phade

A combination of things, really. Track size and width, pellet size, rubs, circumfrence of the bed, isolated bed or multiple beds facing different directions...plenty of things show you the difference.

If you find the actual buck beds in the post season, you can then use them to your advantage come next fall. Sometimes when I hunt a buck bed, I am 50-75 yards away; others, I am 200. The key is to know the bed location, how's transit to and from takes places, and where the end goal is for the buck. A buck has a safe zone...which is the area he feels safe being on his feet between his bed and the point of darkness. Sometimes this can be 50 yards or less, and others it can be longer. The key is to be set up on the edge of that safe zone without penetrating it to alert him. Some people confuse this with a staging area. So, now that you know where the buck bed is and the paths he takes, you identify the spots where you can set up. Let me ask you this, does it really matter if you can only see 10 feet? What about height? Does it matter if you are only 5' off the ground or 12' or 15' or 18'? No. What you want is to intercept that buck before he knows you are there. If that means being on a stand platform at 5' feet with 10' of visibility, but I know that buck travels that path out of his bed...guess what? I'm hunting there. If I played my cards right and did my due diligence, he'll know about me after the Grim Reaper opened up inside him. Now, if you legitiamately cannot penetrate the pines, you still have value in knowing where the bed is or beds are. Say you find a bed and it has two paths. Which one does he take? Well, what would be the logical food source? For example, (just example sake) you have the thicket, and the bed in the middle of that thicket. The bed has two paths - one east, one west. You have alfalfa on an east field and corn on another. Well, scout the paths. Look for rub direction indicationg travel outward. If that peters out - grab a spotlight and shine the alfalfa field right after dusk. Is he there? Yes. Then, guess what? You know which path he takes. No? Chances are he went to the corn. If the corn is down, shine that field. Come back about 3:30-4:30 a.m. and repeat. Is the buck now in the alfalfa? Yes. Great...now you know he exits to the corn, and re-enters from the path on the alfalfa side. You may figure out it's wind related, or influenced by vantage point. Knowing all of this, you can then set up on the appropriate edge and see if he makes it there by end of hunting time. I personally would target transition lines for buck beds. Look where the pines start and meet hardwoods, a field edge, multiflora, etc. Usually they'll let the wind come from the pines and they'll look over the open area on the transition line, allowing vision to play defense in areas where the nose cannot. Make sense?

Nah, I'm no different than others. No better, no worse. I'm a bit harsh here on this site, but I see more misinformation that I can take, ha. I'm just as eager to learn from those who know and also new people who sometimes wow me with things I never realized or thought of. One of the things that I just can't stand is when people try to say that bucks bed without purpose or regard because it's patently false. And, I understand why they say things like that because I used to be in that camp. Learning how to target bucks and their beds was a major milestone for me when it comes to hunting them. I understand why people have a hard time adjusting to it, because it's a major shift in their hunting philosophy and experiences. It was a big issue for me...once I got over it I started connecting the dots.

First, I'm not an expert on beds yet, so let me preface that. But, I am pretty far into the game, being my third season of such tactics. In the three seasons, I've shot a 3.5, and a 5.5+ before the month of October was out. The third season I targeted a sole buck and he was shot the morning after the first time I saw him in the stand and I didn't find out about it for quite sometime, so I was hunting a ghost that didn't exist. There's a bit of hyped up legendry when it comes to bucks, especially mature bucks, during the chasing and breeding phase. The TV world hypes up the slobbering, care to the wind, mistake ridden bucks. In reality, they're certainly more vulnerable based on the amount of daytime movement - but let's not get crazy here. The hype is the exception and not the rule. We have all seen instances of bucks making boneheaded mistakes. The problem is those are the one's people recall or remember. The majority of bucks in the chasing and breeding are still vulnerable, but they're not stupid. People forget the times where a buck follows a doe, then pauses and side steps a trail and continues on after the doe. Or the buck just out of range, etc. It's not happenstance all the time - they picked the hunter off somehow in many instances. And contrary to belief, not all bucks are roamers. You really have two categories there...residents/homebodies and roamers. With much of the state being high doe to buck ratios, bucks don't have to travel far to find and tend receptive does. So, here, even the roamers are less "roamy" on par with midwest states. Bucks will maintain a bit of habit during this phase...and when they do stray far, it's almost always for 72 hours or less (according to most academic studies) at a pop, before returning to "home base". Rarely does a buck leave for a week, etc. The other thing about buck beds, is that the best buck bed is the best buck bed. Multiple bucks will use a given bed. If the dominant buck isn't there, one will backfill it. It may be subordinate younger buck, or in the case of the chasing/breeding phase, it may be another mature buck on a "roam." So, given in the rut, while a buck may bed elsewhere on a "roam"...the quality buck bed doesn't suddenly become less useful...it's just as desireable to the next buck or the buck roaming through that parcel at that time. One thing to caution you on is don't give credence to a mature buck bed having rubs on or nearby. It runs about 50-50 from what I have seen, and Infalt and others have stated the same too. The 5.5+ I shot last year wasn't rubbing a thing within 100 yards of his bed. In fact, there was very little rubbing in that entire multiflora bedding patch when I busted through there this post season, and there was at least another 3.5 or 4.5 bedding in there at the same timeframe.

Mature bucks can be very sketchy animals. Sometimes they'll tolerate other deer, but sometimes they will not and prefer solitary locations. Never a rule, but bedding areas can be misleading. Big difference between knowing a bedding area, and knowing a buck bed. Use things like wind direction, elevation/topo maps, etc. to start narrowing down where to really look for beds.

Remember, you are not looking for "they"...you are looking for "him" when it comes to hunting beds. I see it referenced several times by several users here. Not all deer are created equal. You don't need a bedding area per say. You need to know that buck's bed. I use multiple tactics as seasons progress, but beds are good throughout the season. Say November 10...I often sit multiple stands for the day, 2, maybe three. I time them with deer activity. I'll target a bed first thing in the a.m. and transition to a doe bedding area mid morning, and then a funnel for midday...sometimes I'll work back to the doe bedding for evening. Why sit in a funnel all day when the bucks will go to bed for a short period of time in the a.m. and then target doe beds after getting up and getting water? Water holes are another rut must-have to sit...rarely do you hear of people sitting water holes then. I actually think they are MORE valuable then, than in early season to a degree, for mature bucks.

Very good selection there. All three differ from one another...Infalt is on another level though imo. He's not the best at relaying the how to as Eberhart and Vale, but hanging around him and his style, you start to connect the dots. If he had more showmanship skill/desire (I'm not sure which holds him back), he'd be the single most well-known hunter today. Bits and pieces make a good style for many people. It is interesting to see the out and out differences amongst them. Vale preaches the J Hook at scrapes while Infalt relies on straight line approaches and less scrape emphasis overall. Eberhart is a die-hard scrape hunter and looks at primary scrapes with secluded food sources (ie apples). Hard to call which is best, as I have seen points from all of their styles.

No, actually I wouldn't over a pattern. What I would like is an early season pattern of bed to food and food to bed. Or a midday bed to water pattern. Or a late season pattern of bed to food and food to bed (I can hear Doc screaming, but he's not getting the whole picture on my statements). Those are WAY more reliable than a doe in heat, which all you do is roll the dice in a funnel or near a doe bedding area. Do I totally discount rut hunting? Not at all, but it doesn't take near as much skill, although, it is very effective at times on random bucks. I really enjoy sitting in a funnel for that type of action. The problem I have with your thought process is that you seem to rely ONLY on rut principles. If you can get past that, the chances for taking nice bucks goes way up. Open your eyes to hunting bucks based on their beds more, that's what I'm saying. Eye to eye. Where there are does, there will only really be bucks for a short window of time. The season starts Oct. 1 here, Belo. Not Halloween weekend.

Again, you keep noting doe in heat. Why do you need a doe in heat to kill a buck? Why not kill him where he beds before you even need a doe in heat? Have you ever patterned a buck before, curious?

It's a good policy to take bits and pieces from the rare people who actually know what they are doing. Eberhart is one of them...I am not a fan of his saddle and scent lok. Also some of his scouting and hunting tactics are a bit too conservative for the opening weeks - I have found out through discussions that he largely discounts the opening weeks after a few attempts - as in he doesn't even hunt much at that time. I disagree with that strategy, plus he's been on a cold streak as of late with deer in Michigan. Now, he does have some good scouting ideas and the way he breaks down aspect of the hunt are pretty solid. While I only hunt a scrape maybe 2-4 hunts a season, his bits of scrapes are very very good. Try a Guido's Web. A little more bulky, but way more comfortable.

They are likely bedding 1/3 from the top on the leeward side of the predominant wind. You'll have more wind specific bedding in hill country, but I bet you find exemplar beds 1/3 from the top on the leeward side. Remember, we're not talking about just deer. We're talking about bucks, and then mature bucks. Mature bucks are a different animal than "deer" in every sense of the word. You say food drives it seasonal, but the problem with that is mature bucks value safety more than "deer." You'll often see that buck bedded around that 1/3 line from the top as wind comes up over the crest drops down for the buck to scent check, whilst looking down and taking advantanges of thermals and wind tunnels. It's really not that hard to understand. The trick is being able to take advantage of it. Mature bucks are not random willy nilly bedders. Once you figure that out, you'll be much better off hunting-wise. I strongly suggest you buy and watch Hill Country Bucks. It'll be a great $10-12 investment.

Here's another bed...what is called a satellite bed. Likely because the mature buck we have on this parcel is in the primary bed. And guess, what he was, and I caught him on cam that morning coming from it. Don't be so quick to discount beds being random. While food is a consideration, mature bucks value safety over food much more than people would imagine. Quality buck bedding is not "common" and because of that, it's not so willy nilly after all. Certain features lend themselves to bedding. You are in hilly country no, Doc? Do yourself a favor next post-season. Walk the line that is 1/3 elevation from the top on the predominant leeward side. I'm willing to bet you run into buck beds. Hill country is pretty tough to hunt regardless, but knowing why bucks bed on that 1/3 line from the top explains why many hunters never put it all together.

Here's a young buck...

Specific bed with deer in it...two in fact.

In fact, I have pics of deer in their beds just from this week alone. I set the cam knowing it.

Beds can be very easy at times to pick out and identify. Other times, not so much. But one thing is for certain, is that when you find a legit bed that is the best in the area, it'll be used over the years with regularity - as long as there is no major disruption. The best hunters in todays age and of yesteryear hunt beds. Hayes, Daquisto, et all, all target beds as their primary feature. I'm certainly no master hunter, but I get amazed at how poor so many hunters are when it comes to knowing beds and their role in hunting. Its really not hard to figure out once you start thinking. I've even gotten to the point I can often pick beds out on certain parcel types via aerial and topo only.Those really good at it can darn near circle the tree that has the bed. People who discount beds as willy nilly or not worth their time shoot themselves in the foot.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2013/05/12/bloomberg-may-be-investigated/2153815/

Also probably because his Bloomberg News reporters are cheating the system...using inside proprietary information found in computer systems Bloomberg News rents out to financial firms and other relevant companies. Goldman Sachs got wary of it a week or two ago when an executive was questioned by a BN reporter about another executive's log-in habits before a deal was completed. Well, duh, how else did they know about it because the deal hadn't been completed yet. Apparently, they've been doing this for decades.

Hopefully you see him in stand this fall. He's not going to be easy to resist at that age.

I did check out the link and I still don't get the benefit for 99% of bowhunters. It'll still have to go into the shop for setup and tune. If you DIY, then there's no need to have them do it.

I'm not quite sure what the benefit to that is. In fact, I'd be wary of someone who offers that. Buy the string/cables and take it into a pro shop for set up, timing, and tune. That way you can get the peep, silencers, d-loop, where it should be.

Be careful making such statements to yourself. They make you miss out on the whole story. Discounting the role beds play in mature buck hunting does yourself a disfavor. Learn beds, learn how bucks use them for the environment, and then come back and you'll not make such a statement. Why shoot yoruself in the foot looking only for doe bedding areas and banking on late October to mid-November to kill? I already have a half dozen stands over buck beds that were found this off-season. I'm sure, I'll be parked into one on opening afternoon. I refuse to wait for the rut.

Buy from Brad at 60x Strings on Archerytalk...great strings. He's an accomplished tourney archer, too.

What is the intended use? To watch wildelife from the deck? To hunt? I agree a clover mix would be best. Who knows, some backyard stands can be really good. I've shot a doe or two just behind my house (they weren't in my yard, FYI...I was in the woods).

You should have no concern really. You want to find the exact beds. In fact, I'm excited if I blow a buck out of its bed while scouting. I get to see/hear it's escape route, I get to go to the actual bed if I see it, or I can narrow down where the bed was in an effort to find it. I can then begin to learn to understand if this buck is huntable in this bed.