"Moose" is a 200"+ deer the author killed using his deadly bedding area / mineral site tactic!
When it comes to hunting mature whitetails one thing is for certain, successful hunters go the extra mile to learn everything possible about their quarry and right now is the time! The woods are greening up fast and the next couple weeks might be your last chance for effective spring scouting.
One of the tactics I have used to help me score on big bucks consistently over the years involves scouting right now to locate a bucks bedding area. Where a mature buck beds might be the single most important piece to the puzzle a hunter can have! Areas of thick cover or ridge tops are great places to start, but the key sign I’m looking for is concentrations of big rubs.
Think about this - we want to know where he will be bedding this October, right? Well, what was he doing last October? He was bedding, feeding and making rubs and he made most of his rubs where he spent most of his time - in his bedding area! Clusters of rubs (especially big ones) are excellent clues to finding these key spots. When you know where a buck beds, you know where he’s coming from in the afternoon and where he’s headed in the morning, both critical pieces to the puzzle.
Once I’ve located a mature bucks bedding area, this is exactly where I start my first mineral sites. The reason for establishing sites in this location is two-fold. First, I’ve found I have better luck getting a dominant buck to hit a mineral site if it’s on his existing travel pattern and he doesn’t have to go out of his way to find it. Secondly and more importantly, when the season opens and he visits my site, I will know exactly when he is traveling through the area with a well placed cellular camera like the Reveal -
which should just happen to be within bow range of a strategically placed (pre hung) treestand! Cell cams enable me to eliminate disturbance in the area and to receive pictures in real time, so I know exactly when my target buck is in the area!
This last part is vitally important and worth elaborating on. If I can establish a mineral site within bow range of this area and get a buck using it 5 - 6 months before season, my trail cameras will tell me exactly when I need to be in that stand once season opens up. Create this mouse trap now!
Additionally, there is a third reason to establish these sites now and that is to help maximize antler growth. When it comes to minerals, I have had consistent success with products from the Whitetail Institute. Products like 30-06 and 30-06 Plus Protein give deer exactly what they need at the specific time of the season they need it most!
Right now is a great time to fine tune your set up AND to help your target animal reach his true antler potential through a strategically placed mineral site. Get out there and do it now, before the woods turns into a hot, mosquito infested jungle!
