Dan thanks for all of your info and help you've given. This is the first year hunting that I actually think I'm making progress in figuring out where to setup and hunt to have better shot at a nice buck!
So I've watched hill country bucks several times and been reading a lot here. The more I read it seems like the more questions I have.
First question: If you're hunting a new area without ever having scouted it, when looking at a topo and taking the wind into consideration and marking bedding, how do you determine which spot will likely hold a buck when there are multiple spots for the same wind?
In my map here, the yellow markers are where I would think bedding would be. The circled markers are places that I've seen a buck bed. I shot a small one walking in one time. The red line is a bluff from where they strip mined. The only access I have is on the west and east side of that line and the west is really hard to get through...very thick, very steep, very wet. I used to think deer wouldn't bed there since nothing can come from below but I'm starting to think it might be good bedding because of that...they don't have to worry about that one side. So if you were going to hunt this without having scouted it, where would you pick as prime places.
Second question: You set up on these bedding spots in the middle of the day. What are the reasons for not going in real early, say 2 hours before daylight and trying to beat the buck there? Is it possible he arrives to that bed earlier than that?
Third question: In my map, the upper portion of the ridge is mostly mature open hardwoods. As you move lower and lower it gets thicker and thicker. Do bucks tend to have a preference on open woods ridge bedding vs thick brushy bedding? I would think open woods would allow them to see down wind much further.
Beast style questions
- checkerfred
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Re: Beast style questions
Your marks look solid. That's about all you can do based solely on the topo.
Thick stuff, bucks love bedding on edge of it. Or right up in it at times. Just have to scout it thoroughly.
Bed hunting in the morning has been discussed quite a bit. Generally it is very tough to beat the buck there, even if you do, they almost always know you are there. Dan has posted many experiences of bumping bucks that were already in their bed 2+ hours before light. Some guys have luck watching moon position to catch bucks returning late to bed.
If you use the search function you will find oodles of info about it.
Thick stuff, bucks love bedding on edge of it. Or right up in it at times. Just have to scout it thoroughly.
Bed hunting in the morning has been discussed quite a bit. Generally it is very tough to beat the buck there, even if you do, they almost always know you are there. Dan has posted many experiences of bumping bucks that were already in their bed 2+ hours before light. Some guys have luck watching moon position to catch bucks returning late to bed.
If you use the search function you will find oodles of info about it.
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Re: Beast style questions
checkerfred wrote:Third question: In my map, the upper portion of the ridge is mostly mature open hardwoods. As you move lower and lower it gets thicker and thicker. Do bucks tend to have a preference on open woods ridge bedding vs thick brushy bedding? I would think open woods would allow them to see down wind much further.
I am with PalmettoKid and think your marks on the elevation line looks pretty good.
I would probably be more inclined to think the point on the left would be a more likely bedding point than the others.
As for your question#3 I think the bucks would tend to bed more so in the thicker cover, as long as that is where the wind tunnel is. The location of the wind tunnel will be a jey factor as to "where" the bucks will bed.
One thing came to my mind when reading your description and topo: "upper portion of the ridge is mostly mature open hardwoods. As you move lower and lower it gets thicker and thicker" I would scout this entire transition line between the open hardwoods and the thick stuff. This line should provide some insight to which bedding points the bucks are using most often.
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Re: Beast style questions
backstraps wrote:checkerfred wrote:Third question: In my map, the upper portion of the ridge is mostly mature open hardwoods. As you move lower and lower it gets thicker and thicker. Do bucks tend to have a preference on open woods ridge bedding vs thick brushy bedding? I would think open woods would allow them to see down wind much further.
I am with PalmettoKid and think your marks on the elevation line looks pretty good.
I would probably be more inclined to think the point on the left would be a more likely bedding point than the others.
As for your question#3 I think the bucks would tend to bed more so in the thicker cover, as long as that is where the wind tunnel is. The location of the wind tunnel will be a jey factor as to "where" the bucks will bed.
One thing came to my mind when reading your description and topo: "upper portion of the ridge is mostly mature open hardwoods. As you move lower and lower it gets thicker and thicker" I would scout this entire transition line between the open hardwoods and the thick stuff. This line should provide some insight to which bedding points the bucks are using most often.
Thanks guys! That point on the far west side, I always thought that would be a good place for them to bed...it's really hard to get to...I don't have access from the top so the only way would be come in would be from the far left where the red line ends. To do that, I'd have to go through thick brush, run off ponds from the mining, up a steep ravine then over to that ridge point. The red line is a sheer bluff from mining. The only other way would be to the right of that red line and walking all the way over to that. There's a mixture of open and thick brush along the ridge there.
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Re: Beast style questions
I think you marked your beds a little bit low... They are generally right where the hill starts rapid decline.
As far as "favored bedding points" and being able to pick them from a topo, I would look for points that point towards the least most likely wind. This way the bedding is good for most common winds just by rotating around the point. Even better if a short drop across the valley puts them into a bed for the odd ball wind if it changes during the day.
They also like narrow points that are hard to come down without him knowing it like the one pointed south you marked with 3 yellow dots.
As far as "favored bedding points" and being able to pick them from a topo, I would look for points that point towards the least most likely wind. This way the bedding is good for most common winds just by rotating around the point. Even better if a short drop across the valley puts them into a bed for the odd ball wind if it changes during the day.
They also like narrow points that are hard to come down without him knowing it like the one pointed south you marked with 3 yellow dots.
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Re: Beast style questions
Thanks everyone for the comments so far...I will eventually put all this together!
So how much higher up would they tend to be...maybe just below the first bold contour line? So that point I marked to the west is probably a prime bedding spot since it would accommodate an east, west, north east, north west wind?
All the area to the south of the red line is clearcut and left over mining spoils...really thick nasty stuff. Do bucks prefer bedding on ridges over thick stuff like that?
dan wrote:I think you marked your beds a little bit low... They are generally right where the hill starts rapid decline.
As far as "favored bedding points" and being able to pick them from a topo, I would look for points that point towards the least most likely wind. This way the bedding is good for most common winds just by rotating around the point. Even better if a short drop across the valley puts them into a bed for the odd ball wind if it changes during the day.
They also like narrow points that are hard to come down without him knowing it like the one pointed south you marked with 3 yellow dots.
So how much higher up would they tend to be...maybe just below the first bold contour line? So that point I marked to the west is probably a prime bedding spot since it would accommodate an east, west, north east, north west wind?
All the area to the south of the red line is clearcut and left over mining spoils...really thick nasty stuff. Do bucks prefer bedding on ridges over thick stuff like that?
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Re: Beast style questions
Yea, I would agree with that, or maybe the one right below that bold one.So how much higher up would they tend to be...maybe just below the first bold contour line?
So how much higher up would they tend to be...maybe just below the first bold contour line? So that point I marked to the west is probably a prime bedding spot since it would accommodate an east, west, north east, north west wind?
Yes... But it does lack bedding for a S.W. wind. Not sure if thats a common wind for you... Some of the bedding marked to the N.E. might be good to, looks like a short drop thru the valley and they can climb up a point to cover the missing East wind, but the map is cut off there so I am not positive.
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