Comparing points

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Southern Man
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Comparing points

Unread postby Southern Man » Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:29 am

The area I hunt is long, narrow ridgelines with points coming off constantly. There are few if any bluff areas around here. So if I'm back in the timber away from fields and all things being equal, would a buck be more likely to bed on a point that has a steeper drop versus a point the has an even, gentle sloping point. It seems a point with a steeper drop would have more favorable thermals and a point that has a gentle, consistent slope would not be as favorable for thermals.


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Re: Comparing points

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Thu Mar 14, 2013 7:25 am

I think the buck will use what he has available and use it to his advantage. Granted, the sloping points you have may not have as good of a thermal current, but it would still be the best available bedding the buck has in the area.

Since hunting farmland and hills like you describe, I've learned that any relative change in terrain can cause a thermal effect that benefits the deer. Let me describe a farmland scenario that is way lower in elevation than the hills you are hunting. I have a particular field where the hills are highest in the crop fields and the lowest areas are in the surrounding creeks. Most of the deer will not access the field from the surrounding fingers, but will access from the lowest possible spots in the fields. The deer seem to do this to smell the falling thermals that get sucked down into the low spots of the fields.
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Re: Comparing points

Unread postby Southern Man » Thu Mar 14, 2013 7:58 am

Southern Man wrote:The area I hunt is long, narrow ridgelines with points coming off constantly. There are few if any bluff areas around here. So if I'm back in the timber away from fields and all things being equal, would a buck be more likely to bed on a point that has a steeper drop versus a point the has an even, gentle sloping point. It seems a point with a steeper drop would have more favorable thermals and a point that has a gentle, consistent slope would not be as favorable for thermals.


That was posted by Blizzardhunter.
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Re: Comparing points

Unread postby dan » Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:27 am

MOBIGBUCKS wrote:I think the buck will use what he has available and use it to his advantage. Granted, the sloping points you have may not have as good of a thermal current, but it would still be the best available bedding the buck has in the area.

Since hunting farmland and hills like you describe, I've learned that any relative change in terrain can cause a thermal effect that benefits the deer. Let me describe a farmland scenario that is way lower in elevation than the hills you are hunting. I have a particular field where the hills are highest in the crop fields and the lowest areas are in the surrounding creeks. [glow=red]Most of the deer will not access the field from the surrounding fingers, but will access from the lowest possible spots in the fields. The deer seem to do this to smell the falling thermals that get sucked down into the low spots of the fields[/glow].

Great post MOBIGBUCKS... I have seen exactly the same thing.
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Re: Comparing points

Unread postby dan » Thu Mar 14, 2013 8:34 am

Back to the original post... Pressure and cover being equal, a buck would prefer steeper terrain when bedding along ridge points.

To go further into "comparing points" Not all points are created equal...

Points that have bedding for all the primary winds for your area are best places to look for primary bedding.

Bucks when given the choice prefer thick cover above the thermal tunnel, and open below.

They also like points that give them a view of the main hunter access / or parking lot.
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Re: Comparing points

Unread postby blizzardhunter » Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:48 pm

Thanks Dan, the reason I ask is I'm getting a late start down here scouting, especially for specific beds. There is a long ridgeline I have in mind, close to a mile. I know bucks travel down it a bunch, and have a few ideas where to start looking for beds. But there are so many points that I was wanting to narrow it down and search the best possibilitys due to time.
On the map I first posted there are a lot of old clearcuts in the bottoms and ridge sides. It appears the wind tunnel will fall right where clearcut meets mature timber. It will be close, maybe slightly inside the clearcut or just outside in the mature timber. From what I've read on here not only should I look for buck beds in there but wouldnt that be an excellent place for cruising bucks during the rut? An edge/windtunnel funnel?


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