purposly bumping buck beds while scouting

[Bowhunter4life]

Was out scouting today and tried something a little different. I wanted to see if I could get the wind in my face and slip in on some buck beds to see if I could catch a glimpse of them. Did this on two different buck beds. Both were holding bucks and multiple bucks at that. All smaller deer tho. 2-3 year olds and one had a button buck as well.

What is interesting to me is I got in close to both using the wind to cover noise. The first one 3 bucks were in there and they were on their feet right near the bed. I assume they heard me but was unsure of what I was. They hung around and I was videoing with my phone. Didn't have it on silent which was a dumb mistake. It made a noise and one of the bucks heard it. He knew something didn't belong but I was very still. He started making a loop downwind until he got my scent and they got out of there.

The second buck bed I did the same thing. Got in real close and ended stepping on a stick under the leaves and it snapped. They stood up and trotted out in the field unsure of what I was. Never saw me. I made a soft ground with my mouth and they heard it. Hung up in the field for a bit then one by one they worked their way right back into the bed. Could have easily put an arrow in any of the bucks.

Main reason I posted this was to say that just cause you bump one doesn't mean it is over. Of course this topic has been discussed many times but it is absolutely doable if it is not a hard bump and the biggest key, the deer didn't get my scent. They were all totally clueless as to what bumped them or what they heard.

Pretty cool to see cause I have never tried this before while scouting or hunting for that matter. Never know what might happen out there if a person doesn't give up just cause you bump a buck off his bed!

[tgreeno]

Nice! It's gotta be really cool to witness that behavior! I'm wondering if the same would of held true if there was a mature buck in there with them?

[Bowhunter4life]

Nice! It's gotta be really cool to witness that behavior! I'm wondering if the same would of held true if there was a mature buck in there with them?

I was hoping that there would be one in there with them but I know there was a 3 year old. He was noticeably bigger than the others. Went and took a look at his track. Pretty decent size animal.

I can't say whether a 4 year old or older would have acted the same way. I think he would have done it differently if he was to come back to the bed. These deer rain off up wind of me. After I softly grunted they came back in to the bed with the wind at their backs and not scenting what was in there. I believe that if a mature animal is gonna come back in that bed he would loop around at a safe distance to scent check it. Had their been a target buck in there and it was season I would have moved down wind a good distance.

[Stanley]

[Lockdown]

What better way to verify bedding and also see who is still alive! Knowing that a good buck that uses the bedding is alive and well is a BIG puzzle piece. This fall I put 3 hunts in at two different bedding areas going after a big buck that was no longer around. 3 wasted hunts that could have been spent elsewhere.

[dan]

Awesome!

[cbay]

Very cool. No better confidence than seeing them come out where you expect them and then watch how they react.

[mainebowhunter]

Very cool.

[CallMeFishmael]

Seems like a great way to determine how much you can get away with. How many yards out were you when you saw them?

[PK_]

That is exactly how I still hunt bedding areas during gun, just don't do it at times when lots of other hunters are in the woods, you will get bucks killed for sure.

[Waymore]

Did the bucks still have antlers?

[Bowhunter4life]

Seems like a great way to determine how much you can get away with. How many yards out were you when you saw them?

Was able to slip within 30 yards of one of the beds and then broke a stick which spooked them but they never saw or smelt me. Both keys.

They trotted out into a field cause they were bedding in a line of trees/brush that separates two fields. Softly grounded and I would say 15 minutes later they slowly worked their way back in.

[wickedbruiser]

sounds like an awesome day in the books

[Bowhunter4life]

Did the bucks still have antlers?

Yeah, Two different bucks only had one side

[Hawthorne]

I like to do this right after our gun season ends to find where they go when their pressured. It's usually always in hard to get to remotes spots of public. I've done it to years in a row on one piece of public. This year there was a good buck in there. Definitely getting my attention for next season