Hunting pressure and buck response

[ARpublichunter]

I’m very much a beginner when it comes to beast style hunting…prior to this year most all my deer hunting has been on leased land where I have “my spot.” The piece of public land I hunt is archery only, with the exception of 2 weekends during the season where there is a permit only muzzleloader hunt. The archery pressure isn’t very heavy, but the small game hunting pressure (primarily squirrel and coon) is quite high. The woods are probably 98% hardwood bottoms with little to no variation in elevation. Finding doe bedding has been pretty easy based on just bumping them out of the same bedding areas over and over, but figuring out any kind of buck bedding or even patterning movement has been a complete mystery. I’ve got trail cam pictures of several nice bucks, but there has been no consistency in time or location. So my question is with the heavy small game hunting pressure, being both night and day, is there anything in particular to key in on as far as sign or habitat to better locate bucks, or will the constant foot traffic make there bedding areas much more sporadic….This season has shown me how much I absolutely do not know…

[justdirtyfun]

My quick response is the bucks will bed with a strategic advantage. Examples of vegetation too thick to walk standing and narrow ground between creek intersection could be in your area.

[Buckharasser150]

Well first off all, I wouldn’t stick to just one public piece. If that is your only option at this time, then so be it. But if at all possible find other pieces to hunt. There are so many variables. They want wind to be at their backs and watching more open area with thick cover behind them. Or they bed where it’s so thick you have to make noise to get close. Find bedding, then find exit trails, and where they may lead, what time of year they are bedding there, and WHY are they bedding where they are? I guess start with that.

[oldrank]

What do you mean by "no consistency" on your cam pics of bucks? Are they day light or night pics? Rut pics? Early season pics? To me those pics would be giving some clue. It might not even be a clue for this past season but buck activity is usually pretty consistent seasonally. You have to be where a buck is when he is there. Understanding patterns and how buck movement is changing as the season moves along is key. If you know where doe bedding is there will be bucks there during pre rut n rut. Buck bedding can be very close to doe bedding. I usually find it right in the same vicinity but more secure.

[Grizzlyadam]

Look in places no one else is going. Maybe right near the parking spot or some out of the way thick spot. I would pay attention to any big tracks and big turds as much as traditional buck sign. If you got pics they probably aren't far at some point during the season. Knowing where does are bedded can be half the battle.