I was wondering what would be the best place to set up to catch a cruising buck during the rut, a creek bottom (which runs along a bedding area) or a ridge (which runs along the other side fo the creek) or the elevation transition in between the two?
Hard to tell you without actually seeing it. If you are archery hunting, somewhere in the creek bottom. If rifle hunting, no need to set up right on top of them so set up on a high point.
Every area is different, on our property the big bucks like to stay down in the bottoms wheter its rut or not, so All my stands are set up in the bottoms, have one spot for a climber that is on a field edge but most of my hunts are in the bottoms. Gersty
in the afternoon in my area the deer typically stay to valleys and ridgelines, in the morning as previously proven to me the deer will hug the creek bottoms my theory is patterning and the way the air sets and rises as the day starts and ends like air "falling" at night or "rising" at day break in accordance with dew. thats just how i learned my area
i had alot of action on a ridgeline last year. Saw a ton of bucks out cruising and such. They are going to be moving to and from that bedding scent checking so i would be there unlesss there is a big trail on the ridge that they could use as an easy quick path when checking and use the elevation for visibility to spot does. They like getting out where they can see. In my experience that is
Kind of a vague question but I can give you a vague answer! Cant go wrong hunting near a bedding area. As long as your scent isnt being blown into it (most likely will). Alot of Bucks will hang there for all the returning does in the AM. Get there 2 hours before daylight.
The reason i am asking is b/c there are heavily used deer trails all over the creek bottom and ridge. So i was wondering which area the bucks would be more likely to frequent. I'm sure most of the deer sign that i see now is from does so ill have to wait until the bucks start rubbing and scraping to find where they are traveling. Oh, and this is public land that i just starting hunting.
We have both on our WI property and have killed bucks on both. Either is good just need to be in the right place right time.
Winds can be tricky in creek bottoms, usually more predictable on ridges. With that said I have had some amazing hunts in creek bottoms during the chasing phase of the rut.
Bucks often like to move higher in the morning and lower later in the afternoon to take advantage of thermals. As already mentioned hunting a creek bottom can be risky due to swirling winds. I prefer to find a place they like to cross the creek but hunt that trail at a higher elevation for more consistent wind currents.
If its flat land and They are chasing I say creek bottom. If its very steep hills a gap in the ridge or a bench gets my vote.
I killed my rutting buck last year coming down a ridgeline, but on camera I had equally mature bucks cruising the bottoms too. I personally prefer hunting bottoms, but have no problems hunting either of the two terrain types if the conditions are right. Like previously mentioned, its all about being in the right place at the right time. During the month of November I've decided that anything can happen, anywhere, and very quickly. You never know where the buck of a lifetime might stick his head out at to scent check for hot does. Good luck this fall.
Now that you mentioned public land......I would set up just down off the ridge line. Top of big draws going off the ridge down into the creek bottom. Get there early and sit all day during the rut. Most public land hunters will walk the path of least resistence. Straight down the middle of the creek bottom or right down the middle of the ridge line. They will put up there stand where they can see alot of area. I mentioned the top of the draws and gulleys leading into the bottoms for alot of reasons. Bucks will always make rubs at the upper edge of the draws. My thinking is: 1st.) The buck is able to catch a scent rising up out of the draws,be it danger or does coming into estrous. 2nd) Does and offspring do most of their feeding in these remote deep gullies on public lands. Look in these gullies after a heavy rain and look at all the acorns lying in the bottoms, come back a few days later and they will be gone. I can go on & on here about why you should hunt these areas. Come November this is where you will find me hunting on public lands. Not to mention I secretely fertilize all the oaks at the top of these draws every year,creating my own little food plots in the big woods on public lands.
A couple of my favorite sets are on the ridge top overlooking the creek bottom. I usually use them for morning hunts and it works out great for thermals and scent. The deer tend to be cruising in the creek bottom but will respond really well to the grunt call or rattling because they can not see what is up on the ridge top and will normally come up and take a look. I have killed several good bucks doing this.
