Still hunting technique questions for thick bush...

[Tyangelo]

So, naturally I'm having a hell of a time trying to find time to go out and fill a couple tags.

last year, I did some scouting in 340 and managed to find a great cut line along power lines. Lots of game trails crossing the one kilometer stretch. I have seen a few crossing as well, just nothing offering a shot.

What I've been doing is finding a higher spot behind some cover and using it as a vantage point to have a steady shot at crossing deer.

My question is with the rut fast approaching and looking to do some hunting around November 20th, would my best bet be hunting actually back in the bush along an adjacent game trail, calling, and hoping for a cruising deer, or staying out in the power line crossing. I've been unable to find any feeding sites or any large bedding sites even after putting in many kilometers of walking through the bush there. The hard part is staying clear of any lease site / lease roads, which is my priority. Any info on 340 in general or the two still hunting techniques I'm looking to use would be great!

A couple questions on hunting the thick bush in general.

Are the does feeding in herds, and if so, on what type of terrain would they likely be found?

Also, where would ideal bedding sites be situated?

When it comes to calling, what terrain would the bucks be fighting on? Your average cutline, being some of the only cleared land around, feels a little small...

Thanks in advance!

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Tyangelo

So, naturally I'm having a hell of a time trying to find time to go out and fill a couple tags.

last year, I did some scouting in 340 and managed to find a great cut line along power lines. Lots of game trails crossing the one kilometer stretch. I have seen a few crossing as well, just nothing offering a shot.

What I've been doing is finding a higher spot behind some cover and using it as a vantage point to have a steady shot at crossing deer.

My question is with the rut fast approaching and looking to do some hunting around November 20th, would my best bet be hunting actually back in the bush along an adjacent game trail, calling, and hoping for a cruising deer, or staying out in the power line crossing. I've been unable to find any feeding sites or any large bedding sites even after putting in many kilometers of walking through the bush there. The hard part is staying clear of any lease site / lease roads, which is my priority. Any info on 340 in general or the two still hunting techniques I'm looking to use would be great!

A couple questions on hunting the thick bush in general.

Are the does feeding in herds, and if so, on what type of terrain would they likely be found?

Also, where would ideal bedding sites be situated?

When it comes to calling, what terrain would the bucks be fighting on? Your average cutline, being some of the only cleared land around, feels a little small...

Thanks in advance!

your question is too broad. It could take a chapter of advice. I can tell you that beds will be on ridges/high spots. They will lay up there with good escape routes. Warm air rises during the day so they use the rising air to carry scents.

My best tip during rut is if you hunt a cutline, take a bottle of doe in heat and if the wind is a cross wind, As you walk down the cutline to your spot, drip that doe in heat liberally along the middle of the cutline. Use the whole bottle in a hundred yards or so. Then just watch the cutline. I use this method and twice, 5 minutes after I started watching the trail a buck was at the cutline already. Put the doe in heat on grass that is a foot or two tall to help carry the scent.

The snow should help you zone into their travel areas now too.

[HunterDave]

I spent a lot of time hunting bush deer due to where I was living but now I hunt farm land which is a hell of a lot easier. If you have to hunt bush deer I think that hunting cutlines is the best bet as it offers you the best opportunity for a shot.

I like the advice that Red Bullets offered about using scent as an attractant however I don't use "Doe in Heat" quite as liberally as he does. I've found that less is better as deer have pretty good noses. Before first light I'd put 3 or 4 drops on the back heels of my boots and walk out to where I was going to sit. I'd try to time it so that I was on watch right at legal light. Along the way, I'd place a few drops at major deer crossings so any deer using the trails would stop in the cutline to take a wiff and give me a bit of time to get a shot. I did the same to freshen the scent again at last light. Lots of times the deer will follow the scent right up to where you're sitting.

I wouldn't go looking for where they bed because you might end up jumping them and causing them to change their patterns. As a general rule if I see poop then I'm not far from where they are bedding.

Bush deer are a bit more challenging to hunt than farmland deer but if they are there and you are patient you will be rewarded. Good luck!

[HunterDave]

Originally Posted by Tyangelo

A couple questions on hunting the thick bush in general.

Are the does feeding in herds, and if so, on what type of terrain would they likely be found?

Also, where would ideal bedding sites be situated?

When it comes to calling, what terrain would the bucks be fighting on? Your average cutline, being some of the only cleared land around, feels a little small...

I've never seen a herd of whitetail deer in the bush, only in fields. A doe with a couple of fawn, a year old doe and maybe a buck in tow if it's during or near the rut is the usual for me. Terrain doesn't seem to much matter as long as the bush isn't too thick for them to navigate.

What Red Bullets mentioned about bedding locations is bang on as well IMO. When the air is cooling off they tend to bed on low ground and when the air is warming they tend to move to high ground. This enables them to catch scents better. It's good to know that they may change bedding locations during the day.

If you rattle on the cutline during the pre-rut and rut you should do okay. No need to look for somewhere special to do it.

[Redhead11]

Thanks for making this thread as I had some of these questions too and now I feel more prepared for this weekend. Thanks to everyone for contributing your thoughts and experience.