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The Monster Buck bedroom scout

Bigburner

Bigburner

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2014
Messages
211
Location
Delaware
Monday I was dead set and determined to get out and walk a particular transition line between some 15 year old pines in a plantation and some hardwoods that I hoped I would find some good buck sign in and man it paid off big time. This area is the most big buck sign I’ve ever seen on this particular piece of land and I’ve been looking for a bedroom like this forever. Finding bedding and staging in this area is really difficult and finding lack of human sign is extremely difficult. The green dot is where I found the suspected bed and tons of huge rubs just in a little maybe 1/8 of an acre opening between the two cover types and it’s really hard to pick up on a photo. The red dot is where I thought I might set up b/c there is a beat down trail going past a small opening before reaching his area about 100 yrds away. If anyone has any suggestion here feel free to chime in on the set as well. I’ve been getting in the habit of using/carrying an orange hat and setting it in the bed like to get out of line of sight when planning my set-up
overview of the area

zoomed in

I was happy to see no hunter sign but these poor trees are tore up and I think this spot historically has been a dominant buck haunt for decades do to the size and age of the old rubs.
Whoever’s in here is breaking trees !

And this particular rub was worked so hard that there is a semi-circle of bare dirt around the base that has zero vegetation or litter cover.

as well as this one

To the north west of these rubs not 20 yards is a mound of dirt with some small trees on tops which I figured was created from spoil from when the ditch was dug nearby. You can start to see the slight rise behind the old rub in this picture.

. It’s about 20 feet across and a 4 -5 rise from otherwise dead flat terrain and doesn’t show on the topo and the back side is bare dirt. But I found no hair in the bed so do you think I’m on the right track here in terms of this in fact being his bed? It seems to be oriented right for any kind of wind going from west to east going clockwise which is our dominant wind direction during the fall. And it has trail leaving going north, west and south. I figured it was seasonal or that this is the spot he pushes back to when pressure becomes high. This tract gets s a ton of intrusion during the firearm seasons. The hardwoods to the west have some scattered white oak and the closest ag is about a mile to the south if he were to continue to travel that southern corridor.
What I think is his bed

I think I know who lives here and he was a monster 8 pointer that I had only gotten a few pictures of during the rut and the second rut we had in middle Jan. and that was about 1 mile away as the crow flies.

Curious on peoples thought here.
 
Are the rubs all on the same side of the tree? If so, it might suggest direction of travel to/from bedding and you can further pin down a concrete bedding location from there. Rubs are big-time pre-rut/rut indicators, so it might just be a time of year sign as you suggested. You my be able to setup along the route for an ambush if the time of year is right.

Someone may have some better ideas than me, as I'm probably stating the obvious and unsure of I answered your question(s).

Dave
 
Alright Erich, I got lots of thoughts on this post. First off, I have had 2 very similar thoughts that you had in your first paragraph. I have a hill country spot that I found in january that is on the inside of a little cut that you can't see of a map. The spot is also a little thicker than the surrounding area and I probably found about 15 rubs in a 15 square yard area that it was clear was being used for bedding. So based off of those thoughts it is clear that maps can only take you so far. Second thought I had was similar to your orange hat. I have another bed that I found that I am going to finally be able to set up (finally calmed down at work :D ) this weekend. It is another hill country bed, and I am actually able to get within about 75-100 yards due to the topography. I am going to use surveyors orange tape and tape it about bedded deer head high for when I set up my stand. As I set up I will make sure I stay low enough (hard for me ;) ) so that I do not come into his line of sight.

Next thought. I know you said that there was a nice trail coming from the bedding area that you are setting up on. Where do you think he is going to if he is leaving and taking that trail? This is something that I am not great at right now but since I'm trying to think like a beast I am working that into my setups.

The spot definetily looks like it could be where he is bedding. I found a spot similar to it over the winter when I was scouting on the flat land down near my father in the pines. This spot showed up on a map but it was really only maybe a 30 square yard hump. I found 3 big rubs on it and it was clear that someone was bedding there at some point. Like you said it may be seasonal. I would have that spot setup and ready to go for an early season spot and hunt it one of the first couple days of the season. If it gets that much pressure during gun season that could be what pushes him out of there.
 
I actually went back in there yesterday because I wanted to get all the trails wired and really set up a good plan and where he might be going. I didn't feel like I had enough info and checked all the spokes coming off the hub. The set I had originally thought sufficient is a long shot. I found a crossing on a ditch out of site from his bed about 80-100 yards away that it looks like is used all the time with a trail that runs parallel to the ditch that comes right out of his bed I also found a monster 4 finger track and did indeed find a bunch of hair. We had a mess of rain 3 days prior and it washed to the base of that hump he's bedded on. I found some poop in an area that had a lot of fresh browse sign on the way back in on some green briar and still a lot of water oak acorns that dropped late. He's only a little ways away from a small patch of white oak. I found a couple doe beds close by so I'm gonna have to run the gamut and its going to be hard not coming in to the spot on one of the trails b/c its thick as all get out. The problem with cutting a trail to the set is every time I've done that in my area the deer end up using it. HE can see about 270 degrees and the rest is all wind in his favor. And the wind to his back will go around that hump and eddy right into his big old nose and the thermal will pool in his little opening in the evening. I also found a good spot about 70 or so yards to the east of all the rubs and out of sight of his bed with a heavy scape and rub line coming out of his area so either way I have two potential set-up in the area
I also caught a break yesterday b/c we had a thunderstorm in the afternoon so hopefully got rid of my scent. So I'm staying out of the area until I can hunt it. No trimming or anything. Just going to go in on the first good day with possibly with just a little off wind and take a crack at it and hope we have a dry enough summer that we get acorns this year and catch him heading for a snack. I think trying to set up in his staging area on a real early morning would be impossible b/c you would be crossing trails left and right. He made himself hard to get to but I think he's bedding where he wants to bed and not where he has to bed so with enough patience on my part I think it’s do-able. What’s the worst that could happen I get close to enough to see a white flag and a set of antlers going away from me at a rapid pace but not a loss b/c If I put myself in his area like that I think I accomplished a lot and just adjust from there. I'd be way more pissed if I started seeing human sign and a ladder stand in his staging area :evil:
 
I find that in thick areas whenever we cut trails the deer end up using them as well. Even in more open areas I find the deer using old logging roads frequently!

I hear you about other hunter sign. Thats why we work as hard as we do to get away from other guys to where the big ones are! I hardly ever see anyone in my spots during bow season but during gun season the thing I hate the most is when I have hiked way back to a spot and then an hour after daylight a guy comes walking around under my stand, or yelling yo buck. That is why I've hardly even been going on during gun season the past few years.

I say that you have given yourself so much information already about this area, so just take your best shot and hunt it. Like you said at worst you will blow him out of there, but even if you do, just by going in there and hunting it you will gain some more information. At least you will have that info for the next year.
 
Hi,

I am still unable to find the bedding, could anyone help me. I am here in Sydney, Australia and newly joined the forum!
 
pwarbi said:
Hi,

I am still unable to find the bedding, could anyone help me. I am here in Sydney, Australia and newly joined the forum!
Click to expand...

Hi pwarbi, welcome to the site! What are you hunting?

Animals often like to bed in thick areas where they feel protected. They also use areas where they can use their senses to the maximum advantage. Examples of this would be on the edge of a field with the wind to their back so that they can see the entire field and smell anything behind them. In hilly areas they will often bed somewhere on the leeward side of the hill so that the wind is at their backs and the thermals are rising up from below. Every situation is different and you just have to get out and get boots on the ground to learn the area and how the animals are using it. A good way to start is to observe or find where the animals are feeding and then follow their tracks back to where they are bedding. I hope this gives you a good start!
 
This is a great "beast" discussion, bigburner and red. Some great info and analysis in here.

My thoughts:
- You mentioned the dry summer and a ditch crossing. Any water in that ditch? Just wondering if it's so dry and hot he'll hit that first.
- can you use the ditch to sneak up even closer to his bed and hunt from the ground? Sometimes I think we rely too much on treestands (or saddles!) when we'd be in a better position on the ground. The ditch could provide cover and channel your scent.
- if, like you said, you get too close and bump him some afternoon don't give up - his bedding location worked to keep him safe and he may come back that same afternoon or the next morning if you didn't bump him too badly. You probably know that Andrae Daquisto uses this tactic.

Good luck. Interested to hear how this turns out.
-Drew


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
drew13 said:
This is a great "beast" discussion, bigburner and red. Some great info and analysis in here.

My thoughts:
- You mentioned the dry summer and a ditch crossing. Any water in that ditch? Just wondering if it's so dry and hot he'll hit that first.
- can you use the ditch to sneak up even closer to his bed and hunt from the ground? Sometimes I think we rely too much on treestands (or saddles!) when we'd be in a better position on the ground. The ditch could provide cover and channel your scent.
- if, like you said, you get too close and bump him some afternoon don't give up - his bedding location worked to keep him safe and he may come back that same afternoon or the next morning if you didn't bump him too badly. You probably know that Andrae Daquisto uses this tactic.

Good luck. Interested to hear how this turns out.
-Drew


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Hi Drew. This discussion was from last spring so it is pretty old at this point. We are always up for new beast style discussions though! :cool:
 
Ha! Oops, missed the date on the original post!

So then the real question for bigburner is - did ya get him????


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drew13 said:
Ha! Oops, missed the date on the original post!

So then the real question for bigburner is - did ya get him????


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

No worries :cool:

He didn't. He came up with a big fat zero for our team last year :lol: :lol:
 
Oh so thats how its is! :lol: Can't kill big ones if you shoot small ones boys and I'm not burning tags on small bucks when I have world class ones in the area. Its all about setting goals. I actually had a 120" 8 pt. that anybody in their right mind would have shot come out of that bed and I passed on him. I'll eat tags all day long if its not the one I want to shoot so I could care less about some deer hunting contest. I been hunting too long at this point in my life to settle for less and I'm more than up for the chess game. Both bucks I was after on this public property were found dead. Not killed by hunters. the one was a 7x4 that grossed easy in the upper 180's or more and he was found the 3rd week in Dec. along a transition were I found a bunch of beds earlier in the year. Not a mark on him possibly hit by a car and went back to the bed to die. I saw him 4 times during the season all at about 70+ yards and not a shot to be had, but nice being in the nieghborhood with him. The two bow hunters that found him just randomly walked in to the spot found him and skull capped him :cry: I have a shed of his from the year before when he was a main frame 8 in the 150's so we had history just didn't connect in time.

the other buck I found in January scouting.

So, you boys keep worrying about racking up points. I did in fact kill two deer last year does for the freezer and not out of my saddle, but out of my Alpha. It's works better for me If I'm going in blind way more set up options. Right tool for job at the time.
This year my scouting paid off again and will be hunting these guys.


This guy I had at 25yrds broadside last year just getting getting ready to clip in to my saddle after a mid day move. bow on the ground. Him standing there for a solid 2 min. It was painful.


Sucks having choices like that! Have a good season fellas I'll let you know how I make out. Hope you win the deer hunting contest :lol: I'll be busy trying to kill a Booner or 2 P&Y's.
 
just needling you my friend! The contest is just for fun and pretty much the least important thing out there! :lol:

Now go out and get one of those big boys and post up some kill pics! :D

I'm glad to hear from you! I figured you were out there fighting those fires and they're bad this year :cry:

Bigburner said:
Oh so thats how its is! :lol: Can't kill big ones if you shoot small ones boys and I'm not burning tags on small bucks when I have world class ones in the area. Its all about setting goals. I actually had a 120" 8 pt. that anybody in their right mind would have shot come out of that bed and I passed on him. I'll eat tags all day long if its not the one I want to shoot so I could care less about some deer hunting contest. I been hunting too long at this point in my life to settle for less and I'm more than up for the chess game. Both bucks I was after on this public property were found dead. Not killed by hunters. the one was a 7x4 that grossed easy in the upper 180's or more and he was found the 3rd week in Dec. along a transition were I found a bunch of beds earlier in the year. Not a mark on him possibly hit by a car and went back to the bed to die. I saw him 4 times during the season all at about 70+ yards and not a shot to be had, but nice being in the nieghborhood with him. The two bow hunters that found him just randomly walked in to the spot found him and skull capped him :cry: I have a shed of his from the year before when he was a main frame 8 in the 150's so we had history just didn't connect in time.

the other buck I found in January scouting.

So, you boys keep worrying about racking up points. I did in fact kill two deer last year does for the freezer and not out of my saddle, but out of my Alpha. It's works better for me If I'm going in blind way more set up options. Right tool for job at the time.
This year my scouting paid off again and will be hunting these guys.


This guy I had at 25yrds broadside last year just getting getting ready to clip in to my saddle after a mid day move. bow on the ground. Him standing there for a solid 2 min. It was painful.


Sucks having choices like that! Have a good season fellas I'll let you know how I make out. Hope you win the deer hunting contest :lol: I'll be busy trying to kill a Booner or 2 P&Y's.
Click to expand...
 
Needling you as well Bud. Figured I poke you with some antlers. :lol: I left Nor-Cal About a month ago. It was a rough season this year. I can't shake this cough from all the smoke. I'll have stories how I coughed and spooked a shooter.
 
Bigburner said:
Needling you as well Bud. Figured I poke you with some antlers. :lol: I left Nor-Cal About a month ago. It was a rough season this year. I can't shake this cough from all the smoke. I'll have stories how I coughed and spooked a shooter.
Click to expand...

:lol: :lol:
Well I'm glad you are back safe. Too bad about the cough. Go get checked out by the doctor if it doesn't go away!
 
Bigburner said:
Oh so thats how its is! :lol: Can't kill big ones if you shoot small ones boys

Sucks having choices like that! Have a good season fellas I'll let you know how I make out. Hope you win the deer hunting contest :lol: I'll be busy trying to kill a Booner or 2 P&Y's.
Click to expand...

I don't think you want me to post some of the pics I have of Ohio bucks I am chasing this fall (and yes they are free ranging but private farm) think one might be a grandpa to your tiny deer :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
DaveT1963 said:
Bigburner said:
Oh so thats how its is! :lol: Can't kill big ones if you shoot small ones boys

Sucks having choices like that! Have a good season fellas I'll let you know how I make out. Hope you win the deer hunting contest :lol: I'll be busy trying to kill a Booner or 2 P&Y's.
Click to expand...

I don't think you want me to post some of the pics I have of Ohio bucks I am chasing this fall (and yes they are free ranging but private farm) think one might be a grandpa to your tiny deer :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
Click to expand...


:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
 
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