Concentrated Bedding Challenges

[Clink]

I've found concentrated bedding in a thick area of about an acre, all located around a centralized quarter acre of reed grass in the woods. In one of the beds I found a set of sheds from the buck I plan on targeting come fall. When there are many beds and no way to make an observation sit, how do you go about choosing how to hunt the location? I'm afraid by attempting to hunt one bed I will bump the buck (or another buck) out of its bed. With no observation sit and no knowledge of what bed the buck is using in any given condition, how do you make your decision as to what tree to hunt from?

[UofLbowhunter]

Wind to back, back to thick that's the saying on here! Or something like that!

[UofLbowhunter]

I should have just said they will bed mostly on the down wind side of the thick! The trick is knowing if they bed there for most winds or what winds, then deciding witch winds give you the Best chance to enter and make him comfortable enough to bed there as well! Scouting can only give you that answer.

[dan]

What you found is likely a primary bedding area based on your description... I would circle it at the distance of just barely out of sight and sound and make set ups on the exit trail(s). Your not hunting one single bed, your hunting all of them. The buck is likely using lots of the beds in this area, but his exit will be the most consistent aspect. Set up on the exit.

[mainebowhunter]

I've found concentrated bedding in a thick area of about an acre, all located around a centralized quarter acre of reed grass in the woods. In one of the beds I found a set of sheds from the buck I plan on targeting come fall. When there are many beds and no way to make an observation sit, how do you go about choosing how to hunt the location? I'm afraid by attempting to hunt one bed I will bump the buck (or another buck) out of its bed. With no observation sit and no knowledge of what bed the buck is using in any given condition, how do you make your decision as to what tree to hunt from?

Many times that direction of travel leaving the bed is going to towards a preferred food source.

[Clink]

thought about food sources but besides early season when the acorns drop, there isnt really a main food socurce. These deer browse and that makes them extremely difficult to pattenr.

[mainebowhunter]

thought about food sources but besides early season when the acorns drop, there isnt really a main food socurce. These deer browse and that makes them extremely difficult to pattenr.

Acorns are a big draw. Especially closest ones to the bed your referring too. Most acorn drops coincide with beginning of oct.

Can be dynamite first week oct

[dan]

There is always preffered food... It gets harder to determine when its not crops. You need to look at the sign rather than guess on the food.

[JoeRE]

When you have a hard time determining what direction the exit will be, there's a couple of things that might help you. Look for rubs 100-200 yards out from the beds. Rarely are they full on rub lines, but just a couple rubs pointing in or out tells you a likely travel route. Ideally you will see a fresh rub from last year, then a couple older rubs from years ago. That tells you something! Then ask what that buck is probably heading toward.

Another thing that I have seen pay off. When you get into the prerut, what direction is the nearest or biggest doe bedding and the doe travel routes in and out of there. That is the direction a buck will head in the prerut through the rut and also the direction he will probably come back from in the morning. Usually I see that line up with those rubs I talked about. Thats still what I favor in the pre-rut if there are no rubs whatsoever pointing in or out.

[Clink]

There is always preffered food... It gets harder to determine when its not crops. You need to look at the sign rather than guess on the food.

I guess this is part of the learning curve. Seems like I'm so focused on finding beds I dont look for preffered food source as well!

[Clink]

When you have a hard time determining what direction the exit will be, there's a couple of things that might help you. Look for rubs 100-200 yards out from the beds. Rarely are they full on rub lines, but just a couple rubs pointing in or out tells you a likely travel route. Ideally you will see a fresh rub from last year, then a couple older rubs from years ago. That tells you something! Then ask what that buck is probably heading toward.

Another thing that I have seen pay off. When you get into the prerut, what direction is the nearest or biggest doe bedding and the doe travel routes in and out of there. That is the direction a buck will head in the prerut through the rut and also the direction he will probably come back from in the morning. Usually I see that line up with those rubs I talked about. Thats still what I favor in the pre-rut if there are no rubs whatsoever pointing in or out.

Great points. I think I'll go in once more and really cover the area well. We'll see what I find and how I can apply the new knowledge. Would like to use a camera or two a good distance away to atleast give me an idea of a general direction. Would have to fight that urge to check it. I know you suggest using trail cams to gather info for the next year. Could be an option