How do I hunt this spot?
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How do I hunt this spot?
Ok, so I just scouted some big woods in MN and located what looks to be a buck bed: rub very near the bed and several others around it. I also located what I believe is his exit trail. The bed is marked in blue and the trail is in black. This is in an area that has seen clearcutting activity for the last 25 years. The clearing is mostly open with a few small trees/saplings in it; otherwise it's mostly grass/weeds/ferns. The area on the Southern side of the clearing is a mix of mature balsam, aspen and birch. To the West is a large black spruce bog/swamp, which is about 15 feet lower in elevation than the clearing. The bed itself is just inside the edge of a 20 year old clearcut and has regrown in mostly aspen. The terrain is rolling with 5-10 ft elevation changes. Not much for a concentrated food source besides a 5 year clear cut to the NE (300 yards away).
I have some ideas on how to hunt this based on what I've picked up from you guys on the forum and Dan's videos but could definitely use some advice. I'll be hunting this area the first week of November during the firearms season, which tends to be the peak of the rut in this part of the country. How would you guys hunt this in the morning and/or in the afternoon?
- Boogieman1
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Re: How do I hunt this spot?
Things I would to consider are what is the best entrance route without bumping deer? Is there doe bedding in the vacinity? Which food source does the exit trail go to, will that food source be available at the time I'm hunting?
What wind direction (s) put the buck in that bed? Guessing at the time of your trip that early rut action is going strong. Is this area good during rut or just early season or possibly late season?
These are questions I ask myself, hopefully u can find something useful. It also takes time to gather all the miner details that put u in the right spot at the right time, don't give up to soon. It's not a race if it takes you 4 years to figure it out b4 you put a tag on a animal I would say it's well worth it. Good luck
What wind direction (s) put the buck in that bed? Guessing at the time of your trip that early rut action is going strong. Is this area good during rut or just early season or possibly late season?
These are questions I ask myself, hopefully u can find something useful. It also takes time to gather all the miner details that put u in the right spot at the right time, don't give up to soon. It's not a race if it takes you 4 years to figure it out b4 you put a tag on a animal I would say it's well worth it. Good luck
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
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- tgreeno
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Re: How do I hunt this spot?
Ideally, access from the north down that trail. And be able to hunt it on a NW or W wind. Set-up SE of the bed along the exit trail, as close to the bed as possible. Just outside of his sight, hearing & smell. On the east side of the exit trail would be best.
This would be an ideal scenario! It all depend what direction the bed sets up for.
This would be an ideal scenario! It all depend what direction the bed sets up for.
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It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than to open it an remove all doubt
It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than to open it an remove all doubt
- headgear
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Re: How do I hunt this spot?
Same question as above, where is your access? I'm also wondering what wind the buck is bedding in that location on, I am thinking he would want to smell that trail and have his own scent blow into the swamp but that is just a guess. If you hunt it on the wrong wind he might not be there. He might also bed further back in the swamp or across the trail in that little swamp, could be multiple beds in that little areas depending on what the wind is doing. Post a topo if you have one, that might help clear things up a little more.
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Re: How do I hunt this spot?
Ok, so here is a topo of the area. Some of the bedding seemed to be arranged to watch the clearing to the South, but I'm not 100% sure on that. I wasn't able to follow the exit trail much farther than 150 yards as it began to mix in with other trails. Access isn't a problem from any direction except from the West. Previous trips into the swamp to the West didn't reveal any nearby bedding in this particular area. The trail that runs NW to SE is not very visible from the bed, and access along it with anything except a N to SE wind would be possible. Thanks for the responses so far!
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Re: How do I hunt this spot?
Did you check out that point sticking out into the swamp to the NW of the bed you have marked? Looks really good. I'd check all those points on the topo that stick out toward the swamp.
Also looks like there might be some ponds or water holes around the bed. Might give you a destination for the buck on a hot day.
Also looks like there might be some ponds or water holes around the bed. Might give you a destination for the buck on a hot day.
- NYBackcountry
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Re: How do I hunt this spot?
What Ridge said, I would guess there would be additional bedding for a variety of winds along that edge where to swamp and clear cut meet. It'll be important to identify those because it may effect your access.
As far as setup on the bed you found, X2 on Tgreenos comment. Just curious for my own knowledge, what details made it obvious this was an exit trail? Rubs facing into the bed?
As far as setup on the bed you found, X2 on Tgreenos comment. Just curious for my own knowledge, what details made it obvious this was an exit trail? Rubs facing into the bed?
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Re: How do I hunt this spot?
I have not been able to find much for bedding on the swamp transition line. Since there is a pretty steep drop down to the swamp, I'm wondering if the edge provides much of an advantage unless there is an Easterly wind, which is pretty rare for this area.
NYB, I found rubs facing the bed which led me to believe that was his exit trail.
All really good advice so far guys. Some I've thought of, but a lot I hadn't considered.
NYB, I found rubs facing the bed which led me to believe that was his exit trail.
All really good advice so far guys. Some I've thought of, but a lot I hadn't considered.
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