That's great motivation when you actually bump a big one from his bed! Now you just have to be patient for the right conditions to hunt him! It will be a long summer...
2 weeks ago I did something similar. I cut a nice fresh track in the snow and the snow was melting so I knew it couldn't be more than a couple hours old, this was about 2 pm. I figured he had to have been coming from a bed so I back tracked it. Not sure how far I tracked it, maybe 1/4 mile but like you said through some ridiculous terrain. Over rocks and on really steep sides of this cliff that I never would have though a deer would go through (until recently!) I finally got to his bed and it looked like he had been using it a lot on a west wind. Nice big bed with piles of poo all over. The way the terrain lays I can sneak in to about 100 yards from him and keep this big knob between us. I can't wait to hunt that spot! If I get lucky and he is there I guess its a crap shoot if he follows the point around my way or goes the other way. I haven't figured that out yet.
First of all, I'm jealous that you get to manage 13000 acres. That is awesome! I agree with everything else you said as well. I always have hunting on my mind and trying to find a way to become a better hunter. It really is an addiction.
I shot my first deer and archery deer at 13. It is nice to see how much we are on the same page. I feel like even though I am only 30, I grew up hunting the "old" way. If you read some of the threads on archery talk there is a lot of stuff that makes me shake my head. With all of the new technology and tv hunting, a lot of new hunters expect instant success. Nothing against new hunters at all, I just wish they were better prepared for the hard work and reality. Sorry for my mini rant...