Through The Beast Eyes ...

[thefallguy]

So I did some scouting this weekend in a "beast" state of mind - I tried to slow things down, look through all the transition areas and look in places where I wouldn't have bothered to look in the past. I did find what I think is a buck bed, it is hard to confirm because we do have snow on the ground so can not find the actual bed or hairs but all the ingredients are present. Transition area from hard woods to a mix of CRP & thicket and then to crop field. A finger with open woods to bucks back and great line of sight to the open crop fields. lots of old rubs and a few new rubs right in the bedding area.

In the past (post HB knowledge) I would hunt this buck by staying way back but I would probably not even end up seeing him. This area has a very low density of deer in general. have put together a beast style plan in my mind to hunt this bed but what I would like to know is how would a true "beast" approach this hunt... it seem to me that it would be very difficult to get near this bucks staging area without getting busted. Some things I tried to keep in mind are:
- what wind would this buck bed here in
- what wind should I use in my approach to the stand
- stand location and entry path to the stand
- which way would the buck move once he gets up and why

I would be a great learning tool to see how some of the seasoned guys would approach this hunt

[SRWbowhunter]

My first thought would be to follow your northernmost blue line in along the straight edge of the big woods. Set up in the corner right where it hits your yellow line. An east wind may be good for it because he'll be able to walk kind of into it and smell what's it the big wood lot but still
works for where your stand would be. I'm pretty new to this too but that seems like you'd be able to get close without him seeing you and have a decent chance at him coming your way

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[dan]

If he stayed in timber I would set up in the funnel leading into the woods... If not, I would sit back and watch where the buck goes before setting up.

[thefallguy]

Thanks for the response guys. Dan, just one thing I agree the funnel would be a great spot, but would the wind not have to be from the NE in order for it to be conducive for the buck to be bedded in this location (wind coming from the woodlot). That would mean you would blow right into him. Would you wait until you had a similar wind that would just miss him like an east wind ( more like SRDbowhunter suggested) ?

Another thing is how would you conduct a spot check to see if the buck was using the bed. would you move in to hunt him but if you did not see any fresh sign once you got to your spot you would then back out?

[dan]

Seems like an odd spot for a buck to bed "just on a N.E." wind, but if thats the case I would hunt on a north or East wind... If I went in there to spot check I would hunt it...