked about. Like hunting a funnel between bedding areas for better buck movement overall. For some reason I find it real difficult so many of my Nov days are feast or famine instead of being consistent or at least more reliable. Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
I am no where near as studied as @gri22ly ; but I think he means find a specific food or water spot that is in between a couple of known doe bedding areas...like CRP or a terrain change; then hunt the funnel/corridor between the 2 trying to catch bucks going from one to the other scent checking
correct me if I am wrong, but you seem to hunt big woods more often than not...that's tough. Especially being as far south as you are where deep cold isn't a problem (or at least isn't until real late in the season.) Up here in big woods I would try to find pockets of acorns near a south facing slope; or as long as it lasts any fruit trees. Or in WI, we put out water since there isn't any for at least a mile. But even all that is usually not needed as there are so many crop fields, just hunt near CRP between a couple different food sources. Like gri22ly said; actually mapping anything is kind of specific to your area. I'm just throwing out general ideas.
Best situation we have in our area that we can hunt involves 3 draws. On the neighbors, they have 2 big draws that does bed in, mostly up top where it levels off but we have seen them bed just about anywhere in these draws. On our land we have another draw that the deer bed on the point. Now on our neighbors, the 2 draws are about 750 yards apart and bucks will travel down along the bottom of the draws where its flat and a creek runs through, scent checking for does. On our land, bucks will follow a ditch that runs down from the point on ours and meet at the creek in our neighbors. Every year, we get pictures and see mature bucks cruising this area from about mid October through the end of November. We've killed some giants and missed some as well from this spot.
I have found good luck in the oxbow points of river bottoms. Picking the downwind side, either just off the edge of the oxbow on the land side, or, using the creek bottom water access to hunt right along the edge of the creek. The deer seem to feel safe with water at their backs. I have three known half acre bedding areas like this. If I have time, and, the wind is right, I plan on being in one Saturday morning.
Low of 45 in the morning, high of 61 in the afternoon. The challenge will be whether or not I will have time. I am taking the family to Disney World on Tuesday. I don't know that my wife will feel like she will have enough time to get ready if I am hunting Saturday. Also, if I do hunt and kill something, I will have to process it fast or pay for processing. I won't be able to let to age on ice for 3-4 days like I prefer to.
Yellows bedding and greens their travel routes... the red dots my treestand I shot my buck out of this year. There is a clearing about 100 yards wide with sparsely populated trees only in one part of it. The deer have no choice but to use those thin trees between the thicker trees to travel back and forth and still have some feeling of security rather than being in the wide open. Works great for me. Last sit my girlfriend had 15 does all within 20 yards and a bunch of little bucks. Ruts coming soon I can’t wait I’m going to try film it! That’s stands set up for a northwest wind. The nw wind will blow my scent right down into that river. And the river is great access in and out. I can walk the river edge and climb up the bank to the backside of my stand. Deer don’t have a clue I’m around. The neighbor on the southeast let’s me park in his yard so I can hop on the river right there and it’s a short walk
