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Scouting hill country for beds

Joined
Jun 2, 2019
Messages
64
Looking for a little feedback from some of you more experienced hill hunters out there. I’m looking to scout out this piece of land for beds and was wondering what elevation line I should follow outlining these hills. I was thinking about following the 1250 line around it. What do you think? Should I look higher or lower? Any feedback from you guys would be helpful.

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I’d check everyone of those points. As mentioned, saddles are good too. Topos are a good starting point, but so many times I get in places and notice so much that I couldn’t get from a topo. Nothing like boots to the ground.
 
Sounds like a good place to start. They’re rarely at an “exact” elevation. More of a range but definitely near the upper 1/3. Like others have said, boots on the ground is he most important. Small benches, undergrowth and the type of tree cover all play into it as well
 
Second what @KYHunter said. They want a flat spot, so if you notice even a tiny bench on those points check it, check near blowdowns. I’ve found them on a wide open bench with no cover around in areas of low human intrusion, and I’ve found them in the bottoms when there’s cutover and heavier human traffic on the tops. But start where you said and consider some of those other factors


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Thanks for the feedback fellas. I’m excited to get out there and explore.


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I’ll add that once you start finding those perfect points on the map you’ll find that it’s a lower percentage that actually get used. My state is heavily managed for timber. Most saddles have a logging road going through them as well as a lot of the points. They aren’t open to vehicle access but easy walking equals high hunter pressure. I often go in blind and setup based on an aerial photo. I wouldn’t do that based solely on topographic features. They are a small but important piece of the puzzle.
 
In my area i look for points with a high amout of security cover like laurel or autumn olives. Seems like what Dan Infalt preaches as far as having cover to there backs and a good view out front has worked well in my area. My mature buck sightings have significantly increased by finding those thick bedding areas in relation to food sources and setting up on the fringe.
 
Not an expert at all with cyber scouting but here's what I do and it's worked for me:

1. Immediately mark off and disregard areas with easy access. I picture the run of the mill weekend hunter with a climber on his back and if he would go there I don't give it a second thought. Water is your friend.

2. Next, I highlight what looks to be thick cover in and around terrain features that I want such as saddles, oxbows, points, bowls, transitions, etc.

3. Then I locate possible food sources. This is a guess on a map most of the time. I look for things like hardwoods in a sea of pines that may be dropping acorns or thick areas on public that are adjacent to crop fields. The obvious stuff.

4. Then I take into consideration the distance between assumed bedding and food/water and locate possible travel corridors between them.

5. Lastly, once I have all that marked out I run the upper 1/3 elevation line and see what things I run into that I have marked. I take into consideration the prevailing wind and mark the leeward sides. I usually find a lot on the upper 1/3 but also find a lot of daytime movement areas along the edge of transition lines between high grass fields. After all that I have the areas narrowed down that I consider should be scouted and go look at them. I almost always run into other things on the way to these locations. This really cuts down the amount of time it takes to locate good sign for me. Hill country is tough. You may find a good amount of buck beds where they are supposed to be but that's the problem. Thats one of a ton of beds that buck probably uses.
 
Dan Infalts videos are great videos. Hill country is the hardest to hunt outside the rut. Can be done though with some boots to the ground.
 
Dan Infalts videos are great videos. Hill country is the hardest to hunt outside the rut. Can be done though with some boots to the ground.

I have them and watched them several times. They are very informative.


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I have them and watched them several times. They are very informative.


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Yes they are I just recently got them and have been watching them. Lot of good information. Started hunting in a whole different way after listening to podcasts and lots of reading.
 
Saw a comment pop up so got me looking at this again. Lots of nice benches there, lots below that 1250 line. The red are some areas I’d expect bucks to be, does will bed the hillside too. But I marked green in the creek bottom and thicker looking low areas that I’d expect does to be. The few blue marks are saddles that may be good in the rut or otherwise. Obviously a lot of bedding depends on access and pressure. But close to rut the bucks will be bedding to monitor the doe bedding as much as possible and cruising the ridge cutting doe trails. So not sure the time of year and tactics you planned on for this area but that’s my take on it. But hell I’m a FL boy, been going to Kentucky for a handful of years and been learning myself. It ain’t too tough though when they’re rutting


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