First Beast-Style Scout

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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blueKYstream
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First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby blueKYstream » Mon Sep 07, 2015 6:12 pm

I've been hunting the same private land for the last 15-20 years with my dad and brother and maybe 1-3 others at any given time. One of us might have success each year, but I really thought we could do better. I began hunting hard about 5 years ago. Since then I learned a lot, but I haven't reached that point I feel I have put everything together. I hunt over 440 acres. This is an overview of the property. I enjoy when others post maps, so I can practice reading maps. I'm hoping some others can chime in and offer suggestions, tips or confirmation.

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To the N and NE is a large lake. The picture doesn't show it well, but the NE is a peninsula that juts into the lake. The map below has the property boundary in red, rut travel routes I've picked up on over the years in green, possible bedding areas that I wanted to scout based on my review of the map in blue, and the areas from my review of the map that I was able to scout in purple.

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My beast style scouting revealed the first deer beds I've ever found or taken note of. I was excited when I saw them even though they were only doe beds! The first was in the far SW corner and it was 3 beds close together (pics 1-3 below) where one creek fed into another. The surrounding area was super thick with fallen trees, brush and forest. I almost turned back, but I convinced myself to keep going. The next bed at the W of the map (pic 4 below) was up against a fence line with a tree to the deer's back, a fallen tree to the side where a small tornado came through, and overgrown CRP fields below and to one side. It's something I'll be checking at times with a set of binoculars. It looks like it hasn't been used in a while though.

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Is there any possible bedding or travel routes that you see that I may have missed? Any help would be greatly appreciated!


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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby dan » Tue Sep 08, 2015 12:51 am

Good job scouting and laying it out... The only additions I would make is to suspect buck cruising and bedding along the north border of the west side... Most would be just off your property to the north but you could intercept the bedding along the draw next to your "over grown fence bedding" marker.
And you could possibly intercept the cruising just to the left of that where your red border line comes to the furthest point north.
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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby blueKYstream » Tue Sep 08, 2015 10:45 am

Thanks for your reply Dan! Just to confirm what you said, is #2 on the map below where you think I could intercept bedded bucks and #1 where I might see some cruising action in the draw? I know every year one of the neighboring farm hunts one stand near #1 hard and another spot just to the left of that (SW of the 800). They fire off shot after shot after shot. I've almost been scared to even hunt near there, but I might be able to swoop in there before the gun season starts. I suppose looking back I may have conceded some of these good spots to other hunters thinking that there was "plenty of land to hunt". It sounds like I should change that this year.

[url][URL=http://s738.photobucket.com/user/Casey_Kramer/media/Topo_zpsdcu8d3j5.png.html]Image[/url][/url]

I feel like I'm missing some of the classic ridge point beds on the map.
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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby dan » Tue Sep 08, 2015 10:17 pm

#2 LOOKS GOOD... I would hunt the sides and not down in the draw or at the head. As for number 1, I would be more to the right to concentrate movement at the end of that point and to be at a higher elevation. Down in that draw you would get winded a lot bow hunting and I think the trails would spread out more... You probably read about me hunting the tops of draws, but in this case the top of the draw is out of the action...

As far as "missing some of the classic ridge point beds" I would look closer at the S.E. corner of your property where the N.W. wind blows down those points. If the woods is not mature and has some thickness to it, I would expect bucks to be bedding those points.
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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby blueKYstream » Wed Sep 09, 2015 6:21 am

Thanks for your time in analyzing the map, Dan. I really appreciate it! I don't want to abuse you with all my questions. I will say that you present some interesting suggestions that I won't hesitate to hunt and scout. I'm not sure I would have singled out those spots on my own or at least not had much confidence if I did. I think I need more intel to figure out how they are using the draw in #2 in order to hunt there, but I have noticed that it is an escape route oftentimes for deer in the center of that Eastern property. Also deer will sometimes cross in a low spot in the middle of the long field to the east of #2 (doesn't show up on terrain map). Beyond that, there's some pieces I need to put together to hunt it successfully.

#1 - I've hunted the left side of that draw along the power lines with some success. I might have overlooked the spot you mention on the right side of that draw though. I will scout that area to pinpoint a good spot to set up for cruising bucks.

You are spot on about the ridge point beds in the SE portion. I've had some luck hunting the outskirts, but I know I can do better. It's thick and perfect for bedding. I tried a quick scouting trip, but I don't think I'm going to know it well enough until a Spring scouting without blowing up my chances this year.

Something I find interesting is that I rarely get pictures of the same deer using both of these farms. However, it seems every year in early November there's one occurrence of a mature buck traveling from the SE and within 12 hours I get another picture of him in the draw/funnel to the NW. A day or two later, I might get another picture again in the SE like he had taken a trip around the lake (about 300 acres or so). I'm wondering if anything else pops out to anyone to the E/SE of the lake jutting down to near the center of the map or the Eastern block of property that I might have overlooked?
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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby blueKYstream » Sat Sep 12, 2015 6:01 pm

I wanted to bump the thread, and maybe add a new dimension. I took a stab at trying to locate all the bedding areas based on my review of the map. As I mentioned, I've been hunting the property on the West for years, but the property on the East and in/around the red box is newer to me. Any observations or suggestions are definitely welcome.

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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby AC Rider » Tue Sep 15, 2015 6:55 am

Hit up the leeward side (downwind side of the coulee) about 1/3 of the way down - wherever the sign is concentrated - in late October and November. This is where deer take advantage of the thermal tunnel and where bucks cruise. Try and pick a spot that pinches down somehow to further concentrate movement. I typically sit above this spot by about 30 to 35 yards. This distance coupled with getting high in the tree helps keep my sent over the thermal tunnel and away from a deer's nose. As far as pinch points go, keep your eye out for the head end of a natural cut, a large rock, cliff, fallen trees, natural shelf, etc.
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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby blueKYstream » Tue Sep 15, 2015 4:46 pm

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Last edited by blueKYstream on Tue Sep 15, 2015 4:49 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby blueKYstream » Tue Sep 15, 2015 4:47 pm

AC Rider wrote:Hit up the leeward side (downwind side of the coulee) about 1/3 of the way down - wherever the sign is concentrated - in late October and November. This is where deer take advantage of the thermal tunnel and where bucks cruise. Try and pick a spot that pinches down somehow to further concentrate movement. I typically sit above this spot by about 30 to 35 yards. This distance coupled with getting high in the tree helps keep my sent over the thermal tunnel and away from a deer's nose. As far as pinch points go, keep your eye out for the head end of a natural cut, a large rock, cliff, fallen trees, natural shelf, etc.


Thanks for the comments AC Rider! When you talk of hunting the leeward side of a coulee, you are basically talking about hunting a ravine on the side the wind is blowing to? I've marked some areas on the map with a red star that I think meet that criteria. Hopefully, I've understood you correctly.

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In terms of pinch points, I'm really looking hard for those. I haven't done a very good job of locating them in the past. I've been one of those hunters that set up stands, because "I can see a lot from here" or "this spot should looks like it might be good to hunt" :naughty: . To date, I haven't noticed any cuts, large rocks, or cliffs on the property. I've found one shelf at the end of last year. I'm not sure how well it funnels movement yet (its right next to a ridge top field). I don't recall any others, but I'll keep my eyes open to them. On the east property, the fencing is very good. I've noticed fencing can sometimes funnel deer. Any fence problems usually gets fixed regularly though. I am thinking the end of the points in the SW (7 o'clock on the map) that creates somewhat of a cover funnel near bedding as well as the cover funnel to the East where the stream ends (3 o'clock) might be good pinch points to hunt.

I know Dan has said that bucks tend to move 1/3 of the way from the bottom. I've noticed deer use the ravines for travel, but I haven't noticed a concentration of movement 1/3 of the way from the bottom or the top for that matter. I think about that a lot when I set up, but I suppose I haven't put the pieces together yet.
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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby AC Rider » Wed Sep 16, 2015 3:33 am

The "leeward" side is the side of the ravine that the wind DOES NOT directly blow too. So if we are talking about a ravine that runs north and south, the leeward side with a west wind would be the left or west side of the ravine. The west wind will blow over the top and roll over like water flowing around a rock in a stream. This will happen about 1/3 of the way from the top and is where you should find more concentrated deer sign.

As far as pinch points within this thermal tunnel, anything might work. Maybe it's just the edge of two different forest types coming together or a less obvious shelf or cut. During the off season walk the upper third and you will find pinch points. Don't forget to walk the cuts up hill to where they begin. This point will probably be in the upper third and will pinch deer movement. I like hunting at these spots but make sure you're well up hill and high in the tree as inside corners play heck on consistent winds.
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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Wed Sep 16, 2015 5:31 am

The first beast style scout is awesome. For me it was huge relearning the woods and noticing things I never paid attention too before it was a incredible experience. It gets easier as you scout I'm no where near as good at reading terrain as a lot of hunters on here but it's great when you open your eyes after hunting the same way for years. Hope you have a great first beast season.

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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby blueKYstream » Wed Sep 16, 2015 4:18 pm

Thanks for the clarification AC Rider!

Tennhunter3 - yeah, I've never considered some of this topo information. I'm just hoping I can put it all together! I'm anticipating making more mistakes this year than I ever have, but I'm hoping that helps me learn more than any other season too.
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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby blueKYstream » Fri Oct 02, 2015 4:35 pm

BED 1
I went back for another scout today. Hopefully, noone minds if I use this as a sort of journal if nothing else. Feel free to share your thoughts. I located a buck bedding today when I bumped him from his bed (the red dot to the East). He looked like a decent buck, but maybe on the young side. There was a pile of bulldozed trees to the left before opening to a field sloping down in the direction of the bed which he had full view of. He had the wind at his back and a creek a short distance below. He leaped over the creek to escape me. He was bedded up between a live tree and a fallen tree. I never would have found the bed unless I saw him. There was a NE wind today, a couple days ahead of a hurricane coming in from the East coast. I suppose the leaves weren't matted down, because the bed doesn't get as much use with that wind direction. I saw one fresh rub and several rubs that were on dead trees. All were 40 yards or more from the bed. Normally I would think a rub on dead trees was from last year, but one of the dead trees had exposed white wood. Do bucks typically rub dead trees?

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BED 2
I also re-checked a bed that had not been used recently when I checked about a month ago (original post, 4th bed picture). I checked again today and found the grass matted down and fresh poop. I noticed this time that there were a couple beds in a straight line next to a few trees downed by a tornado along a fenceline (the red dot to the West in the picture above). There was only 1 bed I saw a month ago, which I assumed was a buck bed. I'm not sure if this is a bed deer have been using to chew their cud or if it's a primary/secondary bed. The second picture below is the view from the bed. Below is CRP, to the left a dead tree, and behind is an overgrown fenceline. Immediately behind the fence is the neighbors ATV trail and then an abundance of young cedars covering the hillside.

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Re: First Beast-Style Scout

Unread postby blueKYstream » Tue Oct 06, 2015 4:39 pm

I've been soaking up as much information as I can and I'm thirsty for more. I just ordered Hill Country Bucks from the store. I can't wait! I appreciate the feedback from Dan and others. I look forward to pushing the envelope and making mistakes, so that I can make fewer in the future.


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