Observations RE: Hill COuntry DVD

[RaisedByWolves]

I don't think I've ever known "for certain" that any buck was using a particular bed the day I hunted it. But I had enough confidence from my intensive scouting the previous offseason to give it a shot anyway.....and more than not, there were bucks in those beds! even with no current physical evidence. They didn't always walk right by my stand but I could here them rubbing, grunting, snapping branches, making all kinds of noise because they thought no one's around. It gets to the point where you just need to hunt and learn from experience vs. try and know everything

Stump, I think you on to it. There is never a definate way to know if the bed is being used that particular day you decide to hunt it, other than actually seeing it in the bed. You just need to stack the odds in your favor based on all the differnt reason the buck beds in that spot whatever they may be...food, water, cover, wind, sight line, temp. etc.

To add on top of that, the luck vs skill thread could play into this one as well. You can have all the skill it takes to get it done, you've done your homework, played the odds and snuck into a particular area undetected, beat the thermals/swirling winds......but the buck(s) were 1/4 mile over on the next ridge bedding there.

you just have to accept the risk of going "all in" to an area and coming out empty handed. funny to some, but a challenge to many on here

[RaisedByWolves]

If don't have pics, or visuals from shining, but know where several buck beds are you can just hop around and hunt each one when the conditions dictate it and see what comes out. If nothing shows move on to the next bed. When I find beds in the spring that look like they are used often and have good sign around them (trails with big rubs, ect.), I put it into the rotation. A lot of these places aren't conducive to shining, but if it looks like a good buck bedded there the year before maybe he's back or another good buck took up residence. Most of the time I never step foot back in there until I have a bow and stand on my back. Sometimes you get in there and it's smokin with sign, rubs, tracks, scrapes, ect. and chances look good a buck is in that bedding area. Other times it doesn't look like anything has been using it and the trail is all grown over. Oh well thats hunting. I either sit it anyways or follow a transition and try to set up on other sign and see what happens.

great post

[JV NC]

If don't have pics, or visuals from shining, but know where several buck beds are you can just hop around and hunt each one when the conditions dictate it and see what comes out. If nothing shows move on to the next bed.

Hey Autumn Ninja.....does this sound familiar?

[Autumn Ninja]

If don't have pics, or visuals from shining, but know where several buck beds are you can just hop around and hunt each one when the conditions dictate it and see what comes out. If nothing shows move on to the next bed.

Hey Autumn Ninja.....does this sound familiar?

Yes it does.

[dan]

I think the hopping around from bed to bed does less damage than people think... Unless its been a variable wind in an area where beds are dictated by wind, I find that a buck will use the same bed for a while, a few days, maybe a week, maybe longer, so if you hunt it, and there was nothing bedding there now, you didn't spook anything.

[BigHunt]

I think the hopping around from bed to bed does less damage than people think... Unless its been a variable wind in an area where beds are dictated by wind, I find that a buck will use the same bed for a while, a few days, maybe a week, maybe longer, so if you hunt it, and there was nothing bedding there now, you didn't spook anything.

i agree dan well said ....totally makes sense

[Bigdaddy-yoyo]

Good stuff on everyones part here!!!