How Steep is too Steep?

[BunB231]

Thanks to The Hunting Beast, this season I had great results hunting leeward ridges. I hunt norther LP of Michigan. Before this year I had never hunted public. Last ysshb spring I scouted some big ridges and found some spots for different winds in deep to setup during the rut.

2 hunts on these public ridges (1 bow November 9th, 1 last day of rifle) 2 bucks down over 2.5 years old. Needless to say, I've been looking all over for more good leeward ridges deep in public within a reasonable drive so I can scout it.

I've scouted a couple more ridges.. big ridges, fairly strait with no change in direction, and no intersecting ridges, and both ridges are over 2 miles long. Super deep in public LP Michigan. Flat ground on top, and swamp on the bottom on both ridges. Both run ridges run north south which is great for the prevailing fall west winds.

I've found lots of sign on top of these ridges, and tons of sign in the miles of swamp, inslands, and riverbottom below (swamps run for another 2-3 miles east of the ridges, so not just concentrated sign along the bottoms).

The thing is, both ridges are crazy Steep. I'm talking "don't climb up directly behind me while we climb up the ridge because I don't want a Rick slide to take off your face."

Back to my question; anyone have expierence with bucks traversing crazy steep hillsides? I want to try s couple spots this year, but man, it's crazy steep and little Sig on the leeward side. Thanks for your input

[Moccasin Hunter]

Here in the mountains I have seen beds on 50 degree slopes. Trails to, they like to bed high and they use the flat spots left when a tree falls down slope . When the roots rot and the unstable bank above falls back into the root hole it leaves a perfect little shelf reenforced by the remaining rotten log. Perfect vantage points. I dont think it ever gets too steep!

[Moccasin Hunter]

Here in the mountains I have seen beds on 50 degree slopes. Trails to, they like to bed high and they use the flat spots left when a tree falls down slope . When the roots rot and the unstable bank above falls back into the root hole it leaves a perfect little shelf reenforced by the remaining rotten log. Perfect vantage points. I dont think it ever gets too steep!

[KLEMZ]

Great information Moccasin! I have found beds like you describe but did not understand how they came to be beds. Your explanation makes a lot of sense! Best thing I learned all day!

[Wlog]

This past weekend I was scouting old strip mines. The highest part of the ridges were devoid of deer sign because just down from the top of the ridges they were cut straight down about 50 ft. They were perfectly vertical so there wouldn't be a good escape route. But right below each stripped off side of the ridge there would be a shelf about 20-25 yards wide. I found tons of beds on the shelfs.

They were bedding right at the edge of the shelf looking down hill. Nothing could get to them from above because of the cliff. If anything came at them from the sides they could run the shelf the opposite direction or drop down and cross the bottom. Anything that came at them from the bottom would be seen or winded with an updraft.

The best buck bedding I found was where two shelfs met and made an inside corner. The bucks were bedding just uphill from inside bends of the shelf. They could see down both shelfs because they formed a "V" and the hill wasn't stripped away at the inside corners so they could get up above. In the mornings they could walk the flat shelfs and approach their bed with the thermals dropping to them as they approached.

I think it would have to be a straight vertical cliff to be too steep.

[Moccasin Hunter]

Great information Moccasin! I have found beds like you describe but did not understand how they came to be beds. Your explanation makes a lot of sense! Best thing I learned all day!

Just a little mountain experience. I found a single bed exactly like this 4 days ago and it was at 2700 ft elevation with 2 rubbed saplings on the edge of the ledge. Another positive about these beds is the tendency of new growth from the roots of the uprooted tree. Good cover and rub trees, they normally access on small trails horizontally along the same elevation over to the ridge point or into the hollow below.

[Moccasin Hunter]

Great information Moccasin! I have found beds like you describe but did not understand how they came to be beds. Your explanation makes a lot of sense! Best thing I learned all day!

Just a little mountain experience. I found a single bed exactly like this 4 days ago and it was at 2700 ft elevation with 2 rubbed saplings on the edge of the ledge. Another positive about these beds is the tendency of new growth from the roots of the uprooted tree. Good cover and rub trees, they normally access on small trails horizontally along the same elevation over to the ridge point or into the hollow below. This was on at least a 55 degree slope!

[tim]

im hunting the bluffs of western Wisconsin, u wouldn't believe some of the steep bluffs these deer are using , so yes they use them and with ease.

[Moccasin Hunter]

Here in the mountains I have seen beds on 50 degree slopes. Trails to, they like to bed high and they use the flat spots left when a tree falls down slope . When the roots rot and the unstable bank above falls back into the root hole it leaves a perfect little shelf reenforced by the remaining rotten log. Perfect vantage points. I dont think it ever gets too steep!

Here are some pics of a bed l found, along with the access & exit trail. Notice the rotten log & old rubs!