Ingredients for Hill Country Buck Beds

[Bonecrusher101]

I found this bed this season. I made a video. This was near the top of a hill in very thick cover, plenty of escape routes too! Its definetly an area of interest for future hunting. I had seen two good bucks in the area but the day I went back in there I was surrounded by does. I killed 2 does and had a double down the next time I hunted it. It's a great thicket.



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[Bonecrusher101]

http://s961.photobucket.com/user/thinic ... y.mp4.html

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[Bowhunter4life]

#1 Ingredient is security without a doubt. It is going to be the most secure spot in the area, period. Secure meaning they can see or smell danger coming and escape, and secure meaning the spot gets disturbed RELATIVELY infrequently. I know that definition sucks trying to apply to a map or while scouting new land but it is what it is. That's why it takes work to find bucks.

Everything else can vary so much. Yes probably 80%+ of the time I see bucks bed with an obstruction behind them and wind blowing over it. Yes, deer like bedding on points and such at that 1/3 elevation line BUT if there are more secure (less disturbed) areas they will pick security over a certain elevation every day of the week. I have seen where there is lots of pressure on hill tops and bucks bed low down, and I have seen where there is lots of disturbance all over big timbered valleys and bucks seek isolated draws or islands of timber way up on hill tops. That's why I say the biggest ingredient is security, then you can follow that with some general rules of elevation and such but always have to pinpoint what deer hunters, small game/bird hunters, hikers, 4-wheelers etc are doing and how that might change deer bedding.

I would definitely have to agree 100 percent here with Joe!!!

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[markgrenier802]

Thx JoeRE

great advice!! I will do just that...Its going to take :boots:.. and time. It is worth it
Plus I get out of the house in winter..I'll find 'em.

Still looking for the Knowledge Base... goto book..or IT resource for "wind/thermals" in the Big Woods
and low swamps...

thx for everything

[dan]

Still looking for the Knowledge Base... goto book..or IT resource for "wind/thermals" in the Big Woods
and low swamps...

Good luck.. The best info you will find will be here. The only resources outside of here I have found is googling thermals, and its usually basic stuff about planes or birds that can be related back to hunting. What I know and talk about came from many years of hunting and studying deer bedding.

[KLEMZ]

Still looking for the Knowledge Base... goto book..or IT resource for "wind/thermals" in the Big Woods
and low swamps...

Dan and Mario's "Wind and Thermals" podcast is pure gold

[dan]

Still looking for the Knowledge Base... goto book..or IT resource for "wind/thermals" in the Big Woods
and low swamps...

Dan and Mario's "Wind and Thermals" podcast is pure gold

Here is a link:
[bbvideo=425,350]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qeDbMBXLFA[/bbvideo]

[justdirtyfun]

Dan, you have such a dedication to all the details and nuances. Hang gliding was mentioned in relation to hunting and thermals.


THAT is soooo above the beer swilling redneck stereotype. And gives respect to the animals as a very challenging opponent .

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[markgrenier802]

I have checked my resources ON THERMALS and so far the best advice is HERE!!..Im stayin put.
As an aside...
I had an Old Fred Asbell book which is priceless..about stalking (long bow-traditional) and it was he (if i remember correctly) that suggested milkweed as a wind detector b/c I remember stuffin my pockets w/it years ago. I also learned from Asbell the long switch of hardwood in hand to lightly touch the dry leaves to sound like a squirrel.. It worked .. sounded just like a squirrel. take a step during the process. You have to be careful to not overdo it. Asbell had this other trick of "walking like a deer"...sshh..sshh........sshh..sshh in the leaves.
deer take two steps then pause ( so Im told).. I have tried it with some success..

[markgrenier802]

I have put your(Dans.Mario- Blood Bros.)) teaching into practice now, scouting 4 weekends in a row. each time I can look at a topo map. walk into the woods, blind, find all kinds of sign and the within the hour find the bed, Amazing!

Question. what resources do I have on this forum/elsewhere relative to "approach"? given prevailing winds and thermals , the "approach" is THE ingredient.
Do I go wide and circle back behind him? Seems like prevailing winds would bust me.
Some approach technique is covered in my Hill Country video. However it seems germane to that hunt(maybe not).

What are general approach lessons for approaching from below or from above him, (or Crosswinding) for that matter?

thx for all you do

[markgrenier802]

Every week I go out into the woods and scout.. I do this lee side 1/3 down, focus on points ridges and ravines...Every week I have two or three more areas with a ton of sign and a bed with a rub 25 yrds away... I do not know how to thank you.. Just knowing I can find them is a great accomplishment..sneaking in there will be a different matter. The " Hill Country " video is unsurpassable..thx

[markgrenier802]

Every week I go out into the woods and scout.. I do this lee side 1/3 down, focus on points ridges and ravines...Every week I have two or three more areas with a ton of sign and a bed with a rub 25 yrds away... I do not know how to thank you.. Just knowing I can find them is a great accomplishment..sneaking in there will be a different matter. The " Hill Country " video is unsurpassable..thx

[Nicholas buck]

This preseason I am scouting for actual buck beds and the web site and the hill country dvd has got me moving in the right direction. I found 3 buck beds my first time out. Now I have two questions is there a relationship between the size of the buck and bed size ?? I would assume so but, the one bed was hard to tell cause it look part covered with leaves on the edges but there was fur under the leaves. Second question both beds had rubs within 5 yds of the bed but they were very low to the ground 1-2 feet. Does that mean it's not a mature buck bed.

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[Nicholas buck]

Now the next beast stage would be stand setup and location in relation to the beds. I understand what the wind and thermals will be doing based on where these beds are but I am having trouble putting the pieces together regarding stand location: i know to put it just out of sight range of the buck at lower elevations for evening and higher for morning hunts. But I would like some more details on this and even what kind of approaches should be considered. Does anyone have a favorite past thread or tactic they recommend.

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[Black Squirrel]

Nicholas Buck, alot of people share your frustration. I was just at one of Dans Hill country Workshops, and he covered this exact thing pretty good. Its one of those things for me anyway, that you can talk about till your blue in the face, but untill I see it, it just don't click. Im not sure where your from, but if you ever get the chance to attend one of his scouting workshops, Id highly recommend it.