J hooking

[mheichelbech]

Interested to see experiences with bucks "j hooking". How often and how does this play into the bed hunting and rut hunting strategies?

Is there a typical or predictable distance a buck will do this?

How do you know where to put your stand to deal with this or how can you tell that a buck is doing this without actually seeing it?

I saw a young buck this past year In which it appeared this was what he was doing prior to bedding...he only went about 20 yards past where he layed down and then circled back to his bed. It wasn't, I don't think, a regularly used bed but more a spot he decided to rest and wait for does to travel by.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[mauser06]

I've found evidence of it once..I wish I could have photographed the entire trail...I had his well used trail in the snow and a rub line...

Haven't been paying attention to beds long enough to have any other actual experience...

In this case he was bedding on a small point at the top 1/3rd elevation...stand of pines to his back and a stand of Christmas trees below him ehhh 65yds or so...he walked 15-20 yds off the edge of the Christmas trees and J hooking into the wind...

It was cool to actually see how he did it....



The only time it would come into play though is if you try beating him to his bed....only time that's likely to happen IMO is during the rut if he decides to stay out too late...maybeeee catch some moon mornings right but from my understanding morning hunting beds is pretty much bad....unless you know a buck comes home late on the regular....


Like I said I'm new to bed hunting and experience is limited...trying to soak it all in...

[ Post made via Android ]

[JoeRE]

In my experience it is a pretty small loop, 20, 30, maybe 40 yards. That is close enough to still be in range for a bow hunter set up on the bedding if you just favor the downwind side which you typically would anyway.

On the flip side, maybe more bucks circle further down wind and since they are further away we never even know they are there....we only see more of the close ones. I have wondered about that.

[dan]

The J varys in distance... at the workshop we looked at a buck bed that had a J-hook trail coming in and marked with rubs... it was only about a 30 yard hook like Joe reffered too... But, I have seen them much bigger in some instances.