Interesting Grizzly. I hunt mostly river bottom, have access to many miles so my senario may differ from you fellas that hunt big blocks of timber. Not sure how I would go about that? Finding rubs way back in is a good thing. I try and pick spots that are not exactly on but within veiw of major doe routes. I've used a chainsaw and cut into blowdowns to make little cubbie- holes. Older bucks seem to like a bit of clutter around them. I mostly hunt thicker cover, not field edges. Getting in/ out can be a bit of a problem so I hunt my spots very seldom. Good discussion guys
Slick, I wonder if that buck enters that bed from that foot trail to the north. And then smells a wind to his back and watches that foot trail that probably 90 percent of hunters use to access that area. As soon as he sees or hears them he is gone.... Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk
I'LL try to go into detail tomorrow about an observation I noticed a few years ago. Have had a few beers tonight so I wanna make sence
In the bed, you can see north. To the south, a creek and open timber. My best bet would be coming in from the West side down in a ravine that dumps in the creek.
This type of area is exactly what I look for in my part of the country. Without even looking at a topo, I would say you have a bench or high terrain edge along the yellow line...and it runs into a high crows foot (thermal hub) just under the ag that sets on top of the ridge. Then you have the old grownup field below it in the bottoms, with the creek running on the edge...hard edges and inside corners running with the grain...soft edges (pine to hardwood) feeding into that on top and also in the bottoms. Possibly an old pond in the pines. I would run camera's to see if there's a buck I want to hunt in here. Set one 20-30 feet high on plot watch mode to cover a large portion of the ag. Put one in the creek on a hole or crossing. Put one on the transition in the bottoms, on the back inside corner of the ag, or in that thermal hub where it connects to the bench/high edge.
I've found...on my public grounds anyway...that locating a mature 150" buck to hunt, is much harder than figuring him out, setting up on him and shooting him, once he's been located. The only thing this spot may lack..and it could be a deal breaker...is security of some sort.
I have hunted many many hours on my public lands. Been doing it for 27 years now. I bet I have seen less than 4 to 5 bucks that would score around 150 inches. That being said, my set ups may be the reason, but I have put in my time and I rarely see another hunter when I hunt.
I'm very blessed and fortunate to live and hunt where do...I had 4 bucks to make that criteria this year...and got little over 150 different bucks on camera, in about a hundred different locations.
I had one come in like 4 to 5 years ago. An absolute monster. Probably a 24 inch spread and huge. 20 yards facing directly at me, then decided to back up into the thicket and walk away. Not turn sideways, back up and walked away. No ethical shot. Dang. Different areas different expectations. 120 inch bucks on the places I hunt are hard to come by and I relish every encounter. So when I say a saw a monster, that may be a 130 buck. To some, that is nothing. To me, it is the truth and that is ok.
Bedding will also shift along with the food source...therefore things are usually pretty stable with very little shifting mid to late summer...then again from mid to late winter. And while the core can be defined as a "structure"; (The arrangement of and/or relations between the parts or elements of something complex), it is also a "dynamic"; (A process or system characterized by constant change, activity, or progress). This continued flux or change in key environmental wants and needs cause micro and macro shifts within and of the core itself....which directly influences his bed.
I've always found this subject intriguing. I have one public spot that's really rough country. If I had to categorize it, I would call it bluff country. About a 120-130 is as good as it gets over there. I have another public spot about 8 miles away from it that has the occasional 150-160 running around...not abundant by any means, but they're there. I've ran the (my) odds with my camera's on random buck sightings in my area...and if you have 25 different bucks walk by you, odds are one of those bucks will make 130" (gross). And if you have 35 different bucks walk by you, odds are one of those bucks will make 150" (gross).
Unfortunately I have no experience to share, but I found this a great read and will be checking back for more info!
