How close can you get?

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BackWoodsHunter
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How close can you get?

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Tue Apr 12, 2011 10:40 am

I have been doing some reading around on the site and scouting out on some public land in some spots and have been trying to find ways to incorporate in season scouting/trail cams to my hunting for fall. I am wondering how close, in everyone's opinion, can you get to a bucks bedding area without spooking him or causing him to change where he beds? For example one spot I want to hunt is 3/4s a mile walk from the parking area carrying all my gear PLUS waders, then 1/4 mile or so through much and swamp nasty to an island. The island is probably about a 1/2 mile or so from tip to tip and of course the buck is bedded on the other end. I picked this spot out on a map and figured it would have activity. I went out there last week and got a good feel for the area but its a killer and with waders and all gear it seems like a lot of work. I am willing to do the work but I will be livid if I get out there to find a fork horn bedding there or another small buck. That being said it would be a lot easier carrying in a camera or two and setting it up in september on the island to check the deer activity and see if its a deer even worth hunting...would I be better off setting it out in the swamp some where is the island too close? Any other tips and advice to go with this topic and scouting relative to a bucks bedding area without letting them know you are onto where they bed would be greatly appreciated.


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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby Swampthing » Tue Apr 12, 2011 11:25 am

I,m contemplating the exact same scenario myself Backwoods.I scouted my Island spot again this past weekend and found a promising spot.The bed I,m hunting is also on the backside of the Island( the downwind side of the prevailing wind). I hunted it last year to no avail.And some neighbors shot a large buck 1/2 mile away in a large CRP field ,that I think might have been from this spot.I always wanted to run a camera out there thinking there was maybe a monster running around out there. But I decided this year to fill my curiosities and place a camera there. There is a funnel that I hunted last year that was about 1/4 mile from the bed.So I,m gonna take my chances and place my camera there .I,m thinking about placeing it early like June and not touching it or going near it until late August .
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby Casper » Tue Apr 12, 2011 12:04 pm

Personally, I would stay out of there till your first hunt. Hunt the bed with the wind you need to hunt the bed, if he doesnt show, I would leave a camera there.. Hunt it one more time 2-3 weeks later. Check the cam and then you have the info you need without burning what could be a really good spot.
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby PLB » Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:24 pm

Casper wrote:Personally, I would stay out of there till your first hunt. Hunt the bed with the wind you need to hunt the bed, if he doesnt show, I would leave a camera there.. Hunt it one more time 2-3 weeks later. Check the cam and then you have the info you need without burning what could be a really good spot.

I agree but I wouldn't bother with a camera on the island. I would put a camera out in July or August in a preferred feeding area. Don't let him know he's being hunted by putting a trail camera in his bedroom during hunting season. I would set up beast style and move in for the kill when conditions are right ;) If the buck your after does not show or lesser buck shows, back out and give it a couple weeks off. That's why you need many of these types of spots to cover a whole hunting season!
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby dan » Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:38 pm

The buck beedding there in July, might not be the buck bedding there in October ;)

In my opinion, if you founf a good buck bed / staging area, hunt it... Keep the camera out of there.
You need to decide oif you would rather hang his trail cam picture on your wall, or the mount...
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby Swampthing » Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:48 pm

dan wrote:The buck beedding there in July, might not be the buck bedding there in October ;)

In my opinion, if you founf a good buck bed / staging area, hunt it... Keep the camera out of there.
You need to decide oif you would rather hang his trail cam picture on your wall, or the mount...


Your right, I never thought about Mutiple bucks useing the bed.Would you suggest hunting the Island spot early season or mabey late October.
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:53 pm

Ah those are good words of wisdom thanks guys I'll just buy a lighter pair of waders and tough it out then I guess come fall. I will post pics of the area in the near future asking for some advice as well...building off this question I had another question relative to hunting bedding areas and specific bucks.

To get multiple hunts on a bedding area can you set up on it multiple times slowly closing the distance without the buck leaving the area. For example I have a buck bed 1 mile from feeding source and the area has low pressure or its early season and he moves in daylight. Can I hunt 500 yards into the timber off the feeding source without him spooking and leaving the area the first time. Then come back for a second hunt in a few days and move closer then on a third hunt go for it all and move in right on top of him. I ask this for a couple reasons, the main one being I'm not the best at reading this sign. I think I find these bedding areas etc but I have trouble locating a specific bed or think there may be multiple beds. One example is a spot I scouted last week it was 2ft under water I don't want to wander to close and bump my buck out of there and I don't want to hunt the edge of the food source a mile away and see does. Can I get a few hunts out of the area with him still feeling safe to bed where he is bedding if I maintain a distance or will it drive him to be more and more nocturnal.
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby dan » Tue Apr 12, 2011 1:57 pm

I would go for broke and hunt as close as you can the 1st time... Catching the buck totally off gaurd is usually better than letting him know he is being hunted and then trying to get close.
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby dan » Tue Apr 12, 2011 2:00 pm

Your right, I never thought about Mutiple bucks useing the bed.Would you suggest hunting the Island spot early season or mabey late October.

I would suggest hunting him when my scouting and his sign tell me he is there... Some beds are best early, some late, some can produce all season.
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Tue Apr 12, 2011 2:44 pm

dan wrote:
Your right, I never thought about Mutiple bucks useing the bed.Would you suggest hunting the Island spot early season or mabey late October.

I would suggest hunting him when my scouting and his sign tell me he is there... Some beds are best early, some late, some can produce all season.



I'm in the same boat as swampthing I guess with the island spot. So now I ask how can I tell when he is using the bed without getting close and setting up on him. I guess I should put together a few pics of this spot I am talking about. There are trails wide wide wide trails going from the timber behind the food source across the cattails going to two spots one is a conifer bog loaded with tamaracks and stuff and the other is the island I will be hunting. Clearly there are more deer than just this one buck using the spot. And it would appear from the tip of the island I found the sign on to the tip of these conifer bogs is a good trail or trail system the deer use too. Unfortunately I ditched my waders and my pvc boots weren't tall enough to follow the sign very far before I crashed through. If I had some maps could I be better helped or am I a lost cause? I can find the bedding spots but accessing them and figuring out which winds and stuff the deer are bedding there for confuses me.

Also thanks for the tip on going for broke on hunt #1 I will do my best this fall. I only have a few public spots scouted out but a guy has to start somewhere I guess.
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby dan » Tue Apr 12, 2011 8:42 pm

I'm in the same boat as swampthing I guess with the island spot. So now I ask how can I tell when he is using the bed without getting close and setting up on him.

While scouting you should be asking yourself the questions, why would a buck bed here? when would he bed here?
Is there a food source at the end of his trail? Is it a specific timing food source, such as corn, beans, or acorns? Will that crop rotate this year? Is it a year round bed? or seasonal?
Also, when in season scouting the crops / food sources, are there lots of fresh sign that a big buck is around? to tracks and trails on the edge of the marsh lead you to believe he is coming from the right direction?
Do trail cam pic's in those nearby night time feeding areas show timing that would lead you to believe he is bedding nearby?
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby Black Squirrel » Wed Apr 13, 2011 12:46 am

Good stuff here, guys 8-)
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby goldtip5575 » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:22 am

If you are allowed to shine deer hit the fields or food sources you think they may be useing.Takes some ? out of the quality of deer you may be after.
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:33 am

Thanks for the tips guys. I was out there last fall actually and this spot was planted with beans next to corn and its all public. The whole edge of the field was lined with scrapes that were 3-4ft in diameter. I guess that was an indicator there was a good buck using the area and I should have given it a shot then. I found a big buck dead out there I posted pics of I can attach another here. It was gut shot with a bow. Part of me didn't know how to hunt the area and the other part just figured that was the buck in the area so wasn't going to waste my time.

Anyhow when a deer beds on a tip of a large island he beds facing the marsh with the wind coming off the island over his back? Also the island I am on has some big oaks so its safe to assume it may draw some attention to feeding on oaks but I am sure the main attraction is crossing the swamp and heading to dry land to feed on corn and beans. I will try to gather up some aerials to show this spot. Seems like an ideal spot to be a buck. If they in fact bed so the wind is coming off the dry land over there back there is another point 1/4mile or so away the buck could easily switch to for a totally different wind while maintaining the same feeding pattern too. I will need to get out the waders and go back I think.
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Re: How close can you get?

Unread postby BackWoodsHunter » Wed Apr 13, 2011 1:35 am

Here is the buck I found dead out there I hope a bigger one replaces him...

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