New Beast Member seeking late season Advice (topo included)
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Re: New Beast Member seeking late season Advice (topo includ
Yes... That makes me really like the point heading south from the ridge connecting the two bedding areas...
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Re: New Beast Member seeking late season Advice (topo includ
I should have been more clear. From what the OP described there was no cover immediately adjacent to the food sources which would provide for bedding on top of the food sources. In which case the issue will be that they will be nocturnal on the food source. But yeah if there is cover and no pressure they'll bed tight. I just don't see it in this case. And also on this late season pattern, they'll sit on a pattern for a stretch before they switch. This is definitely a time to stick and move and get on the pattern.
I was running cameras a couple years ago on a late season hunt, still haven't really hunted it, but you would get on a pattern and find buck after buck on a travel corridor and you'll catch the same mature buck 3,4,5,6 times in a 2 week stretch on a run and then they just switch. You find them again and it's same thing. It's like they make camp and then randomly pick up and setup a new camp. And it's mostly nocturnal, worse than October, you got to be tight to the bed, which is really hard to do because the cover is sparse now. And they will just cover ground now from bedding to food. I actually think that security cover is their primary concern especially where there's some earlier pressure on the property.
I have to say that the late season hunt is the most interesting hunt. Because it is a very complex pattern but at the same time there's comparitavely little pressure so you can get in there and make your hunt without hunter pressure messing it up too much. Also the movement in January especially on some of the warmer days can be pretty robust especially in the afternoons. I've often wondered if on those days where things are thawing up if they don't see that as an opportunity to consume larger amounts of non frozen food.
I've gotten away from the late season because my kids are home from school during winter break during the time I would be scouting. And if you live where there's snow on the ground IMO it's a magical time to be in the woods.
Simple thing here, put some cameras on the trails to the food source. Work backwards.
I was running cameras a couple years ago on a late season hunt, still haven't really hunted it, but you would get on a pattern and find buck after buck on a travel corridor and you'll catch the same mature buck 3,4,5,6 times in a 2 week stretch on a run and then they just switch. You find them again and it's same thing. It's like they make camp and then randomly pick up and setup a new camp. And it's mostly nocturnal, worse than October, you got to be tight to the bed, which is really hard to do because the cover is sparse now. And they will just cover ground now from bedding to food. I actually think that security cover is their primary concern especially where there's some earlier pressure on the property.
I have to say that the late season hunt is the most interesting hunt. Because it is a very complex pattern but at the same time there's comparitavely little pressure so you can get in there and make your hunt without hunter pressure messing it up too much. Also the movement in January especially on some of the warmer days can be pretty robust especially in the afternoons. I've often wondered if on those days where things are thawing up if they don't see that as an opportunity to consume larger amounts of non frozen food.
I've gotten away from the late season because my kids are home from school during winter break during the time I would be scouting. And if you live where there's snow on the ground IMO it's a magical time to be in the woods.
Simple thing here, put some cameras on the trails to the food source. Work backwards.
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Re: New Beast Member seeking late season Advice (topo includ
Thanks for clarifying buckfever! Tomorrow is the last day. Could you clarify which point it is that you really like Dan?
Today it was raining and there was a south wind so I scouted the long point that "Y's" on the tip. The property owner has ladder stands on both points right about where you would expect buck beds (he says they haven't been hunted this year but were "checked" preseason). I couldn't find any actual beds in or around the points, or at least none stuck out to me as a rookie. Very little buck sign on the points but the ridge top in between the points and the field was littered with scrapes and rubs. Some of the scrapes were pretty fresh including one in the field that was brand new. There are also about 6 scrapes in the field itself that are all fairly fresh(like within 2 weeks old).
Tomorrow the wind is going to be out of the west around 2pm and move to NW by about 5 and the temp will be dropping all afternoon starting around 11am. Should I try to hunt in between the point and the field or go to another side of the property and hunt a nice ridge with acorns?
[ Post made via iPhone ]
Today it was raining and there was a south wind so I scouted the long point that "Y's" on the tip. The property owner has ladder stands on both points right about where you would expect buck beds (he says they haven't been hunted this year but were "checked" preseason). I couldn't find any actual beds in or around the points, or at least none stuck out to me as a rookie. Very little buck sign on the points but the ridge top in between the points and the field was littered with scrapes and rubs. Some of the scrapes were pretty fresh including one in the field that was brand new. There are also about 6 scrapes in the field itself that are all fairly fresh(like within 2 weeks old).
Tomorrow the wind is going to be out of the west around 2pm and move to NW by about 5 and the temp will be dropping all afternoon starting around 11am. Should I try to hunt in between the point and the field or go to another side of the property and hunt a nice ridge with acorns?
[ Post made via iPhone ]
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Re: New Beast Member seeking late season Advice (topo includ
The one to the right of the one you marked the scrapes on...Tomorrow is the last day. Could you clarify which point it is that you really like Dan?
The fact that the land owner has stands on the tips of the points where bedding should be, coupled with how open the landscape is, really drills home Buckfevers point that the bucks might be bedding father back. I would look for a thick area, especially on a leeward side of a ridge.
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