Roadside Bed

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PAHUNTER570
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Roadside Bed

Unread postby PAHUNTER570 » Fri Jun 09, 2017 10:42 am

Yesterday I had the day off and spent the morning scouting. Took a look at some areas that seemed interesting that I came across during turkey season. First spot was a marsh/ swamp area that was close to the road. Human traffic moves to the outside of the bedding and on a N or NW wind the buck can smell anyone on that trail. I saw 4-5 trees in this thick nasty marsh area and decided to check it out. As soon as I reached the treed'd area I found 5 large beds with in 20 yards of each other. I also jumped a lone deer in this area. It didn't blow until it got down wind of me, can I assume that this is a buck and the one using this area?


Josh_S
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby Josh_S » Sat Jun 10, 2017 5:45 am

Could be a buck bedding area with multiple beds, doe bedding, or maybe even a combination of both. Either way it's worth further investigation on your part. Figure out what is using the bedding area, what times of year its being used (at least summer in this case), and what winds it is being used on. Put a trail camera up on the exit trail to gather intel. If its wet in the area it should be fairly easy to look for big tracks. It also may be worth an observation sit from a distance some evening if a front is moving thru or moon overhead in daylight is causing the deer to get up early. Is there a food source or open area nearby to shine at night? Use this time to learn what's using the bedding area. If it is indeed buck bedding, you may be rewarded with productive hunts for years to come as long as you don't over hunt it.
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby dan » Sat Jun 10, 2017 6:37 am

Were the beds well worn? I would expect its used by bucks, some does use buck type bedding areas too, but from your description it sounds like a classic over looked spot. Josh's answer was pretty good, no sense in me repeating. I would add however, that buck bedding areas are seldom only used by one buck... It happens, but most of the time a lot of different bucks use it.
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby PAHUNTER570 » Sat Jun 10, 2017 11:01 pm

The beds were all pretty worn, down to the dirt.

I went back yesterday to prep a tree and noticed a nice trail leading out of the bedding and crossing the road into some bigger fields. The trail was a little muddy and it had some big tracks leading into the bedding. I'm gonna shine the fields near it in a few weeks and see what's using it.
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby Josh_S » Sat Jun 10, 2017 11:50 pm

Sound like the ideal situation to monitor during the summer. Good luck and have fun.
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby tgreeno » Sun Jun 11, 2017 2:01 am

Glassing the fields right at dark and early in the morning is another way of seeing what's coming out. If the beds are that close, I would imagine during the summer, the bucks would be out before it's too dark to see them. Glassing is a little more covert, and you're less like to draw attention to the area.

Sounds like a promising spot.
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby rfickes87 » Sun Jun 11, 2017 11:46 am

Sounds like a place you should go spotting at here soon!

Also, this kind of area reminds me of a huge bodied buck my younger brother killed a few years ago on PA public. It was the last day of rifle season. We pushed out a big 6 x 4 ten point to him. I was totally shocked that kind of buck was in there. It was the last drive of the day and we were all tired so we just did it because it was easy, next to the road. Drug him 75 yards to the truck, went home! Just never know what can happen!
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rfickes87
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby rfickes87 » Sun Jun 11, 2017 11:51 am

Also, looking at the size of poopies could tell you your answer as to buck or doe.

I listened to singing bridges podcast the other day.

Coke can sized poop clumps...
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby PAHUNTER570 » Sun Jun 11, 2017 4:07 pm

Is it possible to put to much pressure on a buck glassing? For instance if I shine in these fields two nights a week and tried glassing for him one night a week right at dusk, is this excessive?
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby dan » Mon Jun 12, 2017 1:37 am

PAHUNTER570 wrote:Is it possible to put to much pressure on a buck glassing? For instance if I shine in these fields two nights a week and tried glassing for him one night a week right at dusk, is this excessive?

I have seen them spook from an area from excessive shining, and I have seen them still come back over and over. I try to keep tabs, but just see he is there and leave rather than watching for to long or coming back several times a night or every night. You also don't want to tip others off on him being there.
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Re: Roadside Bed

Unread postby UofLbowhunter » Mon Jun 12, 2017 11:28 am

PAHUNTER570 wrote:Is it possible to put to much pressure on a buck glassing? For instance if I shine in these fields two nights a week and tried glassing for him one night a week right at dusk, is this excessive?



I agree with dan, some spook,some dont. Most of the time the deer spook out of a field for me! Ive learned this the hard way. I do think there is certian things you can do to prevent this from happening, one being dont let them know your around! Dont let them wind you or catch your scent! If i got a field near a road where i see bucks dont ever stop, keep moving past the field and stop down the road aways then sneak back to the edge keeping the wind in mind! Over the years i haved had best luck first time in , and if i got busted it really went down hill. Keeping a good distance has help me get more sightings as well. Glassing at minimum ( low impact) keeps them coming back the most for me. I kinda looked at it as i was hunting not scouting. Like dan said dont let anybody know cause they will be going to see whats goin on,believe me they will! One thing late summer fronts does bring them out alil earlier, so ive noticed.
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