A lot of walking, little to show for it. HELP!

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Gunny85
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A lot of walking, little to show for it. HELP!

Unread postby Gunny85 » Wed Oct 20, 2021 2:00 pm

Hello all, I’m brand new to the forum and I’m finding just how clueless I really am. I’ve walked this public scouting all over but I really don’t think I’ve been looking in the right places. I’ve been reading a lot on here and apparently bucks don’t bed in the bottoms :doh: I have a ton to learn but I’m pumped to find a place like this to be able to ask someone what’s what. Been guessing for way too long. Anyway I’m late in finding this forum and prime time is just weeks away. I’ve attached some maps hoping some of you guys can point me in the right direction. I was out there last weekend and really don’t have a plan for when I return in early nov. I hunt out of a saddle and was just going to go try to find sign and hunt it. Any help would be much appreciated.
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brancher147
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Re: A lot of walking, little to show for it. HELP!

Unread postby brancher147 » Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:13 pm

I would first walk the top on a property like that you should find scrapes and rubs which should lead to bedding on points and cruising trails on the upper 1/3 elevation. But walking the top is the least invasive way to do that at this point. I really like that big bench to the south and east of the box you scribbled out. Mature bucks will probably be bedding in the steepest areas.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
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Bwhit16
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Re: A lot of walking, little to show for it. HELP!

Unread postby Bwhit16 » Wed Oct 20, 2021 11:45 pm

You have a lot to show for your walking.

You ruled out places that will likely not hold a buck so the effort wasn't wasted.
Deerkins
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Re: A lot of walking, little to show for it. HELP!

Unread postby Deerkins » Wed Oct 27, 2021 4:21 am

Best bet is to stick with your plan, keep searching until you find sign that you’re confident with. I agree with steep and thick areas, are generally where big bucks like to be in hill areas.

The Difficult part of big woods/hill country, is getting the timing down, because in a weeks time, deer activity can go dry in an area that was previously hot, and Vice versa.
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gsquared23
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Re: A lot of walking, little to show for it. HELP!

Unread postby gsquared23 » Sat Oct 30, 2021 3:52 pm

Good luck with this public hunting stuff. I’ve been scouting and hunting public off and on for 5 years now. It has not gone well. You have to figure out more where the other people will not ever go. It needs to be difficult to hunt and overlooked, or else other deer will have been hunted and killed there. Tonight after 5 years of this stuff, I finally found that magic spot. And it was where nobody else would ever, ever go. It seems simple and stupid in hindsight, but it makes total sense. I have 3 other spots marked on my maps that I’m going to check tomorrow. I’m basically starting again from scratch, but at least I know what I’m looking for this time.
Bowhunting is not for the faint of heart. But fortune favors the bowed.
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Boogieman1
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Re: A lot of walking, little to show for it. HELP!

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Sun Oct 31, 2021 9:14 am

At the very top of your map a cove runs hard in. I would hunt the very tip of that with no other info needed. I would wear the sucker out everyday the wind is blowing to the water. Just a matter of time b4 the biggest buck in the county comes through. Probably a big scrape there as well. But then again what the heck do I know. I rely on luck.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
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