One last try on public this year.... please help

[WSalzNC]

I'm going to hunt a bedding spot on public this Saturday that I found about a month ago. Gently bumped a buck from the area while walking in that day. Its marked on the map here in Yellow, and the blue dots indicate a line of decent-size rubs I found leaving the area moving SE, right down the ridge. With wind from the West on Saturday, I plan to travel (Green line) down the existing main ridge trail past the secondary ridge in question, then loop around South and West to try to set up on this bedding spot. I'll be using a slug gun and have range to ~100 yards. Not using a treestand at this time, so I'll be brushing in near a treefall or something.

My bet here is afternoon Bed-to-Food movement, and I expect this buck to travel down the ridge SE into hardwood creek bottom for browse? The only agriculture that is less than a mile from this spot is right beside the parking area to the west. If a buck is still living in this area (or even down in the thicker creek bottom) I can't come up with a good idea of where he's probably eating. Any ideas? Feedback on the setup?

[Matty]

Access:
Is there any way to access from the East so you aren't walking upwind of the area? Maybe even loop South instead if possible?

Wind Direction/Bed:
Do you recall the date you bumped him? If so, I would look up the wind direction on wunderground weather history. He may not bed exactly where you bumped him on a West wind. I'm thinking he might be on the same point, but he may adjust to the more eastern "sub-point". Could even be on a different point entirely. I could also be dead wrong, I have seen several bucks bed in the same spot regardless of wind, but our deer can be very cramped in some locations here in NJ. Some of our bucks find refuge in very tiny areas around houses where no one can hunt. They don't always worry about wind direction, they just know they're safe next to the barking poodle and old lady making coffee. lol So ultimately I defer that to the experts here with more experience around bucks with lots of bedding options.

Where he's going:
What time of day did you bump him? If it was late in the day and you watched him calmly move off slowly, he may have headed in the general direction he would normally go anyway.

By the way, what's the food source near the parking area?

Hopefully Dan, or one of the other more prominent members will weigh in and help you too.

In any case, good luck, let us know how it turns out.

[WSalzNC]

Access:
Is there any way to access from the East so you aren't walking upwind of the area? Maybe even loop South instead if possible?

Wind Direction/Bed:
Do you recall the date you bumped him? If so, I would look up the wind direction on wunderground weather history. He may not bed exactly where you bumped him on a West wind. I'm thinking he might be on the same point, but he may adjust to the more eastern "sub-point". Could even be on a different point entirely. I could also be dead wrong, I have seen several bucks bed in the same spot regardless of wind, but our deer can be very cramped in some locations here in NJ. Some of our bucks find refuge in very tiny areas around houses where no one can hunt. They don't always worry about wind direction, they just know they're safe next to the barking poodle and old lady making coffee. lol So ultimately I defer that to the experts here with more experience around bucks with lots of bedding options.

Where he's going:
What time of day did you bump him? If it was late in the day and you watched him calmly move off slowly, he may have headed in the general direction he would normally go anyway.

By the way, what's the food source near the parking area?

Hopefully Dan, or one of the other more prominent members will weigh in and help you too.

In any case, good luck, let us know how it turns out.

Matty - thanks so much for the response. Your questions bring up some good ideas. First off, I'm having to change my schedule a bit on Saturday and will get there an hour later, so that stinks, but I will be flexible with it.

On Access: The area to the East marked with Red line is Restricted area, so I can't get in from over there. Looping around from the South is a good idea-- I can walk right up that creek and use that opportunity to explore as well. Most other hunters at this place set up on either side of that trail that I was planning on walking down, so I'll probably miss most of them going by way of the creek.

Wind/Bed: Awesome idea about Wunderground! The wind that day was WNW. The forecast for Saturday has now changed to WSW, so a little different. On that day, I bumped him mid-day and he headed West down into a hardwood draw. The points in this area are a mix of pines and cedars mostly, and fallen trees are frequent where I found the beds that day. All in all, I found several different beds that looked like they were used for different winds. All the draws around are a mix of oak and hickory, and if I remember correctly, many were white oaks. I would bet, however, that most of the acorns are already gone, but I'm not sure what else there is besides woody browse right now.

As far as him/them being other places-- that is very possible. This is kind of a crap shoot for me, but I don't have anywhere else I can hunt this year. There are some closer game lands, but I haven't scouted any yet. I have invested all my intellectual capital into this one-- in my biz, we would say "Diversify!" which is what I plan to do after the season is over, and fully scout this and other spots.

To your thought about other points, there are a few on the map that seem better set-up for W & SW wind. I marked a few below that I may wander over to. I can take the creek bed NE and get right to them.

The parking lot food plot: I hunted/scouted this thing weekend before last (with a N wind) and found a bunch of early-season sign, and bumped a buck from a CRP field. When I went back three days later to try to kill him (with a SW wind), they had mowed the field and we didn't see jack that entire afternoon. I'll be hitting up the parking area for sure next year during bow season, as I found some great rub lines and bedding area within 150 yards of the parking lot.

Thanks again sir. This is really helpful to get some perspective from someone experienced!

[Matty]

Wsalz,

The points you have circled are what I was thinking for a W wind...Some might be used on a WSW too, or more likely the other side of the main ridge depending on how "Southerly". Also depends on when the wind changes to that direction too and what it was before that.

The smallest circle around that little point you have near the rub line is where I was thinking he might bed for a W wind and it's the "sub-point" I mentioned earlier.

With the change in wind direction to WSW, I would say come in on the trail.

Walking up the creek with that wind would put you upwind again. The other thing to consider is that even on a W wind, that's where they'll likely be watching and you'd have to wait for the thermals to drop before going in. Otherwise they'll likely smell you anyway.

If that people trail sees a lot of use, you might be able to get away with walking it even on bad winds to get to the Eastern side and loop back in.

The good news is you're using a shotgun and can shoot about 100 yards. You don't have to push the issue as much as a bow and I wouldn't. Stay backed out a touch from where you suspect him to be bedded.

The other option and one I would likely do is to still hunt with the gun. If you were able to get close to this buck before while walking around, you might be able to slip around several of the most likely points, even if you bump him you still might be able to shoot him that way. Depends on ground noise really and using the wind direction to narrow down most likely beds. If you're lucky enough to have some wet leaves, or a steady wind, that's definitely the route I would go tomorrow. Plus it can give you intel for next season at the same time.

One last point I thought about is that you bumped him a month ago. He may not use that area still. Depends on the individual buck. Some tolerate a ton of "pressure" others tolerate none. An example is...earlier this year I accidentally bumped a big buck from a bed that I didn't know about. It was pouring rain and I wanted to check out an island in a big swamp I had never been to. Once I bumped the big buck my mission changed. Checked out the bed and realized I can probably see him from the road. From what I could observe, he didn't use that bed for 3 weeks after that. Finally when the time was right, I tried for him. Saw him, but he slipped by with no shot. He hasn't bedded there since. Those two times were enough to keep him from using the bed. I have seen him since, but now he beds right behind a house on the other side of the road on a big hill that no one can hunt. On the opposite end of the spectrum, I've also run into bucks that we have harassed nearly daily and they would return to their bed over and over, even within minutes of bumping them and shooting at them. I guess my point is that he may or may not even be there because he was bumped once already. Go in confidently though because you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. If it works out! Awesome. If not, it's intel for next year!

GOOD LUCK tomorrow!!!