Buck Bedding and the Rut

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DropTyne
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Buck Bedding and the Rut

Unread postby DropTyne » Fri Oct 22, 2010 1:49 pm

I have a friend that swears up and down that mature bucks do not bed during the rut unless they are either locked down on a doe during the breeding phase of the rut or waiting in the doe bedding areas for the does to come back from feeding during the seeking/chasing phase.

What are your thoughts on this?

If this is true then the last weekend of October/early November I should stop hunting buck beds right?

What about sitting over a buck bed during the prime days of Oct 30th, Nov 1st, Nov 2nd....... Would this be a waste of time, or would the buck return to his bed as usual?

I understand the rut can be unpredictable and they move more during daylight but someone here has to have an idea how they act in regards to bedding during the rut.


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solocam88
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Re: Buck Bedding and the Rut

Unread postby solocam88 » Fri Oct 22, 2010 2:06 pm

It is all situation dependent, but during the rut I like to watch high traffic areas or areas where I know where there will be the majority of deer bedding. I have watched big bucks tend does in the morning and watched them bed down with them. Then made my move in the afternoon or late morning. I hunt a lot of marsh area so sometimes this requires going in on the ground and that is about as intense as it can get especially during the rut. I dont think there is a cut and dry answer for this. During the rut you just have to watch and go with the flow.
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Indianahunter
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Re: Buck Bedding and the Rut

Unread postby Indianahunter » Fri Oct 22, 2010 10:24 pm

My experience here in Indiana has been starting around Holloween to transition from hunting buck bedding to doe bedding. The (mature) bucks aren't necessarily chasing, but they are roaming different properties. They do bed, but you will not necessarily find that particular buck in a particular bed any longer. Part of this is do to increase in testosterone making them more active, but also changing food sources right now. Acorn crops are starting to dry up a little and the apples are gone so this is just a big transition time for deer about the next week or so. Now during peak chasing periods the bucks are everywhere and don't rest much, but you are talking a week give or take. Regardless of food source or phase of the rut, where the does are, there the bucks will be also. Down wind of doe bedding is always a good place to be come the first couple of weeks of November. One last note. Dan and others I have talked to say that really mature bucks 5 1/2 yrs and older often become recluse and do not participate in the rut as heavily or at all. If you are on a old deer like this you may still be able to kill him in his bed you found in the spring scouting season. Good Luck!
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GRUD
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Re: Buck Bedding and the Rut

Unread postby GRUD » Sat Oct 23, 2010 12:05 am

Smart bucks will bed downwind of a doe travel area before light so they can lie there and just scent check all of the does as they travel by him going back to their bedding area. I think that is why starting in November you see more late morning buck movement, they get up and move after the does have filtered by.
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Re: Buck Bedding and the Rut

Unread postby dan » Sat Oct 23, 2010 7:08 am

Bucks do indeed bed during rut... The times they bed, and the duration change in most cases... The older they get, the less time they spend searching for does, especially in daylight. Buck beds still get hunted by me in the early AM and sometimes PM during rut, but I move to funnels, leeward hill unions, and doe bedding areas before it gets to late in the morning.
Rut is a pretty good time to shoot a truly mature buck in his bedroom because the older bucks don't chase or cruise as much if at all in daylight, but still get up and move about a little earlier in rut.
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Re: Buck Bedding and the Rut

Unread postby muddy » Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:14 am

Yeah, older bucks will spend more time doing their normal routine instead of staying up for days on end looking for does. I find it amusing when a 3 or 4 year old buck finally finds a hot doe an she beds down, they CRASH. 2 years ago I was in stand when a doe came in and bedded down, a nice 140-150 class came in behind her and when he bedded by her he flat out looked like he was dead. He was stretched out on his side, neck and head laying flat as can be. Looked like a hound in the sun on a September day. When the doe finally got up he jumped up but man did he look/act like I do after a bender and no coffee in the pot!
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Re: Buck Bedding and the Rut

Unread postby beddedbuck » Sat Oct 23, 2010 8:28 am

So what is everyones full rut tactic? Do you get in close to a doe bedding area and sit all day -maybe sit in a high travel corridor.. Do you hunt one place in the morning one mid day then have another for evenening hunts. just curious what your differnt approaches are. I plan on hunting different spots in the morning then going directly to a different spot and hunting the rest of the day. Although if its good in my first location, I'm not going anywhere. I have the whole 1st week of November off. I am so exited.


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