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Scouting Videos

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DaveT1963

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Dec 2, 2014
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I uploaded three videos of the one of my stand sites that cover: staging areas, tree selection, buck beds, J Hook, setting up, and exit/entrance strategies. Videos 1 & 2 show the general area and my stand set up in his staging area. Video 3 goes over the actual buck bed, his J hook, how and why I set up where I do, and my approach into the stand area.

Video #1: https://youtu.be/6xkA-jQwS_g

Video #2: https://youtu.be/e6So2S-PZZ8

Video #3: https://youtu.be/B01h7EBqoSw
 
Now were getting into the meat of things. :cool: I haven't read your journal, but you mention you like mornings in these videos. You don't find the bucks bedded before daylight?
 
Any advantage to being on the bend of the J or is anywhere along it good enough? Is this J shorter than usual due to the proximity of the creek?
I found it interesting you could follow the J so easy, even though the bed wasnt used much. I find beds all the time, but have a hard time decerning the J and or exit. I've heard they J scrapes, ever found that to be true?
 
I posted this over on my journal.... JHook is just a name that describes a habit the bucks use in pressured areas especially. Whether the trail is visible or not, a mature book is still generally going to seek a downwind approach of his final destination and walk past it to ensure the whole area is clear. Once he's done that then he'll turn and walk into the bed, scrape, food plot, etc. I think in the video the J hook is about average if you look at the drawing I posted over on my journal, the wind was actually blowing more back towards the heavy brush I pointed out I wish there was a tree behind. But to answer your question I just find most mature bucks use this approach. In regards to your other question about morning hunting, maybe John Eberhart will step in here as I'm quite sure he hunts morning and has had success in the morning. And he hunts in Michigan so I don't think you're going to find more pressure than that? A quick check of record books and the stories that accompany him a lot of good books are taken in the morning.
 
I really enjoyed that "J-hook" video, thanks for posting. Definitely got me thinking a bit how to better approach my morning hunts.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk
 
John states bucks are bedded before daylight in areas they can scent check the does as they leave the fields. His video shows an opening surrounded by brush next to ag. Field and several scrapes. He said bucks will bed in that cover before daylight. Im guessing John gets in before the bucks do, then shoots them as they come in to chase the does or check the scrapes.
 
I believe bucks moving during the morning for many reasons:

1. They are just returning from feeding, cruising, etc
2. Thermal chafe as sun peaks over horizon and they move to better bed for new thermals
3. Around 9:00 most hunters get down and start bumping them
4. To get water/food
5. Rut
6. They pattern hunters and move late morning
7. Its a natural time for them to move
8. She's are now in beds so they know where to go looking

I know Barry Wensel, Gene Wensel, Paul Brunner, Myles Keller, Bill Yale, etc have all hunted bed entrance routes in the AM. simple math, not hunting morning cuts your odds in half. Bucks seldom stay bedded all day with no movement. In high pressure areas i actually like 9:00 - 2:00 PM

Every situation is different
 
DaveT1963 said:
In high pressure areas i actually like 9:00 - 2:00 PM
Click to expand...

Absolutely the most under-rated hunting strategy for killing bucks - and I am the #1 offender for not hunting more during the day.
 
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