How high??

[Country]

If I were to try to set up directly over a buck bed on a ridge point in the morning, how high is high enough so the buck doesn't wind me while J-hooking to his bed, keeping in mind dropping thermals?

[dan]

If I were to try to set up directly over a buck bed on a ridge point in the morning, how high is high enough so the buck doesn't wind me while J-hooking to his bed, keeping in mind dropping thermals?

I don't think thermal will be dropping when he comes back, ( before sunrise ) but he will likely hook right up that ridge with the wind in his nose smelling the top... The higher the better. I have never been good at getting it done over beds in hill country in the morning, but Andrae seems to have it down to a science and most of the time he sets up where the buck comes from and starts the hook. He says they come in towards the bottom of the ridge following the ridge then turn and go straight up, he sets up most of the time right where they turn to come up... He says its really tougher than it sounds and exact stand placement is key...

[Mike]

Q Dan, wouldn't thermals be dropping til the sun comes up a bit? I generally don't notice the thermal shift til ~8:30am or so.

[Country]

If I were to try to set up directly over a buck bed on a ridge point in the morning, how high is high enough so the buck doesn't wind me while J-hooking to his bed, keeping in mind dropping thermals?

I don't think thermal will be dropping when he comes back, ( before sunrise ) but he will likely hook right up that ridge with the wind in his nose smelling the top... The higher the better. I have never been good at getting it done over beds in hill country in the morning, but Andrae seems to have it down to a science and most of the time he sets up where the buck comes from and starts the hook. He says they come in towards the bottom of the ridge following the ridge then turn and go straight up, he sets up most of the time right where they turn to come up... He says its really tougher than it sounds and exact stand placement is key...

Thanks Dan. I think I'm going to try this out on Tuesday morning.

[dan]

Q Dan, wouldn't thermals be dropping til the sun comes up a bit? I generally don't notice the thermal shift til ~8:30am or so.

There is probably "some" thermal activity in the morning before day light, but I would not think it would be significant. I think the valleys and ridges are close to the same in the pre-light morning with no direct sun light influence. Usually on the leeward side I can feel air coming down off the point, but I think thats natural wind current.

[lynchpin]

Good post... a lot of good information on this short exchange of question and answer. I was going to ask where the "sweet spot" is when hunting the j-hook... but Dan stated in the post the start of the curve in the J is the sweet spot.

Reading this thread tonight, I realized that I might have witness the start of the curve in the J-hook. About sun rise two bucks (1.5 year old and 3.5 year old 120 inch) came in as expected, but didn't continue past my lone wolf set up, about 35 yards from my stand both bucks turn left ... heading more towards the bottom of the ridge and went out of sight. I am speculating that they actually went back up to bed, but based on the heavy cover and bedding that is available were I think they were going ... I believe they did a j-hook. This was the first time I sat this spot and sat there based on available sign from previous years and the food source at the top of the ridge (cut beans and cut corn) and the river bottom below.

questions... not to steal the thread, but to continue conversation.
Is it possible for two buck to perform the J-hook at the same time and branch off near the end of the J? or was I perhaps in more of travel area rather than witnessing the j-hook?

Based on the information I saw, would it be wise to sit it again and hope that a mature buck uses the route to go to his bed in early season for post rut? (saw a mature buck in bean field during summer scouting) or would a mature buck only have ... for lack of a better word... his own private J-hook to his bed (which I believe would be the case for a mature buck)?

[dan]

Is it possible for two buck to perform the J-hook at the same time and branch off near the end of the J? or was I perhaps in more of travel area rather than witnessing the j-hook?

Yes, they sometimes bed near each other, but you see less and less of that as it gets closer to rut. One of the bucks would be in a satalite bed.

Based on the information I saw, would it be wise to sit it again and hope that a mature buck uses the route to go to his bed in early season for post rut? (saw a mature buck in bean field during summer scouting) or would a mature buck only have ... for lack of a better word... his own private J-hook to his bed (which I believe would be the case for a mature buck)?

Any buck bedding there and coming from the direction the little bucks came from will likely take the same wrought.

[bowmike]

If I were to try to set up directly over a buck bed on a ridge point in the morning, how high is high enough so the buck doesn't wind me while J-hooking to his bed, keeping in mind dropping thermals?

I don't think thermal will be dropping when he comes back, ( before sunrise ) but he will likely hook right up that ridge with the wind in his nose smelling the top... The higher the better. I have never been good at getting it done over beds in hill country in the morning, but Andrae seems to have it down to a science and most of the time he sets up where the buck comes from and starts the hook. He says they come in towards the bottom of the ridge following the ridge then turn and go straight up, he sets up most of the time right where they turn to come up... He says its really tougher than it sounds and exact stand placement is key...

This is just what I needed to hear for the backyard buck.

[lynchpin]

Is it possible for two buck to perform the J-hook at the same time and branch off near the end of the J? or was I perhaps in more of travel area rather than witnessing the j-hook?

Yes, they sometimes bed near each other, but you see less and less of that as it gets closer to rut. One of the bucks would be in a satalite bed.

Based on the information I saw, would it be wise to sit it again and hope that a mature buck uses the route to go to his bed in early season for post rut? (saw a mature buck in bean field during summer scouting) or would a mature buck only have ... for lack of a better word... his own private J-hook to his bed (which I believe would be the case for a mature buck)?

Any buck bedding there and coming from the direction the little bucks came from will likely take the same wrought.

thanks Dan! I just had the "AHA MOMENT" reading this post and realized I may have witnessed this pattern. Interesting how I can watch this in your video ... but forget to apply it in the field. When the student is ready the teacher appears.

... think I will be busting out of work early tonight... saw a BB pushing a doe in the city limits her in Dubuque!!! can't wait!