So I just finished re-reading everything I could find about in-season scouting and buck beds in general and I want to see if I can apply it (in theory at least) to a real area I will be able to hunt. This is an area I've hunted twice last year but never had much success. Once was in the marshy area- didn't find beds or see anything but heard something big make a sucking sound in the mud. Second time was on a hilltop but I didn't really understand how to do in-season scout/hunting. The sign is there, so I know there are bucks in the area, I'm just not sure yet how or when they're using it. I've included a topo and aerial map with some markings based on what I've observed. All the red dots on the topo are assumed potential bedding spots. I could be totally off and I've not had a chance to get in there to check.
So here's my thoughts and tell me where I might be wrong and (miracle of miracles) if I got anything right.
My first thought is to almost ignore the southern point overlooking the parking lot. Bucks will see me coming out of the car and accessing from the road instead of the parking lot means a climb up a very steep hill I'm not sure I can do.
The northern point seems to hold some potential My plan is take the trail that goes along a little brook and then turns north up the hill at the back of that point (see aerial). Since bucks will be bedding on that point on a mostly NE wind, I'm going to try and look for a slightly off wind ( N or NNE maybe?) to sneak in by taking the trail all the way to the back side of that hill and then work my way across that upper 1/3 elevation line until I see sign or even just a general gut check that I should set-up.
In addition to any other comments I'd like to know if anyone agrees with my proposed buck bed locations.
Lastly, I'm assuming that in the evening, most bucks will stage near the top of the hill before going into the CRP and corn nearby (place by DNR-left standing)- but I'm really not sure about that. Down below are a few beans (planted by DNR-also left standing) but other than that-there's no real food source down there in the immediate area, other than what's naturally there. It's mostly pasture land. There is water, however, in the form of a small brook I've seen tracks and rubs nearby. Even though we usually talk about hunting the top 1/3 of a hill, I'm wondering if I might be better off down closer to the beans & water source (the brook). All suggestions are welcome!
In Season Scouting Plan
- SonofUlam
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In Season Scouting Plan
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- stash59
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Re: In Season Scouting Plan
I'm no expert on this. But the oxbow north of the parking area also caught my eye.
- PK_
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Re: In Season Scouting Plan
I think you missed the one point I would expect to be the best potential.
Also, tough to tell for sure from this pic, but looks like there is a wet area in that crp to the north. could be dynamite.
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Also, tough to tell for sure from this pic, but looks like there is a wet area in that crp to the north. could be dynamite.
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- justdirtyfun
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Re: In Season Scouting Plan
PK are you looking at the narrow point outside the red line,bottom right?
If so it's a mistake easily made. When studying a map the WHOLE area has to be looked at. A feature that really affects the target bucks can be just outside of what YOU can hunt.
Just try to be aware of such map features and go from there. Some will funnel the deer to a huntable location.
The tracks along a boundary leaving or coming might be the best intel in that instance. During in season scouting if I find good buck tracks starting up a point from the bottoms it SHOULD play out that he is j-hooking to smell a potential bed.
On second glance I bet PK is thinking of the point just above the one I suggested. It points down and has a pond on it's right side. The human trail past it is a potential red flag though.
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If so it's a mistake easily made. When studying a map the WHOLE area has to be looked at. A feature that really affects the target bucks can be just outside of what YOU can hunt.
Just try to be aware of such map features and go from there. Some will funnel the deer to a huntable location.
The tracks along a boundary leaving or coming might be the best intel in that instance. During in season scouting if I find good buck tracks starting up a point from the bottoms it SHOULD play out that he is j-hooking to smell a potential bed.
On second glance I bet PK is thinking of the point just above the one I suggested. It points down and has a pond on it's right side. The human trail past it is a potential red flag though.
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- Jackson Marsh
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Re: In Season Scouting Plan
One spot for a rut hunt with a N or NE wind would be to walk the road South to the edge of the property, head straight up the hill to the upper edge of the pines, looks to flatten out there, might be an overlooked cruising spot.
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- SonofUlam
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Re: In Season Scouting Plan
PK_ wrote:I think you missed the one point I would expect to be the best potential.
Also, tough to tell for sure from this pic, but looks like there is a wet area in that crp to the north. could be dynamite.
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I've been up there a bit once before- as far as I can tell the entire top of this hill where the CRP is stays really dry. As far as the point I'm missing- is it the one overlooking the small pond? I guess I had ruled that out because of its proximity to the trail (human) going right under it, but maybe there's another way. I could try accessing that area by going up the small clearing on the west side. It's not really a trail, but resembles more of a power line clearing, but without any power lines. It's pretty steep there-not sure how well I could get up, but I might have a chance. So, assuming I did and worked my east would it be worth the risk of blowing out other deer if they were bedded near other points along that 1/3 ridge line? Would it be better to "hunt my way in" or just go for it?
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Re: In Season Scouting Plan
Bucks watch human trails just like parking lots!
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- IkemanTx
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Re: In Season Scouting Plan
TNstalker wrote:Bucks watch human trails just like parking lots!
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Isn't that the truth... I've jumped the same buck twice already this year at different parts of the same trail. He sits about 35 yards out in thick patches and watches. Both times seemed to be visual bedding only, as the wind was not in his favor (even for predators)
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Re: In Season Scouting Plan
The best one I found was a point for a north wind that had a trail on the east side they could see bc it lead from the field below an ran parallel to the point. 4 beds total in vines an blow downs. The best bed was on a knob off the main point. All beds could see the trail but this one it was for a south wind which he would smell u before he saw u if u came in on the trail.
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