Buck Beds - trouble finding

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whiteoakacorn
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Buck Beds - trouble finding

Unread postby whiteoakacorn » Tue Oct 09, 2018 5:51 am

Well, I'm very new to the forum and stumbled into all this once I noticed all the hunting content out there on Youtube. Now that I'm on that I don't think I watch regular TV anymore. If I am not reading about tactics then I'm watching ideas on Youtube. I used to like the shows you would see on the Sportsman channel but I could not relate to any of those hunts on there. I'm a backwoods public land budget hunter that has been at it for over 30 years in Michigan. I have done well but always looking to improve. Dan has a hunting style that is very similar to what I like to do. All of his content has been great. I was really taken in by the buck bedding importance and it's been my primary focus for scouting this year. I have been hitting many new spots this year but didn't really get on them with the buck bed focus until late August. I have used the Aerial photos and topo maps to try and dial myself in closer to some potential bedding locations. One thing I can say for sure since adjusting my scouting is that I have found some very heavy deer trails that I probably would have missed before. Many of my areas are wet with a mix of maples, oaks, and pine. Not a lot of hills. The one item I am anxious to find is buck bedding. Unfortunately, I have not been able to find much of it yet. Is there a chance I'm overlooking some of this or maybe making this more difficult than it should be? Does anyone have any tips to possibly help zero in on some buck bedding for this season? I watch some of those videos and those buck beds on there are heavily beat down with hair and scrapes around them. I'm trying to track down something similar and I'm either walking right over it or focusing on the wrong thing.

I know some of these beds might be easier to find once the snow falls. I plan to do a lot more scouting in Feb/Mar next year already.

I have also changed to a saddle hunt stand for the first time this year. So far it has been great. For many years I would lug a climber all over the place and it really limited my stand placement. The saddle hunt has really helped.

Thank you for any input. I was really apprehensive to post anything because it seemed like a basic question.

Thanks!


"If you want to catch beasts you don’t see every day, You have to go places quite out of the way.
You have to go places no others can get to. You have to get cold and you have to get wet too."
-Dr. Seuss
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Buck Beds - trouble finding

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Tue Oct 09, 2018 6:59 am

Since you've had success in the past I would start in the areas that you've seen/killed good bucks in. You probably remember what direction they came from, look at the aerials, make an educated guess and scour the area.

Even without snow, you should be able to find some big tracks, rubs and scrapes.

Focus on edges.
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Buck Beds - trouble finding

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Tue Oct 09, 2018 7:01 am

Read the posts from magicman and singing bridge too. They hunt similar terrain.
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Buck Beds - trouble finding

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Tue Oct 09, 2018 7:04 am

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=24471

There is a lot of great information here.
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Re: Buck Beds - trouble finding

Unread postby bh bowhunter » Tue Oct 09, 2018 3:27 pm

I also have started to focus more attention on buck beds. I found many possible mature buck beds last winter and have been hunting a few so far. Young bucks and does are all I've seen on a couple of the sits. Last sunday I changed it up and still hunted all day due to the 25mph winds. Sure enough, bumped three deer from a bench near a ridge top and got a good look at a wide 4 point! I scouted the bench, located the beds, and found 3 trails with tracks coming and going from the beds.

All the pine trees close to the beds are pole timber so a stand wasn't a good option. I cleared a spot to sit next to some rimrock and put some dead trees around for added cover. A thirty yard shot at two beds and the heaviest trail is all I got from the spot with a NW wind. Will hunt it on Friday if I get the right wind! My plan, til the rut kicks in, is to still hunt other suspected bedding areas and bump a mature buck from his bed!
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Ack
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Re: Buck Beds - trouble finding

Unread postby Ack » Tue Oct 09, 2018 6:15 pm

In my opinion now is not really the best time to dive into areas looking for beds. JM nailed it....focus on areas you've seen good bucks in the past, scout your way in and hunt transitions where fresh sign is showing up....DON't push so far in that you booger the bed. Then after season hit the scouting full bore......the beds will be much easier to locate then.
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headgear
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Re: Buck Beds - trouble finding

Unread postby headgear » Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:35 pm

You mentioned not a lot of hills so I would focus on the swamps and other wet stuff, as mentioned it probably isn't going to work scouting right now but you can take some guesses at bedding and setup on those. Things like points jutting out into the swamp, islands in the swamp, river bends, sometimes you can pick a spot on a map and go in blind and get on some deer. I would also look at getting away from other hunters as much as possible, those bucks are hiding where no one is hunting and that could be several miles deep or right next to a parking lot, think about where hunters never go and never leave scent behind.

I would also suggest purchasing Dan's DVD's from the beast store, they are all tactical and the info will blow you away, they are the basis for everything we talk about here and are worth their weight in gold.


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