So your hunting beds...

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JV NC
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby JV NC » Thu Aug 09, 2012 2:18 am

So basically what im reading from you guys experience is use mornings to take a doe for the freezer and hunting the big boys in the eve.


Not necessarily. It's dependent on time of the year.

Around here, bucks start staying on their feet a little longer, starting about 10/20 (or so).


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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby Stanley » Thu Aug 09, 2012 3:16 am

Stevew77 wrote:So basically what im reading from you guys experience is use mornings to take a doe for the freezer and hunting the big boys in the eve.

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If you are after a good buck you can't be shooting, dragging, gutting, tracking, does. I think this is an important factor, the not so dedicated big buck hunters fail to see.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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headgear
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby headgear » Thu Aug 09, 2012 3:30 am

Stanley wrote: If you are after a good buck you can't be shooting, dragging, gutting, tracking, does. I think this is an important factor, the not so dedicated big buck hunters fail to see.



That is only true if you plan to hunt them in your big buck areas, anyone should be able to hunt does on any patch of land and not mess up their prime ground. I usually hunt some mornings every year in search of does, no harm there.
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby Stevew77 » Thu Aug 09, 2012 5:09 am

Oh I would never shoot a doe in a suspected big buck area. Down here the limits are so liberal (10 doe, 5 buck). I passed on a good number of deer waiting on the "one" but him never show. I guess that's maybe my problem, 3/4 of my hunts are mornings because of my schedule. Now a question for you guys, do you like mid day?

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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby rizzo999 » Thu Aug 09, 2012 6:17 am

Stevew77 wrote:Oh I would never shoot a doe in a suspected big buck area. Down here the limits are so liberal (10 doe, 5 buck). I passed on a good number of deer waiting on the "one" but him never show. I guess that's maybe my problem, 3/4 of my hunts are mornings because of my schedule. Now a question for you guys, do you like mid day?

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Yessireeee from late October to late November for me. I have a friend in central WI who consistently gets on some nice bucks mid-day the first few days of the season on a natural spring. this year should be no different for him!
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby trdtnlbwhntr » Fri Aug 10, 2012 1:49 am

When trying to slip into these bedding areas and hunt them, what precautions are you guys taking to minimize human odor.
How do you guys approach these stands?
What are the risks of getting into a bedding area and bumping the big boy out of that "secure" area?

Im going to play the role of devils advocate because sometimes in reading threads, I think a lot of people leave out the details of how to be successful. The formula, certainly is NOT, find bed+walk into bed=bruiser.

In areas with small tracts of land 20-80 acre chunks broken into mainly ag ground and then scattered 10-30 acre wood lots, bumping a nice deer off that bed often times results in a change of scenery and the loss of access to that big buck because of property lines. So how do you combat that issue? Im always very hesitant to be too aggressive for that simple fact. I like to hunt close to bedding areas, but actually going into one and being within 100 yards of where I know they are bedded are 2 completely different things.
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Brandon
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby Brandon » Fri Aug 10, 2012 2:15 am

rizzo999 wrote:Yessireeee from late October to late November for me. I have a friend in central WI who consistently gets on some nice bucks mid-day the first few days of the season on a natural spring. this year should be no different for him!


This is VERY interesting to me.... Ive never heard or, or thought about hunting mid day... early season at all....
Ive also never heard or hunting a natural spring. We have so many creeks and streams I would think they drink anywhere, but I do know where a natural spring is. May have to put a cam on it. Do you have any more details about this strategy? thanks.
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headgear
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby headgear » Fri Aug 10, 2012 3:29 am

trdtnlbwhntr wrote:When trying to slip into these bedding areas and hunt them, what precautions are you guys taking to minimize human odor.


Some guys do scent control bust most of us don't, playing the wind is essential. Most of the time you hunt one bedding area, burn the bridge, and moe on to the next one.

trdtnlbwhntr wrote:How do you guys approach these stands?.


The approach is key, you can't make any noise. It can take me 2+ hours to close the last 100 yards to my tree and setup. You also have to know the area well, you have to know what the deer can see from his bed. You need to know where other deer are bedding so you don't get blown at on the way in.

trdtnlbwhntr wrote:What are the risks of getting into a bedding area and bumping the big boy out of that "secure" area?.


It is a high risk high reward situation for sure. However if you are hunting high pressure or public land this is the best way to get on mature bucks. There is a pretty steep learning curve but once you get past that anyone with the smarts and also willing to put in the work can find these bedding areas and hunt them.

trdtnlbwhntr wrote:Im going to play the role of devils advocate because sometimes in reading threads, I think a lot of people leave out the details of how to be successful. The formula, certainly is NOT, find bed+walk into bed=bruiser..


You are correct, lots of details. I will say you can up your odds in a big way by simply find and hunting the bedding areas. However the more you know about the area/buck and the more details you have the more successful you will be.

trdtnlbwhntr wrote:In areas with small tracts of land 20-80 acre chunks broken into mainly ag ground and then scattered 10-30 acre wood lots, bumping a nice deer off that bed often times results in a change of scenery and the loss of access to that big buck because of property lines. So how do you combat that issue? Im always very hesitant to be too aggressive for that simple fact. I like to hunt close to bedding areas, but actually going into one and being within 100 yards of where I know they are bedded are 2 completely different things.


If you are only going to hunt small acre private this might not be ideal for you. However if you mix in small private with a lot of public ground and add new bedding areas every year then you will start to see the big picture. Hunt a spot and move on. I have about 30-40 beds I have scouted, some are way better than others, I try and add new quality bedding every year.
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Brandon
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby Brandon » Fri Aug 10, 2012 3:49 am

You can't kill em on the couch
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby rizzo999 » Fri Aug 10, 2012 3:59 am

Brandon wrote:
rizzo999 wrote:Yessireeee from late October to late November for me. I have a friend in central WI who consistently gets on some nice bucks mid-day the first few days of the season on a natural spring. this year should be no different for him!


This is VERY interesting to me.... Ive never heard or, or thought about hunting mid day... early season at all....
Ive also never heard or hunting a natural spring. We have so many creeks and streams I would think they drink anywhere, but I do know where a natural spring is. May have to put a cam on it. Do you have any more details about this strategy? thanks.


My buddy JR (true name...not made up!!) works 3rd shift. He comes home and takes his kids to school, grabs some breakfast, takes a shower and heads out bowhunting. He either hunts in WI in Juneau county (his land) or Adams county (public) pending on how much time he has. He typically has to pick the kids up at school so he is back home well before night fall. On his small plot of land he often bags a doe even during the middle of the day. He NEVER sits open areas such a field edges. I have only seen his spots on his land (10 acres) and his max shots are close to 10 yards. On the public land he located a spring years ago. He has never shown me where this is located or even told me where the land is other than in Adams cty :snooty: The last 2 years he has taken some nice bucks ([2] 3.5 yr olds) before October 1st out of this set-up. I know he plays the wind for accessing and hunting his "spring stand", but I have never discussed solar/lunar patterns with him to see if that effects his decision to hunt that spring or not. He is very tight-lipped discussing this little piece of heaven that he has located. I would guess (after joining the BEAST) that it is located just adjacent to a bedding area that is in their core area. Hope this helps! He has never mounted any of his bucks. The racks just go above his garage (2nd floor) if he even cuts them off. He is a meat hunter first, but does enjoy the rush of getting on a big buck.
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby dan » Fri Aug 10, 2012 5:18 am

When trying to slip into these bedding areas and hunt them, what precautions are you guys taking to minimize human odor.

I don't believe you can minimize your scent enough to make a difference... My idea of scent control is to play the wind, and use a well planned access rought.

How do you guys approach these stands?

From down wind, quietly, and crossing as few of the deers trails as possible.


What are the risks of getting into a bedding area and bumping the big boy out of that "secure" area?

The risk is there, and occasionally it happens. But while scouting in winter/spring we are getting right in the bucks bed and picking are trees based on what he can see, hear, and smell... Only in the AM am I actually hunting in the bedroom. In the evening I am hunting where they stage from 50 to 200 yards from the bed.

Im going to play the role of devils advocate because sometimes in reading threads, I think a lot of people leave out the details of how to be successful. The formula, certainly is NOT, find bed+walk into bed=bruiser.

There are lots of details left out, but not on purpose, more so cause its so much information. I have two video's I sell in the online store: Marsh bucks & Hill country, they are tactical DVD's that go into great detail about the exact methods we use with good examples and maps... I will answer any questions you have, but the DVD's would shorten the curve dramatically.

In areas with small tracts of land 20-80 acre chunks broken into mainly ag ground and then scattered 10-30 acre wood lots, bumping a nice deer off that bed often times results in a change of scenery and the loss of access to that big buck because of property lines. So how do you combat that issue? Im always very hesitant to be too aggressive for that simple fact. I like to hunt close to bedding areas, but actually going into one and being within 100 yards of where I know they are bedded are 2 completely different things.

You only get a couple of cracks at a bedding area, I hunt about 5 days a week, and don't hunt the same bed twice very often. The trick is to have lots of ground, along with the small private I hunt, I also hunt a lot of public land. Mature bucks rarly move far from there beds in daylight. Sitting back a few hundred yards is just going to cement to him to stay in his bed longer. Moving in for the kill do or die style may seem to aggressive, but its better than not killing him because you sat back to far.
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby trdtnlbwhntr » Fri Aug 10, 2012 5:40 am

So lets say a guy has 500 acres of mostly CRP, Timber, and small ag fields. Realistically based on your methods, he could hunt 10 days total out of the year, because it is a one and done type of strategy. Find it, hunt it, move on.

If the property is newly acquired with zero access to winter time scouting from the previous year, (which is my most preferred time to scout), should this tactic be deployed? Or wait till later in the season when more "on the ground intel" has been acquired?

Don't get me wrong, I want to maximize our results on this particular piece of property, but I am not sure being so aggressive this early, with as little information as we have is going to benefit the overall picture for next year. With that being said, how long does it take you to identify these spots and how long after you have identified them, do you decide to make your move.

I know, the new guy is causing a stir. I apology for being so inquisitive.
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby dan » Fri Aug 10, 2012 7:28 am

trdtnlbwhntr wrote:So lets say a guy has 500 acres of mostly CRP, Timber, and small ag fields. Realistically based on your methods, he could hunt 10 days total out of the year, because it is a one and done type of strategy. Find it, hunt it, move on.

If the property is newly acquired with zero access to winter time scouting from the previous year, (which is my most preferred time to scout), should this tactic be deployed? Or wait till later in the season when more "on the ground intel" has been acquired?

Don't get me wrong, I want to maximize our results on this particular piece of property, but I am not sure being so aggressive this early, with as little information as we have is going to benefit the overall picture for next year. With that being said, how long does it take you to identify these spots and how long after you have identified them, do you decide to make your move.

I know, the new guy is causing a stir. I apology for being so inquisitive.


I understand your concerns Dustin, but there is a lot more than ten spots on the property your talking about... I am already addressing most of your concerns with Derrick, and I will include you in on what I come up with for your property. I will also send you some DVD's included in the price Derrick is paying me... There is nothing saying he has to hunt near bedding areas every day either.... But trust me, its not as bad as what your thinking.. I have well over 30 heads on the wall using these methods, and one of my friends has a lot more than me, including about nine net booners with a bow... You can't kill bucks if you don't hunt them where they move in daylight. The scouting and methods I teach address the things your concerned about. PM me your phone number and I will give you a shout.
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby dan » Fri Mar 29, 2013 11:21 am

bump
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Re: So your hunting beds...

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Thu Apr 04, 2013 2:45 am

Great thread Dan. Somehow I missed this one.


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