Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

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KPnorthdakota
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Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby KPnorthdakota » Sun Dec 02, 2018 1:31 pm

So, today was our second day of heavy fog...almost no visibility outside of the woods. Driving was, at most, 50 yards of visibility. But, my hunting is only 20 miles away and I can take dirt roads.

Anyway, with a 5mph NE wind that would have the bucks in a different area I went buck bed scouting. Man, did it turn into a doozie. I’d scouted the bottom south half of the woods, but not yet gone as north as I did today.

So, I have pictures of an intersection of the coulee and a large draw (funnel) and a tree that would be killer to sit in at this intersection. I’m calling it Coulee Intersection on the map. There is a great buck bed a little NW of the intersection. This intersection is heavily used as they can go from one side of the farm to another. We’ve caught them on camera making this one side to the other in 20 minutes.

On the Topo maps, the yellow lines are doe trails. The red lines are the buck trails. It is very interesting how they split in areas and merge back together in other areas. The red dots are buck beds that are numbered to coordinate with the videos. The blue dots are doe bedding.

Since, I knew about Buck Bed 3 I didn’t include pics or videos of it. All of the beds have tree rubs close by.

Overall Topos (two maps)
Image
Image

Buck Bed 1
https://vimeo.com/303938189
https://vimeo.com/303938277

Buck Bed 1 - Rubbing Tree
https://vimeo.com/303938390

Buck Bed 2
https://vimeo.com/303938616

Coulee Intersection
Image

Tree at top 1/3 of Intersection
Image

So, it seems the buck beds in the NE section would have the buck be there with a S or SW wind. Know that I’m either walking on heavy leaf drop or snow. There is no way to walk in these woods silently that I’m aware of.

I need advice:
How would you access this north section without getting busted?
How far away would you get away from the beds?
Would you ever try to get in the tree at the top 1/3 of the Coulee Intersection?
How would you attempt to get in here stealthily?

Thanks in advance for your help.


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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby KPnorthdakota » Mon Dec 03, 2018 7:04 am

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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby Evanszach7 » Tue Dec 04, 2018 12:15 am

I’m usually 1 and done on these kind of spots, so I tend to error on the aggressive side. For me, it’d be a prerut (50% leaf drop), high pressure day, light sw winds less than 5mph, early morning, or last hour.

How would you access this north section without getting busted?
Along the draw beside the arrow

How far away would you get away from the beds?
Setup would be near the bottom, just almost touching the rear tips of the arrow to the coulee (<). Wind is gonna swirl more south of that arrow.

Would you ever try to get in the tree at the top 1/3 of the Coulee Intersection?

If the sign says to, and I can get away with it, yeah

How would you attempt to get in here stealthily?
Above conditions, preferably with wet leaves. Take an hour to work down that draw.
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby Evanszach7 » Tue Dec 04, 2018 12:17 am

Evanszach7 wrote:I’m usually 1 and done on these kind of spots, so I tend to error on the aggressive side. For me, it’d be a prerut (50% leaf drop), high pressure day, light sw winds less than 5mph, early morning, or last hour.

How would you access this north section without getting busted?
Along the draw beside the arrow

How far away would you get away from the beds?
Setup would be near the bottom, just almost touching the rear tips of the arrow to the coulee (<). Wind is gonna swirl more south of that arrow.

Would you ever try to get in the tree at the top 1/3 of the Coulee Intersection?

If the sign says to, and I can get away with it, yeah

How would you attempt to get in here stealthily?
Above conditions, preferably with wet leaves. Take an hour to work down that draw.


Option 2... SW wind where the red numbered dots are. Access in am. All day sit, during rut.
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby KPnorthdakota » Tue Dec 04, 2018 3:21 am

Evanszach7 wrote:I’m usually 1 and done on these kind of spots, so I tend to error on the aggressive side. For me, it’d be a prerut (50% leaf drop), high pressure day, light sw winds less than 5mph, early morning, or last hour.

How would you access this north section without getting busted?
Along the draw beside the arrow

How far away would you get away from the beds?
Setup would be near the bottom, just almost touching the rear tips of the arrow to the coulee (<). Wind is gonna swirl more south of that arrow.

Would you ever try to get in the tree at the top 1/3 of the Coulee Intersection?

If the sign says to, and I can get away with it, yeah

How would you attempt to get in here stealthily?
Above conditions, preferably with wet leaves. Take an hour to work down that draw.


Thanks for your reply. Lots of good advice. I, especially, like the advice of taking an hour to get down the East side draw. Walking slowly is something that I've committed to getting better at. I'm so stinking goal oriented that I get it in mind to just get to the stand. I think I will start taking a few steps, stopping and counting to a certain number and then do it again.

Questions:
You would hunt the bottom of the Coulee Intersection? Would you not worry about being spotted from the Buck Beds that are the red numbered dots?
Also, when you say "high pressure day" do you mean atmospheric pressure or heavy hunting pressure?
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby KPnorthdakota » Tue Dec 04, 2018 3:24 am

Evanszach7 wrote:
Evanszach7 wrote:I’m usually 1 and done on these kind of spots, so I tend to error on the aggressive side. For me, it’d be a prerut (50% leaf drop), high pressure day, light sw winds less than 5mph, early morning, or last hour.

How would you access this north section without getting busted?
Along the draw beside the arrow

How far away would you get away from the beds?
Setup would be near the bottom, just almost touching the rear tips of the arrow to the coulee (<). Wind is gonna swirl more south of that arrow.

Would you ever try to get in the tree at the top 1/3 of the Coulee Intersection?

If the sign says to, and I can get away with it, yeah

How would you attempt to get in here stealthily?
Above conditions, preferably with wet leaves. Take an hour to work down that draw.


Option 2... SW wind where the red numbered dots are. Access in am. All day sit, during rut.

Question:
You would put your stand on the Buck Beds (red numbered dots)?
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby NYBackcountry » Tue Dec 04, 2018 4:44 am

Great post, I'm going to take a better look after work.

Keep bumping this in the post season, you'll get way more responses.
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby KPnorthdakota » Tue Dec 04, 2018 6:52 am

NYBackcountry wrote:Great post, I'm going to take a better look after work.

Keep bumping this in the post season, you'll get way more responses.

First, awesome Moose pic. Second, I look forward to your reply. Finally, I will take your advice and keep bumping it.

Thank you.
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby NYBackcountry » Tue Dec 04, 2018 2:30 pm

KPnorthdakota wrote:
NYBackcountry wrote:Great post, I'm going to take a better look after work.

Keep bumping this in the post season, you'll get way more responses.

First, awesome Moose pic. Second, I look forward to your reply. Finally, I will take your advice and keep bumping it.

Thank you.


Thanks, it's from a camera I had on a run up in the Adirondacks. Was surprised to see such a nice bull to be honest.

So regarding your hunt, S or SW wind Im hunting the top trail headed west out of the coulee during the rut. Im walking all the way around, wide east on the picture and im dropping down into the creek there where it splits into three. Heading west and then climbing south as tight to that doe bedding (east of it) as I can and setting up on that trail as tight to the buck bedding as possible. I wouldnt hunt anywhere near the coulee bottom where the funnel pours in, to much variance with the wind swirling. I'd be nervous about being spotted down in there too. It's a risk the way I chose too but I think theres more distance between you and the buck on the access.

I'd probably check the trails for tracks too, see which ones hot. I will usually hunt doe bedding even if I blow the does out. He doesnt know, he's coming to check. I had two hunts this year where I busted does out of bedding and still had bucks checking trails.
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby KPnorthdakota » Tue Dec 04, 2018 3:38 pm

NYBackcountry wrote:
KPnorthdakota wrote:
NYBackcountry wrote:Great post, I'm going to take a better look after work.

Keep bumping this in the post season, you'll get way more responses.

First, awesome Moose pic. Second, I look forward to your reply. Finally, I will take your advice and keep bumping it.

Thank you.


Thanks, it's from a camera I had on a run up in the Adirondacks. Was surprised to see such a nice bull to be honest.

So regarding your hunt, S or SW wind Im hunting the top trail headed west out of the coulee during the rut. Im walking all the way around, wide east on the picture and im dropping down into the creek there where it splits into three. Heading west and then climbing south as tight to that doe bedding (east of it) as I can and setting up on that trail as tight to the buck bedding as possible. I wouldnt hunt anywhere near the coulee bottom where the funnel pours in, to much variance with the wind swirling. I'd be nervous about being spotted down in there too. It's a risk the way I chose too but I think theres more distance between you and the buck on the access.

I'd probably check the trails for tracks too, see which ones hot. I will usually hunt doe bedding even if I blow the does out. He doesnt know, he's coming to check. I had two hunts this year where I busted does out of bedding and still had bucks checking trails.

I’m glad you said what you did about blowing the does out and still hunting because that was a question and concern.

Now, in regards to your access, you’re saying you would take the East/West Coulee (at the three way) West to the NW Draw and walk up and come in just East of the NW Doe bedding? And then set up on the trail as close to the Buck Bed as possible?
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby Evanszach7 » Tue Dec 04, 2018 11:25 pm

KPnorthdakota wrote:
Evanszach7 wrote:
Evanszach7 wrote:I’m usually 1 and done on these kind of spots, so I tend to error on the aggressive side. For me, it’d be a prerut (50% leaf drop), high pressure day, light sw winds less than 5mph, early morning, or last hour.

How would you access this north section without getting busted?
Along the draw beside the arrow

How far away would you get away from the beds?
Setup would be near the bottom, just almost touching the rear tips of the arrow to the coulee (<). Wind is gonna swirl more south of that arrow.

Would you ever try to get in the tree at the top 1/3 of the Coulee Intersection?

If the sign says to, and I can get away with it, yeah

How would you attempt to get in here stealthily?
Above conditions, preferably with wet leaves. Take an hour to work down that draw.


Option 2... SW wind where the red numbered dots are. Access in am. All day sit, during rut.

Question:
You would put your stand on the Buck Beds (red numbered dots)?


Yes. Option 1 then a few weeks later option 2. Given how close they are to doe bedding I’m assuming they are breeding related beds- monitoring doe activity. I’m only gonna hunt a buck bed once or twice before he knows he’s being hunted. 1st sit, best sit. I’ve very rarely had encounters tip toeing around... Option 2, seems like a cruising funnel, or a good place to catch 1 coming back to bed late.
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby NYBackcountry » Wed Dec 05, 2018 1:49 am

KPnorthdakota wrote:
NYBackcountry wrote:
KPnorthdakota wrote:
NYBackcountry wrote:Great post, I'm going to take a better look after work.

Keep bumping this in the post season, you'll get way more responses.

First, awesome Moose pic. Second, I look forward to your reply. Finally, I will take your advice and keep bumping it.

Thank you.


Thanks, it's from a camera I had on a run up in the Adirondacks. Was surprised to see such a nice bull to be honest.

So regarding your hunt, S or SW wind Im hunting the top trail headed west out of the coulee during the rut. Im walking all the way around, wide east on the picture and im dropping down into the creek there where it splits into three. Heading west and then climbing south as tight to that doe bedding (east of it) as I can and setting up on that trail as tight to the buck bedding as possible. I wouldnt hunt anywhere near the coulee bottom where the funnel pours in, to much variance with the wind swirling. I'd be nervous about being spotted down in there too. It's a risk the way I chose too but I think theres more distance between you and the buck on the access.

I'd probably check the trails for tracks too, see which ones hot. I will usually hunt doe bedding even if I blow the does out. He doesnt know, he's coming to check. I had two hunts this year where I busted does out of bedding and still had bucks checking trails.

I’m glad you said what you did about blowing the does out and still hunting because that was a question and concern.

Now, in regards to your access, you’re saying you would take the East/West Coulee (at the three way) West to the NW Draw and walk up and come in just East of the NW Doe bedding? And then set up on the trail as close to the Buck Bed as possible?


Yeah, that would be my plan. I may not even go as far west as that draw, I'd probably cut up the east side of it straight south to the trail.
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby KPnorthdakota » Wed Dec 05, 2018 2:19 am

Evanszach7 wrote:
KPnorthdakota wrote:
Evanszach7 wrote:
Evanszach7 wrote:I’m usually 1 and done on these kind of spots, so I tend to error on the aggressive side. For me, it’d be a prerut (50% leaf drop), high pressure day, light sw winds less than 5mph, early morning, or last hour.

How would you access this north section without getting busted?
Along the draw beside the arrow

How far away would you get away from the beds?
Setup would be near the bottom, just almost touching the rear tips of the arrow to the coulee (<). Wind is gonna swirl more south of that arrow.

Would you ever try to get in the tree at the top 1/3 of the Coulee Intersection?

If the sign says to, and I can get away with it, yeah

How would you attempt to get in here stealthily?
Above conditions, preferably with wet leaves. Take an hour to work down that draw.


Option 2... SW wind where the red numbered dots are. Access in am. All day sit, during rut.

Question:
You would put your stand on the Buck Beds (red numbered dots)?


Yes. Option 1 then a few weeks later option 2. Given how close they are to doe bedding I’m assuming they are breeding related beds- monitoring doe activity. I’m only gonna hunt a buck bed once or twice before he knows he’s being hunted. 1st sit, best sit. I’ve very rarely had encounters tip toeing around... Option 2, seems like a cruising funnel, or a good place to catch 1 coming back to bed late.

Thank you for you advice.
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby KPnorthdakota » Wed Dec 05, 2018 2:20 am

NYBackcountry wrote:
KPnorthdakota wrote:
NYBackcountry wrote:
KPnorthdakota wrote:
NYBackcountry wrote:Great post, I'm going to take a better look after work.

Keep bumping this in the post season, you'll get way more responses.

First, awesome Moose pic. Second, I look forward to your reply. Finally, I will take your advice and keep bumping it.

Thank you.


Thanks, it's from a camera I had on a run up in the Adirondacks. Was surprised to see such a nice bull to be honest.

So regarding your hunt, S or SW wind Im hunting the top trail headed west out of the coulee during the rut. Im walking all the way around, wide east on the picture and im dropping down into the creek there where it splits into three. Heading west and then climbing south as tight to that doe bedding (east of it) as I can and setting up on that trail as tight to the buck bedding as possible. I wouldnt hunt anywhere near the coulee bottom where the funnel pours in, to much variance with the wind swirling. I'd be nervous about being spotted down in there too. It's a risk the way I chose too but I think theres more distance between you and the buck on the access.

I'd probably check the trails for tracks too, see which ones hot. I will usually hunt doe bedding even if I blow the does out. He doesnt know, he's coming to check. I had two hunts this year where I busted does out of bedding and still had bucks checking trails.

I’m glad you said what you did about blowing the does out and still hunting because that was a question and concern.

Now, in regards to your access, you’re saying you would take the East/West Coulee (at the three way) West to the NW Draw and walk up and come in just East of the NW Doe bedding? And then set up on the trail as close to the Buck Bed as possible?


Yeah, that would be my plan. I may not even go as far west as that draw, I'd probably cut up the east side of it straight south to the trail.

Okay. I wanted to make sure I understood. Thank you for the help.

It's going to be interesting to see whether I can walk that coulee. The coulee that is south and east is so full of fallen trees that it is impassable. I was going to use it as an access this hunting season but could not use it at all.

Maybe I can do some off-season trimming to clean up the coulees enough to be able to use them for traveling.
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Re: Great Day of Scouting...Any Advice?

Unread postby NYBackcountry » Wed Dec 05, 2018 2:40 am

Anytime.

I really like these types of in depth scenarios with maps and videos, thanks for the post. I'm curious to see what some of the more experienced beasts have to say once the seasons wrap up.


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