What to do, what to do.

[bds9]

Ok guys, I have an idea what I'm gonna do saturday morning but I'd like some input from others. Anyhow, My grandma has been seeing 3 big bucks every morning at about 9:30 a.m. cross the road by her house. She says she watches them with her binoculars every day and it's the same three. She says two are big 8 pointers and the other is a twelve pointer. I trust her judgement on what a "big" buck is. I own the property on both sides of the road and I'm almost positive where theyre bedding just from past experiences. I also believe I know where they are coming from. There is a big oak flat on the north side of the road (where the deer are coming from in the mornings) and then a big thicket on the south side of the road(where they're going to). There are numerous trees in the bedding area that I can put a stand in and unlimited trees in the oak flat. There are also quite a few trees between the two areas that I could set up in. I know exactly which tree to put a stand in on the oak flat if I decide to go there, and exactly which tree to put a stand in on their travel route if I decide there. But the bedding area, I'm not sure which tree exactly but I know there are numerous ones that I can get in. I don't wanna go in before saturday morning and risk messing up their pattern and pulling a no-show on me. I really think my best chance to get a crack is in the bedding area but I'm sure I'd have to wait til daylight to get setup in a tree. Is this what you'd do? Or would you just setup on the travel route?

[MQ1]

I dont think the bedroom would be a good choice, going to and from is much better, I would guess you have another week of them being there 2 weeks if you are real lucky. Before they spread out. I think your stand should have been there already around 1st of august , especially if one of the bucks are a ole mature buck. A climber now may be in order. I think its to late to mess around with a stand even remotely close to the bed.

[heelbilly]

I would agree..I would climb a tree on the travel route and stay out of the bedroom.

[Buckstrike138]

I would stay away from the bedding area and set up am ambush on the travel route. Good luck and be safe.

[ghunter]

I agree with everybody else. Set up with a climber on a trail to or from the bedding area. If you own both sides of the road. Why not just set up right next to the road?

[mrbb]

well I too wouldn't hunt the bedding area , maybe close to it, but not in it
to be honest I would be setting up where your grand ma is actually seeing them, as you already know for SURE they are in that spot on a regular basis

BUT since saturday is opening day, and we all know that other folks will be hunting, that could change there patteren, just from amount of trafffic on the roads to folks in the woods
making to me staying out of the bedding area even more important, as they might be in there a lot earlier, and bust you climbing a tree

but also might not make them be at the place your grand ma is seeing them in shooting light

I would still set up where she see's them, and if noting happens Sat, then come back on a weekday when odds are they are back to there regular patteren again, if your grand ma see's then again as always
opening day can change a lot of things

[00buck]

i would sneak in and set up blind on travel route and try to use natural vegetation to maybe help hide the blind or hunt out of a climber and make sure the wind is right

[bds9]

I agree with everybody else. Set up with a climber on a trail to or from the bedding area. If you own both sides of the road. Why not just set up right next to the road?

Where they cross on the road is a creek bottom, this is where I'm thinking of setting up on them. However there aren't any trees big enough to get in within 100 yards of the road. Which I realize 100 yards isn't that far, I'm just not sure exactly how they are traveling. Btw, I think(which is a total guess) that the 12 pointer may be "The Big Ten" I've been hunting for the past three years. (only because he is bedding in the exact same area) And in years past, I'd watch him all summer, come august I'd set up what I would think was a perfect stand and then he would completely disapear during daylight hours. Now maybe it had nothing to do with my stand but I think it did and that's why I've decided to definitely have the element of surprise this year and stay completely out of there and let Grandma do my scouting for me!

[bds9]

Oh and I will for sure be playing the wind, the area I plan to set up has trees a plenty so unless we have a SE wind, I should be good regardless of direction.

[MICH]

downwind of the trail before they cross the road???? if gram. says they are BIG ( and i pay attention to ohio res. when they say BIG BUCK ) i would go in when you can see & hit JUST SHY of the bedding area........they are on a pattern now, best time to hammer a ohio hog..

[Big_Holla]

Tomorrow morning you should be sitting on the porch with Grandma sipping a hot cup of coffee watching for them to see what they do and where they go, specifically what big trees they walk past. If they don't show then at that time she could point out where she sees them exactly. It sounds like you are planning to only set up the stand Saturday morning. If you think you will have plenty of time to hang it well before they would go by then do it that way. If not then a couple hours after they go by tomorrow sneak over and get the stand up as quietly and as scent free as possible and get out of there. That's probably how I would handle it, knowing they are already past and bedded rather than have them come early and catch me setting it up. Hunt with Grandma's confidence Saturday morning and good luck!!

[ibppmd]

I would try to catch them on the travel route for the next week or two. If you can't intercept them on the travel route and decide to go into or right up against the bedding area, I would go in way early (3:30AM) set-up and stay all day. Good luck. KB

[bds9]

Thanks for the input guys. I'm pretty sure I'm gonna set up just shy of the bedding area on their supposed travel route if the wind is permitting. Big Holla, unfortunately I have to work tomorrow or I would be doing just that! I'm thinking about going in about midnight or after tomorrow night and setting up my stand and then be in there bright and early saturday morning. I think theyll be gone by then and maybe give me a little more time to get set up and not feel rushed. I will literally be in my grandmas back yard, I'm hoping that they are somewhat used to her scent as she is pretty active outside. But of course that is just wishful thinking! I always get so excited for opening day only to be disappointed!! hahaha Oh well, at least I'll be in a tree!!!

[so.OH_bowhunter2]

You posted that you know exactly which tree to put a stand in on their travel corridor. If it were me, stay out of the area until 3am or so Sat morn, hang your stand and hunt. I would try to get as close to the road as possible, but not right on top of it. Stay outta their bedroom, one whiff of your scent around there, and their gone for good. Your best chance for success will be your first sit, so do everything in your power to make it count. Good luck

[MQ1]

I see you mentioned that this happened last year at the same spot , Here is a tip, when you get your stand up LEAVE IT TILL NEXT YEAR! then it will be there for you next year and will be part of the furniture . Just upgrade straps etc in june and STAY OUT. If theft is an issue Chain it.

[buckmaster1100]

Sound like these guys on here have you pointed in the right direction, good luck tomorrow and give us a update on what happens.

[bds9]

Well, similiar I should have said!! Same bedding area, different food source! This year there arent' any beans around and the acorns are plentiful.(opposite of last year) I have a perfect setup if they decide to start eating out of the field!! But I'd say theyre not gonna want to exchange acorns for corn right now. I'll let everyone know my results come monday!

[Griz]

From one team member to another. You made the right dicision ( stay out of the bedding area). You know what to do, be quiet, be patient, dont't push it if the winds wrong. There's another day. Now get us some points!! Don't you hate being told what to do? Good luck Ben, I'm really excited for yah.

[forestman]

If it was me I would sit on the porch Saturday and see just where they go.If you own all the ground and don`t think anyone will go in their and mess you up.It is going to be a full moon and I will bet that they cross the road before daylight but if they cross later you will know where to be next Saturday.I totally agree to stay out of the beding area.I know this isn`t what you want to here but I have learned the hard way about hunting a full moon when its clear out.I`m not going to be sitting where I would like to be Saturday but if you go for them I wish you good luck.

[ohiobuckhunter]

travel route for sure is where to be

[bds9]

Well, this weekend is being chalked up as a loss! hahaha Saturday morning, I set up my stand on the travel route(I had to wait until it got light enough for me to find a tree I would actually have a shot out of!) Then after I got everything set up, got into the stand, screwed in my bowholder, raised up my bow and hung it on the hanger only to realize that I had forgotten my quiver in the trunk of my buddies car!! So, back down I went, half mile walk back to moms driveway and a half mile walk back to the tree. Sat until about 10:30 with no sightings other than my grandmas cat. Left the stand hang for the evening hunt, got there about 4p.m. and then at about 6:30 the wind switched and was blowing as wrong as it could blow. I sat for about 15 minutes and didn't wanna chance messing the spot up any worse than I already had so I got down and watch the area from grandmas porch. Never seen a deer but with the full moon I kinda expected none to show up. Went back out Sunday morning, perfect wind, had my quiver, and all was well. Had a forkhorn walk right under me at about 9:30 but he came from the opposite direction I was expecting. At 10:00 I had a doe come through but she never presented a shot so she walked as well (the direction that I had expected the deer to come from) Sat til 11:00 and never seen anything else. I left the stand, and plan on being back in it next saturday morning assuming the wind is correct.

[mrbb]

well sounds like something I have done before
ONLY not knocking, but if it was me, after climbing down in the AM to get the quiver, I wouldn't have gone back to that stand, as it would have been very easy for them deer to bust you and ruined a sweet set up for later on
I would have sat on the porch and seen for sure where they came out at and what they did, rather than push my luck, that already went down hill

SO again, not bashing, just saying, going in later then you wanted having to wait till light to find a tree then going in again with your quiver, that puts a ton of scent and disturbance in that area, and possibly you could have been seen thus busted for sure, and why they didn't show up, they very easily could have seen you and went a different way
and now thrown these bucks off there patteren they had for so long

I hope I am wrong for you, but that would be my take on th events you wrote here

But best of luck next time

[bds9]

You're right MRBB, I thought the exact same thing once I got back in my stand, but the damage had already been done. It was considerably earlier than the bucks had been moving through the area when my debocle occured and I don't think the deer couldve seen me going in and out but that doesn't mean they didn't smell me or hear me. Oh well, all I can do now is hope that I didn't mess them up and try try again! I'll be back out there bright and early Saturday morning!!