Railroad Beds

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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funderburk
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Railroad Beds

Unread postby funderburk » Mon Apr 29, 2019 4:00 am

Anybody got experience with finding buck bedding along railroads?

I was out scouting yesterday and came across a railroad running through the public parcel I was walking. High banks (25-30ft). Pretty thick above and below. Found tons of sign and two beds.


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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby may21581 » Mon Apr 29, 2019 4:04 am

I would think this falls into the over looked category. Most hunters wouldn't even consider this area. If it meets the needs for a big buck to survive with security and safety at the top of the list then you found something special.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby ThePreBanMan » Mon Apr 29, 2019 4:24 am

I have an area where there's a gravel railroad bed down, but they never laid tracks. IDK why, but it is what it is. It's surrounded by woods on both sides. There are some dynamite spots along it for deer hunting in general. They're closer to a swap it travels through. I've never seen a wall banger there, but we don't have a ton of those in MA to begin with. Or I'm in the wrong place, which is more likely.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby funderburk » Mon Apr 29, 2019 4:52 am

ThePreBanMan wrote:I have an area where there's a gravel railroad bed down, but they never laid tracks. IDK why, but it is what it is. It's surrounded by woods on both sides. There are some dynamite spots along it for deer hunting in general. They're closer to a swap it travels through. I've never seen a wall banger there, but we don't have a ton of those in MA to begin with. Or I'm in the wrong place, which is more likely.


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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby HunterBob » Mon Apr 29, 2019 5:19 am

Awesome, definitely worth keeping your eyes on it. I imagine access will be worth thinking about as there must be a reason he is bedding there.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby greenhorndave » Mon Apr 29, 2019 5:30 am

Yes, I found a buck bed near a railroad scouting in early spring. Good view from it, Predominant wind was at his back, could look out over the swamp.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby nor' easter » Mon Apr 29, 2019 6:35 am

Railroad runs through 3 of my best properties. I find a pile of bedding in cattail swamps, tamarack swamps, and alders within 75 yards of active tracks.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby Acer18 » Mon Apr 29, 2019 8:48 am

I've found a few backed up to expressways, they seem to treat it alot like sizable water at their back.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby may21581 » Mon Apr 29, 2019 12:51 pm

Acer18 wrote:I've found a few backed up to expressways, they seem to treat it alot like sizable water at their back.


Another very good point here. I've heard of some nice wall hangers being shot very close to such highways. My old way of thinking was to think of the noise as a deterrent to big bucks. However their not dumb and they learn that no one ever crosses or comes in from that way after them. So a safety factor from the road trumps the noise.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby greenhorndave » Mon Apr 29, 2019 1:12 pm

may21581 wrote:
Acer18 wrote:I've found a few backed up to expressways, they seem to treat it alot like sizable water at their back.


Another very good point here. I've heard of some nice wall hangers being shot very close to such highways. My old way of thinking was to think of the noise as a deterrent to big bucks. However their not dumb and they learn that no one ever crosses or comes in from that way after them. So a safety factor from the road trumps the noise.

I know of a good buck bed in an area like this. I need to secure permission from an adjacent land owner just for access, but I think I can slide in on him from an unexpected direction on the right wind. I don’t know his size yet, but I’m going to take a crack at it if the stars align.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby 218er » Mon Apr 29, 2019 1:27 pm

I hunted grouse along rail road tracks a lot as a kid. We would occasionally jump deer off the sides. It seems very logical as a bedding spot: see from forever, hear from quite a distance, and or escape several directions. I never really put two and two together until now. I use to love hunting rr tracks. Everyone has to cross somewhere.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby funderburk » Mon Apr 29, 2019 1:47 pm

Once I saw it and started looking at the high spots and thick areas, a lightbulb went off. It made me think, “That’s where I’d be.” It was pretty eye opening. Never stumbled across train tracks in the middle of the woods before. Who knew.
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby may21581 » Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:35 pm

Might be a little off topic but one of the largest deer ever found in Ohio was on some railroad tracks. Some railroad workers found it while doing repairs to the tracks. I cant remember all the details of the story but I'm thinking its massive rack got caught on a fence and couldn't get loose. Just another traintrack story. Gotta love those overlooked spots!
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby greenhorndave » Mon Apr 29, 2019 2:48 pm

The railroad bed I saw was, maybe not surprisingly, on the upper 1/3 of the slope. 8-)

You can see the flattened area and a tuft of belly hair right in front of it. (in it as well)

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funderburk
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Re: Railroad Beds

Unread postby funderburk » Mon Apr 29, 2019 8:12 pm

may21581 wrote:Might be a little off topic but one of the largest deer ever found in Ohio was on some railroad tracks. Some railroad workers found it while doing repairs to the tracks. I cant remember all the details of the story but I'm thinking its massive rack got caught on a fence and couldn't get loose. Just another traintrack story. Gotta love those overlooked spots!


That’s really encouraging!
“I’ve always believed that the mind is the best weapon.” John Rambo


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