I would like to see the thread get back on point too. This is not a TL thread and I see no reason for it to become a debate on that subject.
I think I was addressing a valid point when I discussed alternative methods of assessing whether a "funnel" is being used. Much has been made about it so it seems to be a valid area to address. To do so, I used mainly a 20 hour snapshot of a period of use of a funnel in which I was able to follow tracks from bedding areas, past the funnel and to the food sources. I found what are unmistakably buck beds and tracks in the bedding area, and virtually all the tracks from the beds leading through one of two funnels out of the bedding area. I found no evidence of bedding in open canopied, non-hinge cut areas adjacent to the new hinge cuts (identical areas prior to the hinge cuts), so can infer from that information that the hinge cutting created good bedding habitat. In my opinion, this offers an important means for a hunter to determine whether deer "like the habitat" produced. I struggle (I am trying) to see how a picture of a buck taken with a trail camera has more value than a picture of a buck from a camera held in my hands, or a snapshot in time as seen with a fresh snow. I think that both of these approaches have value, and I never said trail cameras are not useful, they are. What I am trying to do is to simply convey to hunters that you can assess the use of your funnels without the use of trail cameras. If you use them, great, but I personally feel the results of the kind of scouting I did, where I follow the trail all the way from the bed to the food, is a more compelling approach, and more complete picture of what the deer was doing. I was even able to observe the browsing of the deer along the path as evidenced by them scraping the fresh snow as they walked through the bedding areas and left fresh pieces of green plants on the ground.
The part that I feel you (or anyone) is missing is that during the rut when that buck is most vulnerable...he isn't going to be sleeping period...let alone in a bed you built him.
That's the whole problem with this....the beds become useless when bucks start moving so it troubles me that some of you have been lead to believe that a bed is going to help you kill a buck?
To agree with Paul's point here, On November 23rd I looked across the road towards my mother-in-laws CRP field and saw a buck standing by my mailbox, about 15 yards into the field. Looked like a 2.5 year old. This is in the middle of our gun season and about 9 in the morning, and totally visible to every passing car. I saw him lay down so began to sneak across the road with my camera. I got to the other side of the road and saw that there was a doe he was tending. She was running back and forth, terrified of me, and he was like a sheep dog, blocking her from escape into the field. She finally got around him and they both disappeared into the high grasses. The point is, this buck is not going to be found in his bed during this time period (near the peak of the rut in MI). Many professional hunters say the height of the rut is the worst time to target big bucks and that mostly luck is involved in getting one at that time--for the reasons Paul points out. North Jeff has been pretty clear about that in the past.
Accepting the truth of Paul's statements, he and I are in a completely equal situation in my view. If a buck abandons the beds I make, he will abandon the ones you make as well (i.e. those locations that he chooses to lay down in among your hinge cuts). I fail to see how this is an argument against creating areas where deer want to bed. It applies to your sanctuary (bedding) areas as well as mine, doesn't it? What am I missing folks? During most of the hunting season in my state, the mature buck is hiding out in his prime bedding areas in day light. While the little guys are out chasing, he is hidden in very specific locations he likes, usually all day long--but very importantly, he gets up to move around at times, which is all that gives any of us hope outside the "crazy" times. What is wrong with optimizing these locations? It is only for a short period of a couple of weeks that mature bucks start to go crazy and do stuff in daytime that they wouldn't do otherwise--locking down on does in odd areas and the like. Because of that, are you saying that both you and I are wasting time by creating hinge cut areas where bucks will bed? I hope not.
There is something that may be misunderstood by some about this practice of "bed-building." The practice involves setting aside a sanctuary, and simply trying to make as many spots for a deer to bed as possible. One then hunts funnels and pinch points coming out of the sanctuary. It doesn't matter if a buck named Larry lays in bed 1, bed 2, bed 3, bed 4, etc., what matters is there are nice places for him to lay down, as many as possible, and that he come and goes through the funnels, past our stands. Paul teaches people how to make beds, North Jeff does, others do, I really only see differences in details, not whether it is a good idea to build bedding areas for deer and provide funnels for their entry and exit. I further see only minor differences regarding how to monitor the use of these funnels and bedding areas. some people rely more on trail cameras, others may believe trail cameras are a negative for mature deer and right or wrong, choose not to use them. others cannot afford a trail camera. I am simply (freely) suggesting alternative approaches.
The information I shared in the above posts about my late season approach to determining funnel use occurred during a time when bucks are on feeding, not breeding patterns. The same thing is true during October, when bucks are often still in bachelor groups, using traditional bedding areas, and are patternable.
During most of our season, the "rut" is not going on, and bucks are staying in their "home" spots where they feel safe. It is during these times that bucks are most predictable and may be patterned. What is wrong with creating as many neat spots for them to lay in on your small property as you possibly can? What can it hurt if one is willing to do the work?
