When the sign isn't there...

[whitetail_addict]

The last couple times I've gone in blind, both recently, I haven't seen much for buck sign at all near the bedding areas I was planning to hunt. Both were spots I had never stepped foot on, but looked good from afar and on the aerials. I figured by this time of the year if there was a buck using any bedding area regularly there would definitely be some rubs or other sign in or around it, but there wasn't. With that, I chose not to hunt either spot and scouted my way out.

I feel like I already know the answer to this question but I'm curious if anyone has any other input on this. When the sign isn't there, particularly during the pre-rut when it likely would be there if a buck were there, does anyone hunt blind spots anyway after getting in there? Has anyone had any success doing so?

[cbniner]

State? Type of bedding? Deer density? Food sources close? If there's no sign then there's no deer or you didn't scout enough, you cheat on the boots on the ground then you only cheat yourself

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[headgear]

No sign doesn't always mean that they aren't there, they might not be leaving a ton of sign or you can easily miss the sign if your not paying attention. Even look for old sign, old rubs are a good indication that a buck has used those beds in the past. With all that said this time of year I would keep moving if I didn't find the sign, worse comes to worse you start running out of time and sneak in a quick hunt to see if anything shows up or take a guess at an area with no sign.

[buckmaster_b]

The last couple times I've gone in blind, both recently, I haven't seen much for buck sign at all near the bedding areas I was planning to hunt. Both were spots I had never stepped foot on, but looked good from afar and on the aerials. I figured by this time of the year if there was a buck using any bedding area regularly there would definitely be some rubs or other sign in or around it, but there wasn't. With that, I chose not to hunt either spot and scouted my way out.

I feel like I already know the answer to this question but I'm curious if anyone has any other input on this. When the sign isn't there, particularly during the pre-rut when it likely would be there if a buck were there, does anyone hunt blind spots anyway after getting in there? Has anyone had any success doing so?

I'm curious. When you say there wasn't any sign in or around the area so you moved on, wouldn't you have been too close to the bed to notice this anyhow?

I only ask because this technique is new to me and I am still struggling trying to understand it all. Fresh sign is a constant statement here, but then again I've read plenty say no sign doesn't mean anything and even often times there isn't sign where some guys hunt.

I have attempted one suspected bed hunt on an oxbow bend in a river. I ended up about 75 yards west of where I meant to be, but transferring the aerial to the ground in that situation was really confusing and I didn't want to go too far and spook the suspected target. Anyhow, I didn't see a buck and never investigated further to even see if there was a bed. Maybe I should have after dark?

[Redman232]

If an area is really good and has everything a buck would need, there is a reason a buck isn't bedding there, he's not using it with the current wind direction, he has been pressured out of there, he hasn't been pressured into there or there is something even better nearby. Or of course there isn't a buck around . If I go in blind, I'm not going to sit anything without reasonably fresh sign. If there is old sign, there is a chance a buck is using a nearby bed, there is a better chance he is not. With fresh sign obviously there is a better chance he is there. Your being aggressive by going in blind, if there is no sign, continue being aggressive and move on.

[whitetail_addict]

I'm curious. When you say there wasn't any sign in or around the area so you moved on, wouldn't you have been too close to the bed to notice this anyhow?

I only ask because this technique is new to me and I am still struggling trying to understand it all. Fresh sign is a constant statement here, but then again I've read plenty say no sign doesn't mean anything and even often times there isn't sign where some guys hunt.

I have attempted one suspected bed hunt on an oxbow bend in a river. I ended up about 75 yards west of where I meant to be, but transferring the aerial to the ground in that situation was really confusing and I didn't want to go too far and spook the suspected target. Anyhow, I didn't see a buck and never investigated further to even see if there was a bed. Maybe I should have after dark?

Based on where I seen the trails on the aerials and my scouting on the way in, all the way to the suspected staging area, I expected/hoped to find some fresh buck sign (rubs, scrapes, tracks). Generally, I'm expecting sign to increase the closer I get to a bed or staging area. It didn't, so I didn't have much faith in giving the spots a try on those particular outings.

On those two outings, once I made the decision not to hunt the spots because of a lack of sign I went ahead and scouted the entire area looking for the beds and old sign. I was already in there so likely I won't be back to either spot anytime soon because a buck isn't likely to use the spots for a while with my scent now there. No reason not to investigate so I have a better idea for next time I try them spots.

I did find old beds and old rubs right where I was expecting them to be so it gave me confidence in what I was doing. It's just a matter of me now learning to time these spots correctly and only go in when a buck is likely to be there.

[whitetail_addict]

If an area is really good and has everything a buck would need, there is a reason a buck isn't bedding there, he's not using it with the current wind direction, he has been pressured out of there, he hasn't been pressured into there or there is something even better nearby. Or of course there isn't a buck around . If I go in blind, I'm not going to sit anything without reasonably fresh sign. If there is old sign, there is a chance a buck is using a nearby bed, there is a better chance he is not. With fresh sign obviously there is a better chance he is there. Your being aggressive by going in blind, if there is no sign, continue being aggressive and move on.

I like what you said here. Thinking about it now, there didn't appear to be much for close food sources and the area in general, at least so far, appears to receive little if any bowhunting pressure. With that said, I'm thinking this may be a spot that could be more productive in years with a standing crop field near by or perhaps in the next few weeks when pressure around the area begins to force deer into this area.

[PK_]

If there is not a high number of deer there may not be much sign around the bedding area at all. Bucks bed solitaire anyways, and without other bucks around competing they don't always rub or scrape a lot. Many times in low DPSM areas i hunt I only ever find buck sign in the 'high traffic' areas. Once in a while I come across a bed that is tore up but it is very rare.

[Terry]

Did you look for big tracks? They can get covered up quick this time of year by falling leaves. They don't always leave rubs and scrapes.

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