If you had a choice of walking through a bedding area to your stand site or walking around the bedding area, but the wind wasn't right for that approach, what would it be? Do you think that you will spook deer either way?
I dont think I would walk through the bedding area in fear of "long Term Damage" I would take the bad wind approach in hoping that my scent elmination preperation worked..If you get winded so be it that happens more often than not I belive but walking throuhg there beds I dont think I would...Truth be told I'd rather avoid the entire situatuon.
If it was an area I wouldn't be returning too or had some other properties to hunt for a decent period of time and it was a morning hunt. I would walk through the bedding area. You have a couple chances for success though non conventional. 1) The best chance is they have not yet returned from feeding, so no one is home yet. You set-up and wait for thier return! 2) Jump'em and Dump'em You spook them out of there beds and set-up. Being it's an unusual and uncharacteristic happening in thier core area, they may just return at mid-day leaving you set-up for the dump'em part! After reading of this strategy, I have used it once and it worked, on a nice buck, it didn't result in a shot, but the concept worked.
If I absolutely had to......I would much rather bump them with an un-identifiable sound than a scent stream.
I wouldn't hunt the spot that day if I had to pick between those two options. I'd either hunt another spot, or stay in that day.
I'd just set up on THIS side of the bedding area to not mess with the wind....and hope for some miracle the deer approach from where you weren't expecting. Low impact and sure has alot better odds than going back home. All my spots are 30-45 minute drives as well, so returning home isn't an option for me as that is too much gas money to throw away. I'll make the best of any situation just to get in the woods.
