Sanctuaries

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
Lockdown
Moderator
Posts: 9957
Joined: Fri Jul 18, 2014 4:16 pm
Location: MN
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby Lockdown » Fri Feb 05, 2016 2:54 am

Great thread!

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


cedarsavage
500 Club
Posts: 1137
Joined: Thu Nov 05, 2015 4:42 am
Facebook: No facebook
Location: Michigan
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby cedarsavage » Fri Feb 05, 2016 5:29 am

Took awhile but got through it all good read

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
mheichelbech
500 Club
Posts: 4188
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:00 am
Facebook: mheichelbech@gmail.com
Location: Charlestown, IN
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby mheichelbech » Sun Feb 07, 2016 5:35 am

I wanted to hear about some experiences with those guys who have located sanctuaries:

1). Is there a consistent type or amount of sign that you see that tells you this is a bucks core sanctuary?
2). What is the typical size and how small could one be?
3). Does a mature buck always have just 1 or 2 defined sanctuary areas?
4). If a hunter is able to determine how a mature buck utilizes his sanctuary, is it better to set up preset stands in the spring (enabling more stealth when getting setup to hunt of course) or does that tactic alarm deer so that you are more likely to be picked off in Fall and therefore it's better to hang and hunt which is not as stealthy (for me anyways) but perhaps more of a surprise element.

Curious about specific on these.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
mainebowhunter
500 Club
Posts: 3448
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 10:45 am
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby mainebowhunter » Sun Feb 07, 2016 6:18 am

I think the first question that needs to be answered...what is a sanctuary?

I personally do not believe in "sanctuaries". I know where bucks bed and I am not going to get any close than 60-70yds during the season when I am going to hunt them. Killed a buck this year in this type of area. I have seen deer in this spot with climbers. I had cut a stand out in the spring and hung the stand in September. I mean, I LEVELED trees in the spring. Killed the buck middle of October. I passed 3 different bucks before I killed the one I was after. I always hang cameras on the apple trees on the outside of the bedding area. 2014 had a buck bed down right in front of me. So I am pretty close in this one spot.

BUT many believe a sanctuary is a spot where you NEVER go into unless its to recover a deer. It can be 10 acres or 30 acres.
mheichelbech
500 Club
Posts: 4188
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:00 am
Facebook: mheichelbech@gmail.com
Location: Charlestown, IN
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby mheichelbech » Sun Feb 07, 2016 7:04 am

In the areas I hunt, I have located numerous buck beds, watched bucks in them or entering/exit but I would go so far as to call these areas a sanctuary from what I think one would be...I am not sure I have ever seen one...at least what I think one would be which is an area with lots of buck sign, new and old rubs, etc. or as previously noted earlier in the thread, maybe I am in them and don't know it...the only thing I know for sure is that I get pretty close to where bucks and does bed when I can and hunt as near or as far as I think I need to for daylight activity.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
User avatar
Hawthorne
500 Club
Posts: 6217
Joined: Mon Dec 15, 2014 2:13 pm
Location: michigan
Status: Online

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby Hawthorne » Sun Feb 07, 2016 7:21 am

I've learned about sanctuaries or primary bedding areas from the history of hunting in an area for a few years. Using cameras or sightings.In my area they are usually the thickest areas in a section and see very little human activity around them. Another key ingredient is water. Water is almost a must for a big buck. I have found if one big buck likes an area another one will take over the next year if he dies or is not in the area. They can be good for years has long has the ingredients stay in place.

[ Post made via Android ] Image
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby dan » Mon Feb 08, 2016 1:00 am

mheichelbech wrote:I wanted to hear about some experiences with those guys who have located sanctuaries:

1). Is there a consistent type or amount of sign that you see that tells you this is a bucks core sanctuary?
2). What is the typical size and how small could one be?
3). Does a mature buck always have just 1 or 2 defined sanctuary areas?
4). If a hunter is able to determine how a mature buck utilizes his sanctuary, is it better to set up preset stands in the spring (enabling more stealth when getting setup to hunt of course) or does that tactic alarm deer so that you are more likely to be picked off in Fall and therefore it's better to hang and hunt which is not as stealthy (for me anyways) but perhaps more of a surprise element.

Curious about specific on these.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image

A sanctuary in reference to deer is a word or description made up by someone who don't understand buck bedding to describe a buck bedding area... He don't do the scouting to find the exact beds, he just knows the deer comes from that thick area and if we go busting thru there, the bucks leave...

A smart man that understands buck bedding and puts his scouting time in don't create true "sanctuaries" which by definition means you NEVER go into, not even to pick up sheds or learn what going on... If you want to deform the meaning as some have to mean you hunt it now and then, well then every place I hunt is a sanctuary cause I very rarely go near my buck bedding areas... Just kill time once or twice a year each... But again, thats not the true definition.
mheichelbech
500 Club
Posts: 4188
Joined: Thu Nov 21, 2013 10:00 am
Facebook: mheichelbech@gmail.com
Location: Charlestown, IN
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby mheichelbech » Mon Feb 08, 2016 1:53 am

Thanks Dan. I read the whole thread and started thiking I was missing something. Clearly the word means different things to different people. I am sure most feel like their approach is the right one.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893
User avatar
wanderer
Posts: 17
Joined: Thu Feb 25, 2016 4:19 am
Location: Southeast PA
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby wanderer » Wed Apr 06, 2016 4:58 am

For what it's worth, here is how i define these areas...

Bedding area - an area chosen by the deer themselves to bed

Sanctuary - an area designated (and sometimes created) by humans to be low pressure

A bedding area can be in a sanctuary, but just because something is designated a sanctuary, doesn't mean deer will want to use it. A sanctuary might be "absolute" in the sense that no one goes in there ever. Or it may be a hunting sanctuary, where you only go in a few times a year to hunt or look for sheds. The other 362 days of the year, there is no human activity. Predators will still do what they please, so it will never be zero pressure. Sanctuaries might also be research based, propagation based, or used for other minimal impact activities. Sanctuary implies that you have the means and authority to say who can go in there and when, either because you are the owner or part of an organization which oversees it.

This is why I do not call mature buck beds on public land sanctuaries. You might be the only person who knows about that bed right now, and you might stay out of there 362 days a year, but you have no authority and no means to keep others out of that spot if they wish to go there.

I am making no attempt to imply that either method is superior to the other. It is strictly a means of creating a way to talk about this topic with clarity.
Last edited by wanderer on Wed Apr 06, 2016 5:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
The one who says it cannot be done should not interrupt the one who is doing it
User avatar
DaveT1963
500 Club
Posts: 5196
Joined: Fri Dec 19, 2014 1:27 am
Location: South
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby DaveT1963 » Wed Apr 06, 2016 5:12 am

To me the term "sanctuary" defines the single best place to kill a mature animal. He thinks he is safe and untouchable - that is exactly where I want to hunt. My goal as a hunter isn't to create a safe place for bucks to hide out in..... it is to create an illusion of safety all the while plotting his demise in that very spot.

For the standard definition, I can see where an outfitter running a lot of people on the same ground would need to set off limits on certain areas so they don't run the animals completely off the land.
JohnFunn
Posts: 261
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:31 pm
Location: Northern/Central Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby JohnFunn » Thu Jun 30, 2016 9:17 am

This is great stuff! Sounds like we even had the birth of Stanly in this thread? !!

[ Post made via Android ] Image
User avatar
Stanley
Honorary Moderator
Posts: 18734
Joined: Tue Aug 09, 2011 4:18 am
Facebook: None
Location: Iowa
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Jun 30, 2016 9:55 am

JohnFunn wrote:This is great stuff! Sounds like we even had the birth of Stanley in this thread? !!

[ Post made via Android ] Image

It was a hard labor birth, but the pain has long ago subsided from a separated pelvis. ;) :lol:
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
JohnFunn
Posts: 261
Joined: Wed Oct 15, 2014 5:31 pm
Location: Northern/Central Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby JohnFunn » Thu Jun 30, 2016 10:03 am

Stanley wrote:
JohnFunn wrote:This is great stuff! Sounds like we even had the birth of Stanley in this thread? !!

[ Post made via Android ] Image

It was a hard labor birth, but the pain has long ago subsided from a separated pelvis. ;) :lol:


Stanley,

Here is a great chance for me to hear from you what you've learned (overall ) from the hunting beast...do you do things differently now, looking back? Do you move in for the kill a tad more or stick to your original game plan? And....over the course of your hunting career...if you could have one do over. ..what would it be? C'mon, i want your two bits...ive already seen a few of your pics!

[ Post made via Android ] Image
Buck snort
Posts: 133
Joined: Fri Apr 29, 2016 2:20 am
Location: Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby Buck snort » Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:06 am

Stanley wrote:
cornfedkiller wrote:
Stanley wrote: If you are going to hunt bedded bucks on public ground in Iowa you better contact Chris Angel as a guide ( he can walk on water, I've seen him do it).


Id take my chances with Dan Infalt or Andrae D'Aquisto.. :mrgreen:

You seem pretty sure that it cant be done, so maybe you should just stick with whats been working for you for the past 50 years..Not trying to be a jerk, but you just seem to discredit everything these guys are saying..


I have heard or read something about that guy for hunting violations or something(can't remember).
I got a great idea there chief, why don't you come down here and show me how it's done. I have public ground just a few miles from here. You seem to talk the talk I would like to see you walk the walk. One more thing maybe you should just keep your 2 bit opinion to yourself on how I should stick with whats working for me, that is not up to you. Not trying to be a jerk of course.


Stanley, I thought you were a bed hunter? Now I am confused.
dan
Site Owner
Posts: 41588
Joined: Sat Feb 13, 2010 6:11 am
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HuntingBeast/?ref=bookmarks
Location: S.E. Wisconsin
Contact:
Status: Offline

Re: Sanctuaries

Unread postby dan » Wed Jul 20, 2016 8:42 am

Buck snort wrote:
Stanley wrote:
cornfedkiller wrote:
Stanley wrote: If you are going to hunt bedded bucks on public ground in Iowa you better contact Chris Angel as a guide ( he can walk on water, I've seen him do it).


Id take my chances with Dan Infalt or Andrae D'Aquisto.. :mrgreen:

You seem pretty sure that it cant be done, so maybe you should just stick with whats been working for you for the past 50 years..Not trying to be a jerk, but you just seem to discredit everything these guys are saying..


I have heard or read something about that guy for hunting violations or something(can't remember).
I got a great idea there chief, why don't you come down here and show me how it's done. I have public ground just a few miles from here. You seem to talk the talk I would like to see you walk the walk. One more thing maybe you should just keep your 2 bit opinion to yourself on how I should stick with whats working for me, that is not up to you. Not trying to be a jerk of course.


Stanley, I thought you were a bed hunter? Now I am confused.
I think your quoting a pretty old thread...


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: KRONIIK and 91 guests