Last season, I found a jam up spot in the offseason with lots of potential shooters. The spot was in a creek bottom and after establishing my mineral site and getting boots on the ground, I've come to the conclusion that I was in close proximity to a doe bedding area off of this ridge. Due to the winds and thermals, I've had a extremely hard time hunting this location without being blown at. Yes, I play (try to) the correct winds and use scent cover, etc. Maybe I need to invest in an ozonics with such a tricky area. This season, I have changed my plans and will be hunting the top of this particular ridge vs being towards the bottom of it. The top is more of a "bench" area topographically speaking, so I am hoping with me being at the top-central of this "bench" I won't have to worry about my thermals and swirling winds as much. I will be approximately 70+ yards from the bedding area. There is fairly dense cover on the ground and the trees are mainly oaks, and pines in this bottom. How close is too close? Also, how do you guys approach hunting of doe bedding areas, mornings, afternoons? Obviously, if there are does, you'll get the bucks.
70 yards isn't too close if you have the wind in your favor. The hard part will be noise. I have one spot that is up against a creek and 100 yards from an interstate, on a west wind, this spot is bullet proof. I have been able to set up within 50 yards of bedded does with the right wind and noise cover from the interstate. Keeping yourself quiet enough to get that close will be the tough part.
yeah I'm worried about my entrance as well. I don't have a real good access point to get here. Most of the time it doesn't matter if I come in an hr before sunrise or middle of the morning. I always seem to bust some as I am coming in or they are blowing not long after I get set up in the tree. Maybe I'll rake a path in to help on the quietness
As someone who hunts mountains in PA, I know all too well about swirling winds and thermals. Anytime you get into the bottom 1/3 of a hill, ridge, mountain, you most likely can throw hunting the wind out the window. It is just too unpredictable. Get up on the ridge, like your plan is and get close to the bedding. If cover and wind direction permits, you can slip in close, 75-100 yards of their beds. I will say that if your hunting does here, you don't have to get as close typically. They'll be up on their feet and moving in daylight hours. Bucks, especially older ones, seem to hold in cover until last light. I'm also a huge fan of hunting close to bedding in the afternoons/evenings. Reason being is that its too hard to get into them early in the morning without bumping deer. Some deer will be back in the bedding well before daylight. At least in the early afternoon, you know where the bulk of the deer should be, they're not all out roaming around much. The only time I will barge into bedding in the morning is during the rut.
If you know it's a good doe bedding area and want to have some good opportunities on bucks, then play your cards correctly. I'd wait til late October or the first real cold snap then move in tight for the kill. If nothing then back off until the conditions are right again...cold snap and correct wind. Also, try to not walk parallel to the doe bedding or they will be all over your scent. Come in downwind and straight up into your stand area. Creates just that one line of scent coming in perpendicular. Just some tips that have helped me. Others prob have seen things completely different !
Yeah, i'll play the winds a lot better this year. Last year I had several mature bucks coming through in daylight hours and I think I was in there more than I should be with the crappy stand location. I partly think I blew a few of the deer out of there because I was in there playing the not so ideal winds. Now, I know where they are coming from (mainly) so I won't risk it at all this year if I even have the slightest wind drift that way.
