observing buck beds from a distance

[mastermind]

Does anyone have observation stands where they can watch from a distance bedded down deer. I've located a couple nice beds in the middle of a weed/cattail area, its about 125-150 yds from parking lot, he watches who comes in and out I think. If I get up in on of the tall trees near lot I should be able to see the deer bedded down. Then maybe I can devise a game plan on where exactly to set up if possible.

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[PLB]

I would devise my game plan now if you know where the bed is. Figure everything out this spring, that way your first time in is kill time.

[ Post made via Android ]

[mastermind]

I've been trying to figure him out looks to be 4 trails he could take coming and going. The problem is no trees on 3 of them the other has nothing but saplings. Just kinda curious where he might be headed, few crop fields within 500 yds but they are on both sides of beds. Wouldn't observing him from distance this summer be same as spotting/shining? If I knew what trails he takes with regularity I might find a tree elsewhere, just my thoughts.

[ Post made via Android ]

[dan]

I've been trying to figure him out looks to be 4 trails he could take coming and going. The problem is no trees on 3 of them the other has nothing but saplings. Just kinda curious where he might be headed, few crop fields within 500 yds but they are on both sides of beds. Wouldn't observing him from distance this summer be same as spotting/shining? If I knew what trails he takes with regularity I might find a tree elsewhere, just my thoughts.

[ Post made via Android ]

Sounds like a good plan to me... I do the same thing in some of my spots. Sometimes it works, sometimes it don't.

[mastermind]

awesome looks like i got me a game plan then.

[Singing Bridge]

Does anyone have observation stands where they can watch from a distance bedded down deer. I've located a couple nice beds in the middle of a weed/cattail area, its about 125-150 yds from parking lot, he watches who comes in and out I think. If I get up in on of the tall trees near lot I should be able to see the deer bedded down. Then maybe I can devise a game plan on where exactly to set up if possible.

[ Post made via Android ]

This is an excellent tactical topic and the surface barely got scratched with the replies. Hopefully we can get some more input...

One of my concerns is if anyone thinking about this that has never done it before thinks it is ok to continually camp out on an observation stand a short ways from buck bedding... Not a Good Idea, in my opinion. In this particular area that "mastermind" has posted he can get near the bedded buck from a parking lot... an area that bucks expect human scent and intrusion, an ideal location for an observation stand.

But- what if the buck bed is in a remote big woods area for example? Or the back corner of a lightly hunted farm? Would it still be alright to put up a stand 150 yards off a buck bed that is likely within sight of the stand, even if you are certain the big buck will not see you? How often could a hunter get in this observation stand and get away with it without the buck relocating or shifting his movement to "after dark" travel?

Thoughts?

[jlh42581]

I think in the off months you can really push your luck. I have litterally walked into standing beans and had a bachelor group of nice bucks walk out 50 yards in front of me, look right at me and keep on rolling by, on HEAVY pressure land.

My plan would be this

Search the surrounding crop fields to find what is growing. Based on what I think the preferred food would be on the day I get the wind I need for that stand area I would hunt the parallel trail if hes getting there early enough. This situation sounds sticky because theres no where to put a stand. He almost has to move for you to have a chance.

I would attempt to get on that one while the summer pattern may still be holding.

[Dewey]

Does anyone have observation stands where they can watch from a distance bedded down deer. I've located a couple nice beds in the middle of a weed/cattail area, its about 125-150 yds from parking lot, he watches who comes in and out I think. If I get up in on of the tall trees near lot I should be able to see the deer bedded down. Then maybe I can devise a game plan on where exactly to set up if possible.

[ Post made via Android ]

Here is a thread I started on one of my favorite observation stands to watch a bedded buck...... viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12216

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[dan]

Singing Bridge makes an excellent point with being careful not to pressure the buck by observing him. I do have several beds I can view from a certain spot or vantage if I am careful without the buck knowing I am around. But, I don't usually do this in summer, or for viewing purposes. I generally already have a kill plan and check to see if he is there so that I can hunt him that evening if he is...
My best ones are "vision based" beds where bucks bed with wind to back over looking an open area. If the deer can see out, good chance you can see in with optics.

[Southern Man]

But- what if the buck bed is in ........ the back corner of a lightly hunted farm? .............. How often could a hunter get in this observation stand and get away with it without the buck relocating or shifting his movement to "after dark" travel?

Thoughts?

I once had a stand like this. A small clump of trees around a small pond in the middle of a 200 acre crop field. I could watch 2 woodlots that were connected by a narrow strip of timber. I knew the bedding areas in the woodlots and could easily enter and exit the stand without botherin them. I use to sit it quite a bit in the summertime watchin. I've tried to find that situation on other farms but haven't been able to. I guess that spot was unique in itself. I won't do it in the woods. Routinely spookin deer before the season doen't make for real good huntin.

[Singing Bridge]

I think in the off months you can really push your luck. I have litterally walked into standing beans and had a bachelor group of nice bucks walk out 50 yards in front of me, look right at me and keep on rolling by, on HEAVY pressure land.

You have me recalling a bachelor group of bucks I walked up on in the big woods a few years ago, by accident. They were in a forest meadow, grazing forbes and who knows what else, when I happened upon them. The group consisted of four (4) bucks and they were still in velvet... luckily I was positioned quartering down wind from them and I shadowed them for a while as they walked through and fed while moving toward their swamp bedding area. At least three (3) of the bucks were target animals but one of them was very large compared to the others, both in body and antler growth. I moved when they moved, and a cool breeze blowing kept me undetected as I tried to keep a little cover between us.

Finally, the jig was up and they detected me... but could not smell me. The three smaller bucks exploded into the wind, tails high and they departed with great speed... they returned to where they had come from and used the wind... it had been safe before I arrived and they were using their greatest sense, right?

While the others fled post-haste, the big fella kept his head and tail down... rather than running and leaping like the others, he kept a low profile and "trotted" out... directly down wind with the wind at his back. Within a second or two he had cover between us and was out of sight... and into a god-awful swamp I am sure he had used to escape predators of many types during his life-experience.

It was awesome to witness...

[whitetail007]

i was thinking of renting a plane and doing so air scouting over a large cattail swamp. i know of many beds but would like to see everything from the air. im sure trils and other beds would be visible and i could get a better look at the whole place and any other open areas within the marsh. anyone else ever do this?

[BigHunt]

Does anyone have observation stands where they can watch from a distance bedded down deer. I've located a couple nice beds in the middle of a weed/cattail area, its about 125-150 yds from parking lot, he watches who comes in and out I think. If I get up in on of the tall trees near lot I should be able to see the deer bedded down. Then maybe I can devise a game plan on where exactly to set up if possible.

[ Post made via Android ]

Here is a thread I started on one of my favorite observation stands to watch a bedded buck...... viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12216

[ Post made via iPhone ]

ya i remember this from last season ...cool stuff im sure your pumped to get back in there!?

[BigHunt]

i have a plan of getting a small kayak to check a couple spots of mine....i can easily glass two or three beds from the water from a far distance cant wait for this summer!!!!

[dan]

i was thinking of renting a plane and doing so air scouting over a large cattail swamp. i know of many beds but would like to see everything from the air. im sure trils and other beds would be visible and i could get a better look at the whole place and any other open areas within the marsh. anyone else ever do this?

Pat from Picketts store in Rome was telling me that she rented a hot air balloon and went real low and they were busting bucks out of there beds in the marsh...