How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

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msw08d
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How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby msw08d » Fri Jul 10, 2015 11:29 am

Hello everyone I was just wondering how to best to apply beast tactics in the southeast. It seems most of the chatter on here is focused on hunting hill country and where I hunt in Alabama there isn't a whole lot of that. The lease I hunt has hardwood bottoms several swampy areas and ranges in elevation from 200-400 feet. Lots of cutover, pines and some small food plots. It does have elevation change but not as much as hill country. Do you think the bucks will bed along the small ridges? Any other places in particular I should look? I have had luck in the hardwoods before but I am really interested in getting into the larger age class bucks. Thanks!!


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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby Twenty Up » Fri Jul 10, 2015 12:01 pm

msw08d wrote:Hello everyone I was just wondering how to best to apply beast tactics in the southeast. It seems most of the chatter on here is focused on hunting hill country and where I hunt in Alabama there isn't a whole lot of that. The lease I hunt has hardwood bottoms several swampy areas and ranges in elevation from 200-400 feet. Lots of cutover, pines and some small food plots. It does have elevation change but not as much as hill country. Do you think the bucks will bed along the small ridges? Any other places in particular I should look? I have had luck in the hardwoods before but I am really interested in getting into the larger age class bucks. Thanks!!


Welcome to the Beast!

I'm another Southerner (GA) and have noticed a lot of the things the guys up North have been preaching to be true or somewhat relevant. The biggest "twists" I've noticed have been deer and boars in the same area. They don't seem to prefer being around hogs, they will tolerate some pressure but areas dense with swine seem to be vacated by deer. Besides this everything is pretty straight forward, especially farm country bucks from what I have personally noticed in the field.

Another thing I seemed to notice was that the bucks tend to prefer bedding with overhead cover, I'm assuming to get out of the heat, but this isn't something that is required in a prime buck bedding area. If you stick to the transition zones and become accustomed to reading topo maps of the areas you hunt you will be successful.

I hope this helps and good luck out there
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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby Ruger » Fri Jul 10, 2015 12:02 pm

I'll be watching this one.

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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby hunter10 » Fri Jul 10, 2015 12:18 pm

Welcome to the beast
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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby cbigbear » Fri Jul 10, 2015 1:05 pm

AL is Northern Territory!!!! 200-400' hills is plenty of elevation to have your typical hill country bedding patterns. Really pay attention to the drop offs where the bucks can catch the thermal rise. On the drop key in on thick clumps of brush - magnolias, pine saplings, green brair, honeysuckle, etc. In the thicker stuff look for blow downs. The base of logs seem to be a draw.

If you have any marsh type swamp head for it. Bedding is much easier to locate in this habitat. Follow the transitions looking for trails & rubs. I find inner transitions (soft transitions) are better here. These don't show up on maps, but can be found by scouting. Say a spot where sawgrass buts up to wax myrtles. The beds I find are at the bases of large trees like willows or cypress.

If you hit an area with a lot of large droppings slow down a bed is near. Grid off the area well. 8 out of 10 times I walk right by a bed only to notice it on a pass from a slightly different angle.

99% of beds will not be worn to the dirt especially in the hills. The beds will just be a slight depressions with flatten leaves or grass. Some are even iffy until you get down & find hair.

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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby Ruger » Fri Jul 10, 2015 1:18 pm

In flat area, any elevation change works. Sometimes even 18-24" can offer them much better visibility

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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby msw08d » Sat Jul 11, 2015 12:28 pm

Hey guys thanks for getting back to me I have already learned tons on the beast and look forward to learning even more. Has anyone noticed what ridges they prefer here in the south? We have both hardwoods (mostly oak) as well as some pine ridges.

I will be going up to the property in a couple weeks to do some summer scouting is there anything in particular I should be looking for? I know the deer habits will be different during season but since i live in south Florida I don't get to do too much scouting. I also plan on putting out a couple mineral stations to try to do a little inventory.
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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby cbigbear » Sat Jul 11, 2015 12:51 pm

I'd suggest posting some topo's.

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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby Bogle » Sun Jul 12, 2015 7:12 am

You must be in N.E. Alabama or just outside of B-Ham. Have Dan or some of the others look at your maps, It will help you immensely. I second what cbear said, look at secondary transition lines, swamp edges and slight elevation changes. Anything that gives a buck a slight advantage. Also, if the hunting is pretty "controlled" don't forget funnels during the rut. Just my opinion.

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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby PK_ » Sun Jul 12, 2015 10:07 am

Get in them swamps.

I hunt one piece close to the GA border, it has some decent topography with pine ridges that dump into swamps. All the hunting pressure enters from up top, when I scouted, I couldn't hardly find buck sign on the ridges let alone beds. I dipped down into the swamp and started kicking out shooters left and right. The ridges were pretty thick but the bucks wanted to be down in those super thick bottoms.
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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby Twenty Up » Sun Jul 12, 2015 11:59 am

PK_ wrote:Get in them swamps.

I hunt one piece close to the GA border, it has some decent topography with pine ridges that dump into swamps. All the hunting pressure enters from up top, when I scouted, I couldn't hardly find buck sign on the ridges let alone beds. I dipped down into the swamp and started kicking out shooters left and right. The ridges were pretty thick but the bucks wanted to be down in those super thick bottoms.


+1 on swamp bottoms. Overlooked by the lazy and capitalized by the driven. Just be sure to really know the wind and thermals because they seem to push wind differently when you add the terrain and water into the equation.
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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby msw08d » Sun Jul 12, 2015 1:02 pm

Thanks a lot for the info guys I definitely planning on getting into the swamps more this season. Unfortunately there are not many trees to climb nearby does anybody here ever bring in a step ladder to sit on to get a few feet off the ground? I read about this somewhere and I feel like it just might do the trick. FYI I hunt just north of Eufaula if anyone is familiar with the area.
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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby msw08d » Sun Jul 12, 2015 1:16 pm

Hey everyone here are a few topos if anyone could take a quick look and mark some spots I would really appreciate it. I already have some ideas from looking over all the maps on here but its always nice to get a second opinion. Thanks in advance!

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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby Bogle » Sun Jul 12, 2015 3:14 pm

I'm from Florida but graduated from Auburn and I currently hunt S.W. GA.. Another thing that helped me out was mapping out other hunters stands, feeders, parking spots, entrance and exit routes etc.......When I did that, I noticed that most of the beds I found were located in between the above items along secondary transition lines.

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Re: How to apply beast tactics in the southeast (AL, GA) ?

Unread postby Florida » Mon Jul 13, 2015 4:38 am

Good stuff guys. This is my second season since joining the site and I am still looking for my first confirmed buck bed. I have found a lot of places I suspect are beds, but no hair and rubs to prove it. I think that aspect is a lot harder in the south.

Even if you can't pinpoint the bed, the methods still apply. You are still trying to set up within range of a staging area during early and late season and hunting funnels near bedding during the rut.

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