The Hunting Beast

here's a question for you guys....how many days, outings, years does it usually take you to find a mature buck bed (3yo+)? on average. I'm talking a primary buck bed that gets used regularly, something that just gets your blood boiling......something similar to Dan's obsession buck. I've found maybe 4 or 5 over the last few years. Some on public, some private.

RaisedByWolves wrote:here's a question for you guys....how many days, outings, years does it usually take you to find a mature buck bed (3yo+)? on average. I'm talking a primary buck bed that gets used regularly, something that just gets your blood boiling......something similar to Dan's obsession buck. I've found maybe 4 or 5 over the last few years. Some on public, some private.

not long

I can think of about 4 or 5 also. Ones that got me all fired up. Guess that's about 1.5 per year average. I,ve found many others that I, m just not sure either way if they were mature or not. For all I know some that I wrote off as immature buck beds coulda been home to a slob.

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its a lot A LOT of work in my area. I have general ideas before putting boot tracks down.

the ones I do have are very remotes and hard to get to... since I started hunting this way I have 3-4 and Ive only hunted 2 of them... 1 of them I bumped the target buck when getting to close. I havent been back to either spot.... yet.

I spent the majority of my season hunting MD sika deer.

the big buck I missed was a rut hunt, not a bed hunt.

Ive got cams and need to do some scouting this weekend and I plan to sit the other 2 beds, the 1 I bumped and find more for next season very soon.

my work schedule makes it tough to hunt some of these spots...

I probably find on average 2 mature buck beds per year. Unless you actually see the buck or catch it on camera it is hard to confirm it is indeed a mature buck. If I just went by tracks and and size of a bed or large rubs I would say I find more but never had a confirmed sighting.

I must say it seems like it is getting harder and harder the last few years to find new ones with the deer population being way down. I have been hunting alot of beds I found in past years that other bucks have moved into and took over.

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I usually find 1-2 a year that I get super exited about, I do find dozens of other beds that hold potential but I just am not sure on for one reason or another.

About half the time I will find a bucks core area but can't pinpoint the exact bed, most often I find a small area of the swamp with 10-20+ beds with great sign all around. Still plenty to be excited about there but it can be harder to hunt when you can't pinpoint the exact bed. I think in these areas the buck will bed in the same 1-2 acre area but the exact bed might be determined by the wind.

Never.

Swampthing wrote: I,ve found many others that I, m just not sure either way if they were mature or not. For all I know some that I wrote off as immature buck beds coulda been home to a slob.

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yeah same with me

Dewey wrote: If I just went by tracks and and size of a bed or large rubs I would say I find more but never had a confirmed sighting.



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That has generally been my criteria. Find a bed with big tracks, big droppings, or big rubs somewhere that point to that bed. I would count that as a winner.

I plan on scouting some more public areas like a madman this winter that I know hold good deer.....just wondered how often you avid swampers found a legit big buck bed, thanks for the responses guys. What is everyones plans for scouting this winter?? satisfied or hungry for more spots?

RaisedByWolves wrote:

Swampthing wrote: I,ve found many others that I, m just not sure either way if they were mature or not. For all I know some that I wrote off as immature buck beds coulda been home to a slob.

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yeah same with me

Dewey wrote: If I just went by tracks and and size of a bed or large rubs I would say I find more but never had a confirmed sighting.



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What is everyones plans for scouting this winter?? satisfied or hungry for more spots?

I never stop looking for new spots. As soon as late bow season is closed I will be scouting like a madman!!

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I'd like to see photos of your guys' scouted beds this spring...

Dewey wrote:I never stop looking for new spots. As soon as late bow season is closed I will be scouting like a madman!!

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let me know if you ever want some company scouting a new area, or want to come along with a fellow beast ...I would love to bounce ideas off a madman swamper such as yourself!

jack_4mn wrote:I'd like to see photos of your guys' scouted beds this spring...

always have my camera along

RaisedByWolves wrote:

Dewey wrote:I never stop looking for new spots. As soon as late bow season is closed I will be scouting like a madman!!

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let me know if you ever want some company scouting a new area, or want to come along with a fellow beast ...I would love to bounce ideas off a madman swamper such as yourself!

Sometimes I think you have to be a madman to want to hunt some parts of a swamp!! One of these years I will probably be swallowed up by a bottomless cattail bog!!

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