Help me decode some scouting finds...please

I scouted an area that I hunt yesterday. I scouted the same area last year and found the exact same sign, almost to the tree and ground as I did yesterday. I didn't hunt this area last year as I was hunting different spots. The sign that popped up yesterday was a bit bigger than last year (higher rubs/bigger scrapes) as compared to last year, in addition to some 5-5.5 inch tracks I found on some of the trails. This lets me know that a decent buck or two frequents this area.

The yellow lines are major deer trails. The red are large/tall rubs and the orange are large scrapes. The are surrounded by the green seems to be a serious pocket of buck activity. I just do not know when/how to hunt this spot come fall. The area to the north is a no hunting zone. I wonder if come late October or so that those bucks are moving in and taking a peak at what is going on down in my hunting area. There is a TON of buck sign in that green area. After I expand out of that green the buck sign drops off significantly.

So what do you all think is causing the large amount of buck sign in that spot for two consecutive years? If you were to hunt in that area, when would you move in to kill something? Thanks guys. I think I found the sign that I needed to find to make hunting that spot worth my while this year.

Oh yeah, the southern most buck sign is flanked by some serious cover. I felt like I was close to finding a large buck bed on that point, but I could not locate one as I just suck at finding deer beds. It is pretty far from the road and showed absolutely no sign of other hunters.

 

He's probably either bedding out on one of the small points so he can see the area below him and smell the danger from behind uphill. Or he comes there around rut time to check on does bedding there and leaves his calling cards.

I'd bet on him actually bedding there and marking his territory with the rubs and scrapes as he leaves and enters. I'd look on those South facing points for beds. That's where he'd be with a North wind. Hunt him on the trail that goes with that line of rubs and scrapes before the rut while he's still there. Mornings might be better, catch him coming in. Once he"s there it might be hard to get in without being detected.

 

Thank John for your input. I am going to head back in there on Sunday or Monday to scout every one of those points. There is a decent doe population right across the creek to the south. I felt the afternoon might be hard to get in a good set-up without being picked off. Maybe if I time it right I can try to catch him coming back in or at mid-day once he gets up on his feet. I really scouted those southern slopes because I know once late October hits that we generally have north/northwest winds. Thank you again. Those brown "X's" by the large deer trail represent bigtime blowdowns that pretty much cannot be crossed. That yellow line deer trail is the only way to get through there without having to jump 40-50 trees.

 

This is definitely an I interesting situation. If this was me, I would put my stand in the SW corner. I have a hunch that he is bedding along that creek somewhere to the west of the SW corner of the green outline, I come to this conclusion because I gather from what you said that he is an older buck, therefore I would not suspect him to cross the creek. I definitely agree with the above and would recommend hunting him hard in the morning, trying to catch him on his way in to his scrapes. I would not place a stand in the middle or any higher in the green area in fear of being scented. As I said before, I would camp in the SW corner and play the wind to my advantage.

Best of luck!

Trey

 

Also, I would try my hardest to get him on camera and nail him opening day before he changes his patterns due to hunting pressure.

 

Brett, my very very novice topo knowledge led me to the right of the D in COMMAND. Above that right there where the isolated scrapes are that point seems like it would have some kind of decent bench on it and in my mind it looks like the deer may use that, then possibly funnel down into that choke point between the two points. After that they countine along the primary line? As far as beds go I was looking below the prince william county line right below WILL and a few other spots. I did write on top of your map but dont know how to post it up?

But im problay completely wrong, figured id try and give it a stab.

 

Thank you for the responses gentlemen. Lastoneout, I like when people take a stab at things. That is the only way we learn. The only way I would approach that northern point of that green triangle is if I had the perfect wind and could slip in quietly given the weather conditions.

Mississippi, thank you for your response. I can slip into that area from any direction and I believe I can get into the SW portion of that triangle without much problem. That would allow me to move in without leaving a lot scent as well. Thank you.

I do not have the ability to use trailcams where I hunt so I am going on size of tracks, height of rubs, size of tracks in the scrapes, and a good hunch that most people do not hunt in the bottom portion of my map.

 

Well best of luck to you, I hope you get him!! This sounds like an exciting hunt and will be super rewarding if you get him!!! I have a good deal of experience with scouting and I've been in a situation very similar to yours a few years ago so if you wanna ask me anything, feel free!!

Trey

 

Thank you Trey, I may take you up on that offer. I am still learning how to hunt the older/bigger bucks where I hunt. It sure is a lot of fun and humbling at the same time.

Brett

 

Ohhh believe me, It will humble you! They get the best of you, often!

 

Where's Grizzly when you need him?

 

What's on top this hill VS... food? Like Oaks and what-not?

 

Duke, Oaks. Toward the southern slopes there are some mountain laurel that adds to the maze of blowdowns as the topography falls off toward the creek. There is actually an old homestead site in the tightest saddle with some really big oaks. There are no crop fields within several miles.

 

That's what I thought.

In my opinion you have an area here where deer are socializing heavily.. as in.. your buck is not likely bedding here.. but traveling through often keeping tabs on the local ladies... scraping and marking trees (mostly at night).. its probable that most the does groups are bedded closer to this area.. the actual buck areas just beyond them.

I would take a shot in the dark and look either just to the ESE of your green triangle thingy.. or (my best guess) just to the ENE of the top tip of your green triangle thingy.. and probably just over on the no hunting side for your buck(s).

 

Thanks Duke, I will take a walk over into the no hunting area and scout for a buck bed or two. I will also look to the other spots you talked about. I feel pretty good about knowing where the does bed. Many of them bed to south of the creek and on that point to the east that I blacked out the writing. I am trying my hardest to find a big buck bed or two but I just suck at finding deer beds. I will be back at in Sunday or Monday to try and hit at least a little pay dirt by finding a big bed or two.

 

This may seem like a dumb & irrelevant question, but if I get the answer I'm hoping for then I think it will provide some answers.

How high/steep are the banks of that creek?

 

The topo will tell you all that. The closer the lines the stepper the slope, vice versa the lines go in 10ft increments

 

I like topo, but I don't believe they tell the whole story... I just have a hunch about where this buck might be but without knowing the height of that bank I can't state my theory

 

So your thinkin it's pretty steep?

 

The steeper parts of the topography are up where the majority of the buck sign is located. Also, to the south of the creek it gets pretty steep as well. The southern portion of my green triangle area are moderately steep.

I appreciate you guys taking time of your day to look at the map and such. Thank you.