Buck Bedding 101

[<DK>]

Not to hijack but this one helped me early on with hills...

Originally posted by Dan:

Dots = beds. Arrows = wind direction. Lines = entry. X = stand sites.

Awesome pic man. I remember that a little but i mainly remember when you told another guy that - Essential setup would be the bucks needs or wants are on the same elevation. That sticks with me.


Also on a side note... That highlighted section that says step by step beast hunting just take what you can out of it. The title was created but I think things got off track and never re did it.

[mainebowhunter]

Not to hijack but this one helped me early on with hills...

Originally posted by Dan:

Dots = beds. Arrows = wind direction. Lines = entry. X = stand sites.

Found an oxbow in KS just like that. If you look at the contour lines as the oxbow. I would setup on it with just off winds using the very same entrance. And on the entrance side was a corn field. The oxbows were tall with weeds...covered with rubs and beds.

Just no bucks were home during the rut. Its the #1 spot I would be during oct.

Someone has put a lot of work into this thread

[Divergent]

This definitely needs to be added to the tactical thread IMO. Good stuff DK! I'm sure this took a lot of time to throw together.

[<DK>]

***SCOUTING***

Ill probably ease up after this next one, I have plenty to do before the opener. Id really like to see some basic stuff from what other guys see over myself... or other terrains. PK mentioned something about hijacking, not at all! Feel free! Guys on here can put anything that I can post to shame. Really appreciate everything guys but honestly just trying to help others get going. Its tough at first, took me awhile to commit to the beast and just as long to even scratch the surface! This is all a copy and paste job of videos or things that stay with me. Glad you all enjoy it. This is the best place that I have ever seen for learning the woods!

Scouting is the bread and butter of everything. There is a ton I can go on about walking your rear end off. Scouting is so enjoyable that its possible I enjoy it more that hunting. You are successful 100% of the time! Even if the spot is a wash, then now you know and can move on the better locations. If you see or hear of a giant buck there, then you have all that info already and can attack w/o even walking in. I get alot of satisfaction out of having 10k acres mapped but if you are on short time or not going to do that then I suggest just measuring distance away from access and check the best spots. HOWEVER, dont forget that finding the beds is the easiest part! After that the hard part begins!

I had never seen a buck bed so I simply started by walking the 1/3 from the parking lot, picking up where I left off, days and days and days in a row... Just gathering info, just trying at what Dan says to do. Now I do things little easier... but if you just dont know then one has to do that to understand it.

I SWEAR whenever I first saw Dan w his long hair, talking buck beds, walking through swamps, tracking deer, talking thermals... I thought he was some kind of Indian! It was the long hair but either way..Who the heck does this guy think he is!? Then it dawned on me though... a big buck has to live somewhere bc I dont see them. The biggest thing ive learned to do is look at everything on a large map, which taught me MEANING of the word pressure.

"There are 3 things that are certain in life - You have to pay taxes, You have to die & Hunters dont like to walk far." ~ Roger Raglin

You can most definitely be successful quickly by just paying attention to the wind and scouting before hunting. If you cant find bucks, then do the best you can. Does are very important as well! Everything varies by region or terrain but one thing that never changes is the pressure. If you can figure that out then you can be successful anywhere. For some, bedding isnt everything. For me, it is the only way to feed my desire of being in bow range of bucks. The stuff works and hard work pays off.

"You hunt a deer where he's going, not where hes at."
"Things are happening out there beyond you."
"Read what your seeing."
"Here is his bed, here is where he was laying, that's where I'm going kill him."
~Andrae

To me this means read the sign, read the situation, understand what you're looking at, understand what you're looking for, understanding WHY. This is never ending for me and the reason this site is the greatest.

So to continue this thread I will post a very important read for new members...

***MUST READ***

POSTING PUBLIC AERIALS - viewtopic.php?f=4&t=40713
(Most do not want to help if the whole internet knows where you're hunting)



**DAN INFALT INTERVIEWS**

5 SPRING SCOUTING TIPS - http://wiredtohunt.com/2015/03/10/5-exp ... an-infalt/

HB PODCAST #2 - Deer Sign - viewtopic.php?f=295&t=30533

HB PODCAST #5 - Summer Scouting - viewtopic.php?f=295&t=31594

W2H #3 - Scouting and Hunting Pressured Whitetails - http://wiredtohunt.com/2014/04/11/the-w ... an-infalt/
(MY FAVORITE!!! )

W2H #27 - October Lull - http://wiredtohunt.com/2014/10/16/the-w ... an-infalt/

W2H Q&A #7 - http://wiredtohunt.com/2015/09/09/white ... -pressure/

**GREAT THREADS**

CONFIDENCE - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12152

WHY ARE YOU ON THE EDGE - viewtopic.php?f=4&t=17410

BUCK BEDDING AREAS ON PUBLIC LAND - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12472

WIND BASED BEDDING - viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12118

LOCATING MATURE BUCKS - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33521

PRIMARY BUCK BEDS - viewtopic.php?f=5&t=11088

BUCK BEDDING TENDENCIES - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31296

SANCTUARIES - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3662

CONVERSATION WITH ANDRAE - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=21994


**DAN SCOUTING THREADS** (Jackpot! Just found these!)

SCOUTING FLAT FARM COUNTRY - viewtopic.php?f=5&t=4177

HUNTING/SCOUTING THE PERCENTAGES - viewtopic.php?f=5&t=5943&p=61649&hilit=scouting#p61649

HUNTING SPOTS BLIND (CYBER SCOUTING) - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=25935&p=335535&hilit=scouting#p335535

SAME OLD ROUTINE (IN & OUT) - viewtopic.php?f=5&t=12509&p=150069&hilit=scouting#p150069

SCOUTING CAMERA PLACEMENT - viewtopic.php?f=6&t=7312&p=75230&hilit=scouting#p75230

DO YOU ENJOY SCOUTING? - viewtopic.php?f=5&t=13561&hilit=scouting


**JOERE**

W2H #150 - "The Professor" - http://wiredtohunt.com/2017/05/04/wired ... ck-school/

W2H - How To Kill Your Buck In The Off-Season - http://wiredtohunt.com/2017/08/07/how-t ... -and-prep/

W2H - Mobile Hunting (1st Time Sits) - http://wiredtohunt.com/2017/06/05/mobil ... ck-killer/


**MIDWEST WHITETAIL / AARON W.**

W2H #165 - AARON WARBRITTON - http://wiredtohunt.com/2017/08/24/wired ... d-tactics/

SCOUTING BIG BUCK BEDDING AREAS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=og7QS9-bsfc

READING WIND & THERMALS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmbqJy-kFYI

RUT BEDDING AREAS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8IckURoudV4

OBSERVATION STANDS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alJnpAqDlxs

SCOUTING RIVER BOTTOM BUCKS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kat8Hi6BrI8

SPRING SCOUTING FOR FOOD - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gdZHj0ZRBSU

SUMMER 2017 SCOUTING - viewtopic.php?f=5&t=40510

**TRACKING**

HB PODCAST #12 - Tracking Whitetails with Todd Havel -

ASK ME A TRACKING QUESTION (Magicman54494) - viewtopic.php?f=4&t=17375

TRACKING DEER (Magicman54494) - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=31296

TRACKING DEER (Dan) - viewtopic.php?f=159&t=1327

SNOW TRACKING IN RIFLE SEASON - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=33049

HOW IMPORTANT IS THE BED - http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopi ... =3&t=20515

TRACKING BOOKS & OTHER REFERENCES - viewtopic.php?f=3&t=38983


**HB PODCASTS**

ALL PODCASTS - viewforum.php?f=295

#3 - River Bottoms and Woodlots with Stanley Schmidt - viewtopic.php?f=295&t=30822

#4 - Swamp Hunting with Scott Shawl - viewtopic.php?f=295&t=30968

#6 - Whitetail Tactics with Josh Beaman "Bucky" - viewtopic.php?f=295&t=34055

#9 - Marsh Bedding with Dan Infalt - viewtopic.php?f=295&t=35090

DaveT1963 on the Down South Hunting Podcast - http://www.downsouthhunting.com/ep008-h ... avid-toms/

[Bktech]

great thread thanks. Now I have to study!

[MikePerry]

Great thread DK

[<DK>]

Dang it... Was almost perfect...

*HB PODCAST #12 - Tracking Whitetails w Todd Havel - viewtopic.php?f=295&t=40218

[Fins & Tines]

I'll ask it...

How do you know the difference in immature vs mature (3.5+) buck bedding?

[tgreeno]

I'll ask it...

How do you know the difference in immature vs mature (3.5+) buck bedding?

Good Sign...Big tracks, high rubs & big beds! Also usually in areas with no human intrusion & high security level for them.

[brancher147]

I am just getting started here...This is a great thread. Thanks for posting.

[Primetime]

This is awesome. Thank you for posting this!

[G.Tubbs]

A Load of info! Thank you for your efforts!!

[SidewayZ]

Fricking amazing, great post to group so much information!

[<DK>]

Fricking amazing, great post to group so much information!

NP bud! Im glad you are getting use out of it. I remember your first bed you found and hope some of this helps you find some more. Was hoping for some different terrain examples on here but if you need them, check out the scouting thread for some bed pics. One of the best things I did was pay close attention to people's posts from my state or reach out to ask questions. Bc every region is slightly different and having someone to help understand the sign is a game changer.

[BigStick]

Thanks, great refresher before season. Best of luck to everyone!