2013 Prep work? What are you doing to prep for the 2013 Hunting Season?

[PostedBoys Gallego]

I try to scout as much as possible but the lands are 3 hours north of me. You definitely learn a ton by following tracks all day in the snow.

 

Reading up on new tactics is also something I love to do. Here is a great resource for anyone interested:

http://www.pursuithunting.com/p/scouting-advice.html

 

 

[phade]

I definately see the benefits of scouting year round.  You can definately see more sign later winter and early spring.  However, on my 70 acres, I am always concerned about blowing deer out of their beds and creating unneccesary pressure.  Any thoughts?

 

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.

[Five Seasons]

buck beds will most likely change dramatically come fall. I'd be more on the lookout for the does who tend to stay in one place. and does attract bucks.

[josephmrtn]

Working land... trying to get the 50+ acres of beans and corn in... plus seeding clover, turnips, ect ect

gonna go check/replace all straps on my stands sometime this month prob. gonna try and build another blind or two... and get all my trail cams set up along deer trails to monitor movement...

[phade]

buck beds will most likely change dramatically come fall. I'd be more on the lookout for the does who tend to stay in one place. and does attract bucks.

 

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.

Edited May 13, 2013 by phade

[Doc]

We often talk about deer bedding areas like they have an exact spot staked out where they go everyday. I don't know whether there is a difference between hunting mature woods where I hunt vs. open-ish agricultural lands, but that has not been my experience. I find that deer have a whole lot of bedding areas that relate to what ever food is in season. When the acorns are the main souce of food, the beds are generally right out in the middle of the woods, usually in the middle of a blow-down or up against a fallen log, and generally a good area where the view of the surrounding area is best. Generally within a bound or two, they can be out of sight over an embankment or down into a ravine. About this time of year, when they are feeding primarily on green vegetation, they will sometimes bed up in the nastiest thickets that they can find (particularly if there is a lot of human pressure being put on them ... hikers, bikers, hunters, etc.). Other times you may find them half way up the hill in some tangle of vines or on some bluff that overlooks big areas below them. And I am not just talking about does. So, it is not always rut that causes them to choose where they will plop down, in fact for most of the time it is more related to food. Also, I have noted that most bedding activity is quite random. Yes they may have some general areas  (big areas) that they use, but there has never been a time when I could count on a deer (any deer) being in a specific spot. This idea of laying down and chewing their cud is one major reason that deer flop down, and that usually is not all that far from where they just got done gorging themselves on something that they found to be tasty just a short time before. 

 

So when bedding areas are part of the hunting strategy (almost always), it generally is food dependant which means that it is also "time-of-year" dependant as well. I think the trick is to note the historical encounters and relate them to what the food choices were at the time. I have always found a correlation. Knowing what is on the menu, can often give a clue as to where this bedding to feeding pattern sets up. It's a constantly changing thing particularly from early bow season (late summer) to the end of bow season as the summer turns to fall which then takes on winter aspects. Food sources react to seasonal changes and the deer simply follow the food.

[phade]

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.

[phade]

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

[phade]

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

[phade]

Here's a young buck...

[phade]

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.

Edited May 13, 2013 by phade

[Doc]

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.

Yes, in my previous reply I noted, we are in a non-farming valley area, and I also mentioned the fact that side hills are one of the favorites. However, that choice is not related to any particular "leeward" side of the valley because if they are going to claim that side of the valley as their home range, that hill faces right into the teeth of the predominant westerly winds. The sidehill location of beds do provide a vantage point that is nearly unapproachable without the deer knowing your presence and they know it. I believe that is a good part of the draw to that location. 

 

When weather is a bit on the vicious side, I generally can find some deer bedded up in a section of old-growth hemlock. The interesting part is that I will find some deer there, but will also find beds scattered all over the hill and down in the valley as well on the same day. They each have their own idea of where they want to ride out a storm. Just in temperature alone, I have seen 10 degrees difference from the thermometer at our cabin on top of the hill and the thermometers at the house in the valley bottom. Generally speaking, the thickets in the valley bottom provide protection from wind when winter gets a bit taxing.

 

Another point of interest is that many of those so-called bedding areas are seasonal. As I said, the food sources are what puts deer in a specific area, and the bedding areas at any particular time of year are not really all that far away. In the dead of summer, there is almost no deer sign anywhere on the top of the hill. In the fall, when the acorns are popular the top and side of the hill are the hot-spots and you will find bedded deer there. Late winter, you will find the deer in the lower parts of the valley, with very few tracks or beds on the hill. every season has its own set of patterns. Again, it is all food related and in the winter there is a consideration of shelter as well.

 

So, bedding area locations become a  pretty complex subject when you have fairly heavily forested hill country. A lot of the standard farmland rules go in the dumper when you change habitat that dramatically. Deer are not relegated to this particular block of woods and that particular ag crop. So many competing motives for bedding selection come into play in all sorts of combinations that I find very few rules that can be 100% counted on. Just generalities that perhaps hold true...... some of the time.

[phade]

Yes, in my previous reply I noted, we are in a non-farming valley area, and I also mentioned the fact that side hills are one of the favorites. However, that choice is not related to any particular "leeward" side of the valley because if they are going to claim that side of the valley as their home range, that hill faces right into the teeth of the predominant westerly winds. The sidehill location of beds do provide a vantage point that is nearly unapproachable without the deer knowing your presence and they know it. I believe that is a good part of the draw to that location. 

 

When weather is a bit on the vicious side, I generally can find some deer bedded up in a section of old-growth hemlock. The interesting part is that I will find some deer there, but will also find beds scattered all over the hill and down in the valley as well on the same day. They each have their own idea of where they want to ride out a storm. Just in temperature alone, I have seen 10 degrees difference from the thermometer at our cabin on top of the hill and the thermometers at the house in the valley bottom. Generally speaking, the thickets in the valley bottom provide protection from wind when winter gets a bit taxing.

 

Another point of interest is that many of those so-called bedding areas are seasonal. As I said, the food sources are what puts deer in a specific area, and the bedding areas at any particular time of year are not really all that far away. In the dead of summer, there is almost no deer sign anywhere on the top of the hill. In the fall, when the acorns are popular the top and side of the hill are the hot-spots and you will find bedded deer there. Late winter, you will find the deer in the lower parts of the valley, with very few tracks or beds on the hill. every season has its own set of patterns. Again, it is all food related and in the winter there is a consideration of shelter as well.

 

So, bedding area locations become a  pretty complex subject when you have fairly heavily forested hill country. A lot of the standard farmland rules go in the dumper when you change habitat that dramatically. Deer are not relegated to this particular block of woods and that particular ag crop. So many competing motives for bedding selection come into play in all sorts of combinations that I find very few rules that can be 100% counted on. Just generalities that perhaps hold true...... some of the time.

 

 

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.

Edited May 14, 2013 by phade

[landtracdeerhunter]

Nice pics phade.

[Arrow Flinger]

Some other videos that are great for learning year-round hunting and scouting are the ones from John Eberhart. I try and do everything the way he does except for the Tree Saddle. I would love to use one but find them uncomfortable! His tips on scouting in the winter/spring are invaluable. I've used them to find many good spots to hunt that I would never have found in the late summer. Also, scouting right before hunting season opens is usually detrimental to your hunting if you're after pressured deer. Scout during winter/spring and stay out of the woods till its time to hunt!

[phade]

Some other videos that are great for learning year-round hunting and scouting are the ones from John Eberhart. I try and do everything the way he does except for the Tree Saddle. I would love to use one but find them uncomfortable! His tips on scouting in the winter/spring are invaluable. I've used them to find many good spots to hunt that I would never have found in the late summer. Also, scouting right before hunting season opens is usually detrimental to your hunting if you're after pressured deer. Scout during winter/spring and stay out of the woods till its time to hunt!

 

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.

[Five Seasons]

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.

 

trying really hard not to turn this into a pissing match. I never said anything about completely disregarding them. I wasn't writing an article about beds. I've shot some very nice deer. My family shoots at least one 130 class a year between the 7 of us. We share most stands. I'm not claiming I'm an expert, but over the years I feel I've learned enough to speak on the subject. In fact, We shoot more deer on a 5 acre spot of the 60 acres we hunt in 8f because it's full of thick stuff and the deer (both bucks and doe) come in to bed, find cover and get out of the hardwoods where they're more pressured.  the 1000+ acres in 7j generally is harder. But following trail cams in this area for 3 years we always see the same doe. The bucks? they change constantly. A buck will travel miles to chase some tail. All you need is a doe in heat and the horns will be there.

 

 

I don't know whether there is a difference between hunting mature woods where I hunt vs. open-ish agricultural lands, but that has not been my experience. I find that deer have a whole lot of bedding areas that relate to what ever food is in season.

 

this has been my experience as well. I hunt hardwoods/thick sh!t that boarders corn/soy. Traditionally they're morning stands as they come in from the fields to bed.

 

Edited May 14, 2013 by Belo

[PREDATE]

 I had a premonition(dream) last night about this exact topic. It's funny that in my dream I was tracking a deer with a 5ft wide blood trail and I remember stopping and looking up at the perfect tree for a stand. Now I just gotta find that tree!

 I'll be scouting some new turf for pre- rut as I see some of my best deer at that time.  

[phade]

trying really hard not to turn this into a pissing match. I never said anything about completely disregarding them. I wasn't writing an article about beds. I've shot some very nice deer. My family shoots at least one 130 class a year between the 7 of us. We share most stands. I'm not claiming I'm an expert, but over the years I feel I've learned enough to speak on the subject. In fact, We shoot more deer on a 5 acre spot of the 60 acres we hunt in 8f because it's full of thick stuff and the deer (both bucks and doe) come in to bed, find cover and get out of the hardwoods where they're more pressured.  the 1000+ acres in 7j generally is harder. But following trail cams in this area for 3 years we always see the same doe. The bucks? they change constantly. A buck will travel miles to chase some tail. All you need is a doe in heat and the horns will be there.

 

 

 

this has been my experience as well. I hunt hardwoods/thick sh!t that boarders corn/soy. Traditionally they're morning stands as they come in from the fields to bed.

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?

[Arrow Flinger]

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.

Yep, I dont even watch the mainstream hunting shows. They usually dont tell you anything about scouting because they have the outfitter do it for them! I listen to guys like Eberhart, Infalt and Bill Vale. These guys hunt the same deer we do....Pressured! All of their scouting tactics are great, as for their hunting tactics, you choose what you want to try based on what suits your style. I know Eberharts mid-day tactics during the rut work. My brother shot a trophy 8 point and a trophy 10 point on back to back seasons using them. He was in the woods when we were at camp eating lunch!

[Five Seasons]

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?

 

you don't need a doe in heat. but wouldn't you like one? I guess we're not going to see eye to eye on this. But where there are doe, there will be bucks. Same thing goes for turkey. You can kill them off the roost, but you can also imitate a hen and call one in. I've killed my fair share of lone bucks as well. There is no "right way" or "one way" to hunt. It's a mixture of a lot of things.

[phade]

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.

[Arrow Flinger]

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.

I agree! You need to change your tactics as the rut phases change. Hunting scrapes wont work the first weekend or probably even the last weekend for that matter. Obviously you wont see bucks breeding does on October 1st so you need to use a different tactic if you are gonna hunt then. Food sources and bedding areas are key during the early season!

[phade]

Yep, I dont even watch the mainstream hunting shows. They usually dont tell you anything about scouting because they have the outfitter do it for them! I listen to guys like Eberhart, Infalt and Bill Vale. These guys hunt the same deer we do....Pressured! All of their scouting tactics are great, as for their hunting tactics, you choose what you want to try based on what suits your style. I know Eberharts mid-day tactics during the rut work. My brother shot a trophy 8 point and a trophy 10 point on back to back seasons using them. He was in the woods when we were at camp eating lunch!

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.

[Arrow Flinger]

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.

 

I hunt alot of different spots and each area is different so one persons tactic may work better in one of my spots than another. You have to tailor your strategy to the property you're hunting. For example, alot of my areas have no apples or scrapes near secluded food sources so Eberharts scrape tactics take a back seat to Vales in those cases, but when I find an area like Eberhart talks about, then I rely on his tactics there. You have to be flexible!