Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

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xpauliber
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Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

Unread postby xpauliber » Tue Jul 30, 2013 5:12 am

This past spring, I found a steep knob left over from when they strip-mined a hillside that had a huge rub shredded on it. The knob was on the leeward side of the hill and in the spring I didn't see any beds or hair, but I just had a feeling that a buck should be bedding there. I visited this knob yesterday and found a real big bed exactly where I thought one would be with hair in it and it is now almost worn down to the dirt. I also saw what looked to be 2 other beds right with it but they didn't look nearly as used as the main bed (which I'm thinking may be beds for slightly different winds or possibly even other bucks bedding together in a bachelor group this time of year).

Where this knob is, it is literally off of a tram road about 30 yards and I've walked past it dozens of times and I'm sure a buck has just layed there and watched me walk by. There are wide open pine trees from when they re-planted the stripped area and the end of the knob has just a small patch of cover (about 5 square yards maybe) and that's where this bed is. I have to just laugh and shake my head when I come across these areas because it is exactly the type of situation that is talked about on the BEAST constantly and I'm just learning how to identify them.

At any rate, the knob drops over extremely steep and the only way that I can figure out how to hunt this thing is to get in there super-early and try to beat him to his bed. The tree I picked out, I can access from a creek below and I will have to climb excessively high (40ish feet) but once I get to that height, I will be about 22 yards from the bed and about level with it. The tree is a large red oak tree and it's big enough that if I position it between myself and his bed, I will be completely hidden. The tree is on the downwind side of the bed and even if he scent checks his bed from downwind, my scent should be blowing way above him. The only way he would be able to know something is up is if he crosses my entry trail which I'm going to do everything I can to be sure he can't.

I checked out the moon guide that Dan posted and I may be able to correlate the hunt with those moon days if the wind is right, but my plan would be to get into the stand a minimum of 2-3 hours before light and wait until it's light enough to shoot. Now, it all looks good on paper and from his bed to this tree, I have a clear shot.

My question for all of the Beasts out there is: Have you ever successfully killed a mature buck by sitting directly over his bed in the morning? Anything to keep in mind?


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Re: Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

Unread postby dreaming bucks » Tue Jul 30, 2013 5:59 am

I have never tried it myself, but it sounds like you have a good plan..... You just have to hope he shows up there the day you try it.
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Re: Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Jul 30, 2013 7:34 am

I bet you can kill him that way provided he doesn't smell you of course.

I read a story about a hunter in the midwest who actually dug a tunnel into the backside of a brushpile that was like a cave that bucks were bedding inside of, then waited for them to show up, story was crazy... Someone else here probably knows who I am talking about...
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Re: Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

Unread postby binney59 » Tue Jul 30, 2013 9:08 am

PalmettoKid wrote:I bet you can kill him that way provided he doesn't smell you of course.

I read a story about a hunter in the midwest who actually dug a tunnel into the backside of a brushpile that was like a cave that bucks were bedding inside of, then waited for them to show up, story was crazy... Someone else here probably knows who I am talking about...



Sounds like a crazy story- and one that I would love to read!
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Re: Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Jul 30, 2013 12:18 pm

I have read where many members on here have done it.

I think the key to that would be your entry route. Not to bust him on you way in, not to leave a scent path he may hit outside of your bow range, and naturally the wind putting him in the bed you are hunting over. If the bed you found and are going to hunt over is primary then chances would greatly increase.

Having him come in on a wind and bedding in a different location just outside your bow range could issue you a ticket for an all day sit while he sleeps or killing that stand site.

I tried it a couple times last fall on moon days. I wasn't fortunate enough the bed I was covering was where he decided to sleep that day.

Had a buddy try this same thing only to get to watch a mature buck bed down one point over. He watched him all day in hopes a wind change would move him to the bed he was covering. The buck stood just before last light shook off and walked out the way he came in. :think:
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Re: Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Jul 30, 2013 1:15 pm

binney59 wrote:
PalmettoKid wrote:I bet you can kill him that way provided he doesn't smell you of course.

I read a story about a hunter in the midwest who actually dug a tunnel into the backside of a brushpile that was like a cave that bucks were bedding inside of, then waited for them to show up, story was crazy... Someone else here probably knows who I am talking about...



Sounds like a crazy story- and one that I would love to read!


I believe it was in Don Higgins latest - Real World Whitetail Icons. Can't remember which guy it was but it was one of the most fascinating stories I have read in regards to deer hunting...
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
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Rich M wrote:Typically, hunting FL has been like getting a root canal
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Re: Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

Unread postby xpauliber » Tue Jul 30, 2013 3:20 pm

backstraps wrote:I have read where many members on here have done it.

I think the key to that would be your entry route. Not to bust him on you way in, not to leave a scent path he may hit outside of your bow range, and naturally the wind putting him in the bed you are hunting over. If the bed you found and are going to hunt over is primary then chances would greatly increase.

Having him come in on a wind and bedding in a different location just outside your bow range could issue you a ticket for an all day sit while he sleeps or killing that stand site.

I tried it a couple times last fall on moon days. I wasn't fortunate enough the bed I was covering was where he decided to sleep that day.

Had a buddy try this same thing only to get to watch a mature buck bed down one point over. He watched him all day in hopes a wind change would move him to the bed he was covering. The buck stood just before last light shook off and walked out the way he came in. :think:


That's what is so unique about this bedding location is that it's so small that if he decides to bed there that day, he will be in range....he really can't bed anywhere else within eyesight because it's pretty open. It's so small that I never thought to look here before and that's exactly why he's there. I have learned to never underestimate deer in general and mature bucks are on an even higher level! I didn't think it was possible, but my addiction is worsening. :mrgreen:
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Re: Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

Unread postby xpauliber » Thu Aug 01, 2013 4:52 am

Bumping this to hopefully hear some success stories of guys that have pulled off a successful hunt over a mature bucks bed.

Thanks!!
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Re: Ever killed a buck by sitting directly over his bed?

Unread postby May-39 » Thu Aug 01, 2013 2:24 pm

I have tried and will continue to do so with a terrific failure rate using a bow..fyi

The problem I have had is i beat the buck there, then Im stuck till it gets light out, then I have to figure out how to shoot a buck RIGHT THERE. I haven't been successful in the last part yet..And only managed to blow up a couple bedding areas..They have to be calm and bed "just right'
before you do this, put a bedded decoy in a similar situation (in mine it's tall marsh grass and tag whips),,it's alot harder to shoot than you think until you try it..the profile is jacked up from above..If it beds broadside facing you, no chance drawing, beds facing you, nope, straight away, pretty tiny window..It needs to be broadside ish facing away.. I thought I could just wait till they get up,,yeah right,,I pissed myself once waiting, let musquitoes chew my face off, and endured a feet or legs falling asleep each time.

I have to try a.m. sits in a couple spots that are small islands in a river up north..There are two particular islands (mile plus apart) that have a buck bed every year. the does bed in the bank grass....one is about 1000 sqaure feet the other about twice that...The land is private on each side but islands aren't..

..What I have done in a similar situation is waited till rifle season and shot him a good ways off on opening evening of rifle season. It's not the same but it sure worked.

I hope it works for you and look forward to the glory pics...


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