My first buck bed, is my hunting plan correct?

[Brad]

The white dot is where I found the buck beds, both about 20 yards apart. I imagine I would hunt this on a west wind coming in from the east via the red access line. I would park my truck on the shoulder of the road out of sight and sneak in. I am thinking of hunting that closest section of woods(the end of the arrow) that sticks out a little bit to the east where it is marked, the distance from the bed is about 60 yards. My only concern is I could not really find a definite trail going to these beds in any direction, but the sign was pretty fresh (rubs galore). Where do you guys think the bucks would feed, the crop fields to to northwest across the road, or a field to the northeast (just off the picture).

[Spysar]

What kind of field is that where the beds were? It looks in the wide open...

[BigHunt]

brad do you have a topo

[dan]

It almost looks like a crop field where there bedding?
I personally think you need to look a little closer at some alternate hunting positions. When you ask where the buck likely feeds, thats not something that can be just answered with a quick answer. I would say they likely feed in the oaks and all the fields you mentioned.
Setting up for travel to the oaks, and to each food source is likely what you need to do. Then you need to determine where he is likely feeding before you choose which stand to hunt...
With that bed being apparently in a somewhat open area, I would think you could find a spot where you could either glass to see if the buck is in the bed, or watch to see where they go in the evening. Preferably both.

[Brad]

What kind of field is that where the beds were? It looks in the wide open...

It is marsh hay, right now its all matted down with snow, only about 2 foot tall, in the summer it is a little taller. One of my concerns is how it was not a single little spot where I found the bed, it was a 20 foot or so clump of thick brush and had rubs EVERYWHERE, nearly every tree in it had been tore up, and then in two spots the grass was all matted down about 2 foot wide by 3 foot long. It sounds like I have more work to do before setting up here. Well on the positive side, up until last saturday I would have never even walked out there so I guess i am closer than I was to getting it done in the marsh!

[RaisedByWolves]

I think your on the right track with that set-up. I imagine the buck thats bedding there is making his rounds to all the fields after dark, so you just need to figure out which one he wants to go to first...maybe because of a preferred food or wind direction and adjust your set-up accordingly. Are there oaks in that strip of woods your wanting to set-up in? If so I would wait to hunt it until the acorns are dropping, I would then think the buck would make that his first stop for his nightly ritual. A just off-wind day would give me even more confidence in that set

[Zap]

If you are hunting at the very beginning of the season I would not forget that there is water close.......

[Stanley]

Is there a spot on the road you can do some no impact looking at those beds from the truck? Looks like the road goes by pretty close to the beds?

[Brad]

Is there a spot on the road you can do some no impact looking at those beds from the truck? Looks like the road goes by pretty close to the beds?

I am going to start shining it at night I think, I won't be able to track individual bucks but I can figure out preferred fields etc. The highway is about 100 to 150 yards from the road. I almost wonder if they bedded there because they find security in it being relatively open and they can monitor the area by sight and sound. The beds were on the south side of the trees, opposite of the road.

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[BigHunt]

brad do you have a topo

brad do you have a topo!!!!!!

[Brad]

brad do you have a topo

brad do you have a topo!!!!!!

no I never looked for one because Dan said he generally doesn't use them for Marsh, he said he prefers aerials for marsh.

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[BigHunt]

brad do you have a topo

brad do you have a topo!!!!!!

no I never looked for one because Dan said he generally doesn't use them for Marsh, he said he prefers aerials for marsh.

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im not saying your wrong but it dont look like marsh to me ....got any pics of this bed, it looks more like hill country to me...i have a feeling that there's more bedding then it appears

[foltzy]

Brad it looks to me like you found a couple night beds, I'd bet if you dig a little more you will find where they are spending thier days.

[Edcyclopedia]

I would run a circuit of cameras at points and bottlenecks 1st. Form a bit if a patter and move the fans accordingly. While in the late winter and early spring cut in a few "hunch" stand locations in anticipation of hiking it. It will likely take a year or two to get a lay of the land and be effective...

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[Edcyclopedia]

Use your imagination. Freaking dumb phone:)

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