Bedding in the open

[PredatorTC]

I went out to set up a trail camera today on some state-land and while heading to the spot, i had buck jump up in front of me. He was sitting on a hillside where the grass was only a foot high. Where he was sitting he could see a lot. There was only one spot he could not see which was blocked by two pine trees. This was where i came from, so he was very close when i jumped him. But anyways, i know there is a really good buck in this area. I expected the buck to be bedding in some pines that were 100 yards away. I went by the pines and there was a faint trail going into them. So idk if this was a youngster buck or what and the big guy was still in the pines.

But why would the buck be in the open like this. I could have easily seen him from the road if i looked harder. So was he maybe young and stupid?? or was he smart because he escaped and he is really the big guy im looking for? There were a lot of bugs by the pines, so did the bugs push him out?


Thoughts?

[NSOUTFITTER]

I find that this time of the year the bugs will forsure push them out in the open more than usual . I have found bedding areas in places that you would never think a trophy buck would ever bed . With deer having more than 1 bedding area , I have seen the same buck bed have a few different bedding areas for certain times fo the day . If they were predictable all the time ,would they ever grow to be mature bucks ? probably not . Human pressure would be another factor . Is there alot of pressure where you seen that buck ?

[PredatorTC]

Is there alot of pressure where you seen that buck ?

Not at this time of the year, but when hunting comes, people drive it for deer and walk it for pheasants.

[dan]

So was he maybe young and stupid?? or was he smart because he escaped and he is really the big guy im looking for? There were a lot of bugs by the pines, so did the bugs push him out?

Could be any of the three things you mentioned. I have seen mature bucks occasionally bed in the wide open and depend mainly on there eyes. Most of the observations were during heavy pressure hunting or summer time.

[Swampthing]

2 years in my hunting area I had a similar encounter.We don,t have much for trees ,just a lot of open farmland and small blocks of timber.Truely big bucks are a seldom seen sight.It was the heart of gun season orange everywhere.So me my 2 boys and little sister decided to go to town .We were coming up to the highway and I glanced over into a plowed 80 acre field.I caught something from the corner of my eye out of place.I was driving so I told the kids to look out into the field cause I saw ears or horns or something.They thought I was crazy,thinking it was a deer.I said just look ! Way out in the center I think I saw something .We get to the stop sign ,and my little sister starts screaming.Buck ,Buck a huge buck! I whipped an illegal u turn and went back the gravel and bounding away was the largest racked buck I,ve ever seen in the wild.He was watching us the whole time ,i was slowing the car but never actually stopped, until we were at the stop sign.He had to have known we were looking.Later they all asked how i could have spotted him way out in that field.Don,t know.
And last year hunting i gave my morning stand up to a friend so I just parked my car on a gravel road and waited for sun-up. In the darkness i thought i was seeing dogs or something running around chasing each other ,but as it broke light I made out a set of huge antlers chasing a doe around .There was,nt a woodlot for a mile.The ran to a patch of knee high grass about 50 yards wide 150 yards long and just bedded down in broad daylight.All u could see was the tips of his great rack.I called my friend and had her stand post.I crawled about 1/8 mile across a cow pasture ,then another 200 yards across foot high grass and got to within 30 or 40 yards then he crawled out the other side when he seen my glasses catching the sunlight.I started crawling for him at like 8 or 8:30 and when my friend hollered at me that it was over cause he slipped out the back it was 3:oo in the afternoon.I guess that what you call gettin in the Zone ! I thought mabey 2 or 3 hours had past.
THose were both mature big bucks bedding in crazy open places.Smart very smart

[PredatorTC]

Very interesting swampthing!! Thanks

[Black Squirrel]

I have seen this too, but both times it was during the heavy pressure of the gun season. One time it was a doe and her two fawns, the other was a decent buck, not huge but decent.