How to hunt this buck?

[Lheise88]

About a month ago I went to a spot I hunted last year in November. It sets up with the road and a big lake running parallel with each other being about 100 yards a apart. The stand is 30 yards off the road and 70 yards from the lake. There is a 20-30 yard wide strip of grown up nasty stuff right next to the road. I can slip in super quiet and easy with a south wind being right in my face and I’m facing the lake. The bucks and deer in general run the edge of the grown up strip during the rut. The area between the lake and the strip of nasty stuff is just native grasses and small bushes etc. I walked in a month ago to check the tree and make sure It all looked good for the season. To my surprise 20 yards from my stand tree I jumped a big big buck. In the nasty stuff. I can actually see the bed from my stand tree. The small 15 foot area is littered with huge buck turds and hair etc. I figure this is a summer bed being as the wind is mostly out of the south during the summer and the buck feels safe with the road to other side. My question is am I stupid to try to sneak in super early October 1st or the First south wind of the season in the morning and try to beat the buck to his bed? How early do bucks get to there beds that early in the season? I usually don’t focus on beds until closer to the rut. I guess I figure I don’t have much to lose either way as I know last November the bed was not active at all And I did notice it but wrote it off as a random doe bed that hadn’t been used in a wile being as there was no rubs around it. Any suggestions would help as I’ve been wracking my brain on what to do!

[Jdw]

IMO it is tough setting up on beds in the AM unless there is a good chance the buck will be late going back to bed.

There is a good chance, depending on how long your stand has been there and how many times you have been there preparing it and hunting it, that the buck knows it is there and is watching it.

I would do an evening hang and hunt just out of sight, scent, sound, in the direction you think he will be likely to leave the first day you have the correct wind direction.

Keep in mind your evening thermal will probably pull to the lake.

[Lheise88]

IMO it is tough setting up on beds in the AM unless there is a good chance the buck will be late going back to bed.

There is a good chance, depending on how long your stand has been there and how many times you have been there preparing it and hunting it, that the buck knows it is there and is watching it.

I would do an evening hang and hunt just out of sight, scent, sound, in the direction you think he will be likely to leave the first day you have the correct wind direction.

Keep in mind your evening thermal will probably pull to the lake.

I thought about trying to go to the other side of the lake and glassing the deer in the am from a long ways off and see what time he’s going into bed. I don’t have a stand in the tree at all. I hang and hunt every time so I don’t think he has any idea or would have me being there. And good idea about the thermals in the evening!!!

[Wlog]

If there is a place where there is the possibility of glassing from a distance and seeing right to or really close to the beds without disturbing anything I’ll choose that anytime over going right in there and taking a guess. If I could glass it from far away that’s what I would do.

[Lheise88]

If there is a place where there is the possibility of glassing from a distance and seeing right to or really close to the beds without disturbing anything I’ll choose that anytime over going right in there and taking a guess. If I could glass it from far away that’s what I would do.

I’ll be out there Sunday morning for sure. Idk why I didn’t think about doing that sooner!

[Jdw]

IMO it is tough setting up on beds in the AM unless there is a good chance the buck will be late going back to bed.

There is a good chance, depending on how long your stand has been there and how many times you have been there preparing it and hunting it, that the buck knows it is there and is watching it.

I would do an evening hang and hunt just out of sight, scent, sound, in the direction you think he will be likely to leave the first day you have the correct wind direction.

Keep in mind your evening thermal will probably pull to the lake.

I thought about trying to go to the other side of the lake and glassing the deer in the am from a long ways off and see what time he’s going into bed. I don’t have a stand in the tree at all. I hang and hunt every time so I don’t think he has any idea or would have me being there. And good idea about the thermals in the evening!!!

Some observation sits sound like a great idea.

I am curious if you see any morning movement in the early season. Through observation You might be able to put an afternoon plan together if morning doesn’t pan out.