How to hunt a certain bed.

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PredatorTC
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How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby PredatorTC » Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:04 am

After doing some scouting this past spring i came upon tw swamp/marsh buck beds that i dont know how i would hunt. I will explain. The area is made up of cattails and in the middle of the cattails is the cedars, red brush, and all that good stuff. There were two good buck beds just on the inside of this higher land right where the cedars meet the cattails. From what i saw they were bedding here and heading out into the cattails, and then eventualy makin it out to the woods or feilds These deer are most likely going 3/4 miles through the cattails so im sure its dark by the time they get to the land.

The question is, how the heck would you hunt these deer when there are no trees at all!! My only thought is to make a little opening just off the main trail and sit in the cattails and shoot him from the ground. I think a ladder like Dan used would make me stick out too much.

Any other ideas?


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PredatorTC
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby PredatorTC » Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:06 am

My plan at this point is to get back into this swmap during mid summer on a rainy day and set two trail cams to make sure that these bucks are alive yet and then ill stomp some cattails down so that I can be more stealthy on the day of the hunt
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby dan » Tue Apr 12, 2011 4:18 am

Wait till july and cut a shooting lane in the cattails. You wait so that all the new cattails have started growth. Use a machette or simalar tool. Cut two lanes, one to see the deer and judge it quickly about 10 paces from the shooting lane. The sight lane should be small and be at a point where you can pre-draw the bow before he enters the shooting lane. The shooting lane should angle backwords so when the buck walks into the lane he is quartering away from you ( rather than broadside ) and looking away from you. They don't tend to look back, and seem more worried about broadside and in front...
I would leave the cameras out of there, and not come back after clearing the lanes till its kill time.
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Tue Apr 12, 2011 6:48 am

I'm no expert and just picked up some more tips to make note of from dan's post so thanks for posting predator.

One thing I may suggest is finding where they come out of the cattails onto dry land and hanging cameras in the woods somewhere? Like I said I am no expert but I would think activity almost a mile from their beds wouldn't necessarily make then uncomfortable back in their beds or switch bedding areas. Or would it? I guess I am not sure but that was my first though was hang catch them after dark just to confirm they are out there. Good luck and keep us posted.
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby dreaming bucks » Tue Apr 12, 2011 7:57 am

maybe you could use the bump and dump technique here ? bump him out a hour or two before dark, set your stand up, and come back the next morning and kill him when he comes back to bed down..... of course, it has to be the right timing for the morning hunt, like we have talked about before here on the forum... maybe the right moonphase, or the right weather....

Just another option...
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby Swampthing » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:42 am

I tried to same thing basicly the same scenario also.I use a small lightweight height adjustable ,swiveling,tripod stool.The feet of the stool wanta sink outa sight. So I got some 1" thick hard plastic sheeting from my work.And bored out little countersunk holes in the pad where my stool legs drop into.Then no slipping off the pad works real good. I wish I woulda crafted something for a bow holder also.All of my ground blind holders just tip over in the muck .
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby wmihunter » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:51 am

tc, sounds like you got some good options. Hope you get em
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby dan » Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:42 pm

BackWoodsHunter wrote:I'm no expert and just picked up some more tips to make note of from dan's post so thanks for posting predator.

One thing I may suggest is finding where they come out of the cattails onto dry land and hanging cameras in the woods somewhere? Like I said I am no expert but I would think activity almost a mile from their beds wouldn't necessarily make then uncomfortable back in their beds or switch bedding areas. Or would it? I guess I am not sure but that was my first though was hang catch them after dark just to confirm they are out there. Good luck and keep us posted.

Camera on dry land where he moves at night much better.
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PredatorTC
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby PredatorTC » Wed Apr 13, 2011 2:23 am

dan wrote: would leave the cameras out of there, and not come back after clearing the lanes till its kill time.


But what if im hunting a dead deer? I do belive the one is alive because there are fresh looking hairs in the bed but i dont know about the other one.
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby magicman54494 » Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:48 am

PredatorTC wrote: But what if im hunting a dead deer?


I laughed when I read this. It sounds funny but I think that every time I set a stand based on last years sign. I don't worry about it because I figure if I'm hunting a good bedding area another good buck will bed there. I'm not usually after a specific buck. I'll take any mature buck that wanders by. If your looking for a specific buck or are real picky then I would set cameras to verify what is there.
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby PredatorTC » Wed Apr 13, 2011 3:51 am

you make a good point and no im not hunting anything in specific, just a shooter 8-)
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby dan » Wed Apr 13, 2011 4:43 am

MAGIC IS CORRECT... And, even if you are hunting a specific buck, cameras can be placed in night time feeding areas, or spotlights, tracks, rubs, etc.. can verify from a distance.
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Re: How to hunt a certain bed.

Unread postby headgear » Wed Apr 13, 2011 5:16 am

Very good poitn Magic, I hunt the same way. Just trying to find good bedding areas and take whatever mature buck presents a shot. I might get picky one of these years but I don't see if happening any time soon.

I know I should be taking better inventory but I just don't have many areas to shine and only run two cams and don't have a lot of time to monitor all the bedding areas I hunt. I guess I really depend on my scouting and seeing that fresh sign on the way into their staging areas.


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