Farmland Big Buck Bed...

[MOBIGBUCKS]

Hey guys,

I bumped a big one yesterday while I was doing a little mid day scouting. I was walking along a cornfield edge looking at tracks in the scrapes when a nice little two year old busted out of a blowdown on the edge of the field. I sat there for a minute surveying the area and stepped on a corn husk; when I stepped on that corn husk, a good one busted out of a blowdown about 10 yards from where the little buck was bedded.

Here is some background information about this area and the buck. On Saturday, I bowhunted this area and you can only access this isolated piece of cover at daybreak when the deer have returned to the cover. I had just set my lonewolf and sticks up and was heading down the tree when I caught movement in the cornfield. It was a large buck chasing two does right toward my stand! I slowly got down on the ground and got my bow ready for the shot. The two does passed within 25 yards but I never seen the buck follow them once they hit this piece of cover. I sat there for about thirty minutes hoping he would come by for the shot on the ground. He never did and I hunted the rest of the day without seeing that big buck. When I busted him out of there yesterday, I figured out the buck had come into that piece of cover and bedded down instead of following those does. The little bucks seem to be rutting, but the big bucks are staying true to their core areas as usual.

Imagine an isolated piece of cover the extends way out into a giant cornfield. This piece of cover has a creek ditch that runs through the middle and one side slopes toward the other. The buck was bedded on a slight point in a blowdown right off the edge of the field. There were multiflora rose bushes grown up all around his bed. Interestingly, the buck did not use the high side of this cover piece. He chose the lower area with decent vision and better cover.

Given the circumstances, how and when would you try to hunt this buck? The prime rut is gearing up in my area and I'm wondering if he will continue to use this area. Wait til late season or go after him ASAP? This is my first season hunting true Farmland bucks and it is definately different. Thanks and I look forward to your input.

MOBIGBUCKS

[Stanley]

You can't wait to hunt him. Hunt him now. I don't like the ides that you were scenting the area up walking around. Small pieces of brush & timber are very hard to hunt. I would set up on the edge with the wind in your favor.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

You can't wait to hunt him. Hunt him now. I don't like the ides that you were scenting the area up walking around. Small pieces of brush & timber are very hard to hunt. I would set up on the edge with the wind in your favor.

Yeah, it wasn't an ideal situation. I received permission to hunt this piece in the summer and have had no chance to get any good scouting done in there. However, atleast I know where he is bedded for sure. Just not sure how quickly he will use the spot again. I'm assuming pretty quick because his bedding spot worked for him.

[Stanley]

You can't wait to hunt him. Hunt him now. I don't like the ides that you were scenting the area up walking around. Small pieces of brush & timber are very hard to hunt. I would set up on the edge with the wind in your favor.

Yeah, it wasn't an ideal situation. I received permission to hunt this piece in the summer and have had no chance to get any good scouting done in there. However, atleast I know where he is bedded for sure. Just not sure how quickly he will use the spot again. I'm assuming pretty quick because his bedding spot worked for him.

I'm interested to see if he comes back. Keep us posted.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

You can't wait to hunt him. Hunt him now. I don't like the ides that you were scenting the area up walking around. Small pieces of brush & timber are very hard to hunt. I would set up on the edge with the wind in your favor.

Yeah, it wasn't an ideal situation. I received permission to hunt this piece in the summer and have had no chance to get any good scouting done in there. However, atleast I know where he is bedded for sure. Just not sure how quickly he will use the spot again. I'm assuming pretty quick because his bedding spot worked for him.

I'm interested to see if he comes back. Keep us posted.

Will do.

I'm gonna hunt him Satrday if the predicted East wind holds true. He was bedded there on an East wind initially. I didn't get too close to his bed...I could see the depression in the multi flora rose bushes. If I left any scent is was in the corn field and not in his bed.

[dan]

Im with Stan... You need to hunt him while he is there. Not in a week or two when he has moved on.

[Singing Bridge]

MOBIGBUCKS wrote: Imagine an isolated piece of cover the extends way out into a giant cornfield. This piece of cover has a creek ditch that runs through the middle and one side slopes toward the other. The buck was bedded on a slight point in a blowdown right off the edge of the field. There were multiflora rose bushes grown up all around his bed. Interestingly, the buck did not use the high side of this cover piece. He chose the lower area with decent vision and better cover.

That description has buck bedding area written all over it... cover into a field, a ditch creek, multiflora rose... AWESOME!

I also agree to get after him- looking forward to hearing how it went.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

Im with Stan... You need to hunt him while he is there. Not in a week or two when he has moved on.

Do you guys think he will come back after busting him out of there. My gut tells me yes but we will see.

[MOBIGBUCKS]

MOBIGBUCKS wrote: Imagine an isolated piece of cover the extends way out into a giant cornfield. This piece of cover has a creek ditch that runs through the middle and one side slopes toward the other. The buck was bedded on a slight point in a blowdown right off the edge of the field. There were multiflora rose bushes grown up all around his bed. Interestingly, the buck did not use the high side of this cover piece. He chose the lower area with decent vision and better cover.

That description has buck bedding area written all over it... cover into a field, a ditch creek, multiflora rose... AWESOME!

I also agree to get after him- looking forward to hearing how it went.

Yup!!! I can't wait to do some beast type scouting in the off season in this place. Many more places that can hold big bucks. Islands in the fields etc..

[rudy78]

Do you guys think he will come back after busting him out of there. My gut tells me yes but we will see.

So many variables, like how many other good beds does he have in that area, how is pressure on neighbors, did he feel threatened or lke he got out without you knowing he was there... Only 1 way to know, go hunt it & see. This is the chess match we play all fall!!

[ Post made via Palm ]

[rudy78]

Good luck by the way!!

[ Post made via Palm ]

[dan]

Do you guys think he will come back after busting him out of there. My gut tells me yes but we will see.

So many variables, like how many other good beds does he have in that area, how is pressure on neighbors, did he feel threatened or lke he got out without you knowing he was there... Only 1 way to know, go hunt it & see. This is the chess match we play all fall!!

[ Post made via Palm ]

Pretty much what I woulda said.

[muddy]

Most everything has been hit upon, hopefully he's secure enough there that one bumping won't dislodge him especially if there is pressure on the neighbors. Bucks are cooky, one time many years ago I called a landowner and ended up asking him if he'd seen any bucks. His reply was "yeah, I've seen the same buck 3 days in a row in the same draw. I drive the wheeler in there to check the field to see if its dry enough to combine. he gets up and watches me and when i leave he lays back down"

I went in that night and dumped the buck. On smaller properties sometimes deer will tolerate more human activity. Of course you have the does who are in heat right now, not all of them but there are does out there ready to be run. Anything can happen or nothing could happen between now and Saturday.

That's what makes it so exciting, yet ultimately frustrating!! Luck!

[MOBIGBUCKS]

Thanks for the input guys. Looks like the next East wind is Friday and that is the earliest I can get in there. Hopefully, the winds stay as predicted I'm pretty sure I can look from the hill above him and see if he is in that bed. I will do that first before blindly setting up on him. Wish me luck! I'll keep you guys updated.