WHERE
TO HUNT
·
TRACKS AND TRAILS
·
BEDDING AND FEEDING
·
SCRAPES
·
RUBS
TRACKS AND TRAILS
Tracks
and Trails are the most easily identified since they are available year round.
The first thing you want to do is to identify where the tracks are going. Are
the tracks heading into heavy cover? Are they heading to a feeding area?
Understanding
questions like these will help you put some more racks on the wall. Deer use a
separate trail leading to and from each bedding and feeding area. I have found a
heavily used trail heading out of a bedding area to a feeding area. This would
be a great place to a stand if you want to see lots of deer. This may not be the
best place to see your big buck. Big Buck tend to have their own separate trail.
If you hunt for a big buck look for a less beaten down trail but with the larger
tracks. Deer usually have more than one trail heading to their feeding and
bedding areas.
Studying
the tracks and knowing where they are heading and why, will increase your odds
of taking a buck.
BEDDING AND
FEEDING
The
best place to hunt bedding and feeding areas is between the two. First identify
the feeding area. What your looking for is lots of droppings, heavily used
trails, and food sources. These food sources could include acorns, small
saplings, beech nuts, apples, etc.. NOTE: Food sources will change throughout
the course of the Hunting Season.
Next
identify the bedding area. When looking for bedding areas not only look for
bedding depressions but for dropping and rubs.
REMEMBER:
Deer can and do bed down just about anywhere, as long as they feel safe.
DROPPINGS: The
difference between buck and doe dropping is that buck droppings tend to clump
together. While doe droppings are each separate.
SCRAPES
Scrapes
are a good indicator that a buck is in the area. scrapes, like rubs, also can be
used as an indicator of the size of the buck. Generally bigger scrapes bean
bigger buck.
Scrapes
are usually visited by many different bucks. If you are hunting a particular
scrape and a small buck comes to it. Don't be disappointed. This doesn't mean
that the small buck made the scrape and the scrape will be visited by bigger and
smaller bucks.
Scrapes
made in the early Bow Season are generally boundary scrapes. These scrapes
probably won't be worked again.
The
most important scrapes will be breeding scrapes. These will be located in the
thick cover. All breeding Scrapes will have a overhanging branch above them.
NOTE: On the branch above look for twigs that are broken.
John's Tip:
Here's what I do to see if the buck is working the scrape I want to hunt; I get
a tree branch and cover the scrape up with leaves and leave. I go back the next
day. If the scrape is there again this means that the buck is working this
scrape for breeding. (Do Not Use Hands or Feet to Cover Scrape because of the
whole scent issue)
RUBS
Rubs are
without a doubt the most exciting sign, I find during my scouting.
When
I see a rub my imagination runs wild. Wondering just how big this buck is! A rub
will show you the approximate size of the deer's antlers and the direction he
was traveling.
when
you find a bunch of rubs in a small area these are definitely exciting times.
Areas like these means that a buck has spent a lot of time in the area. This is
a great place to start you bow hunt. Whether on the ground or in a stand.
