Part 5 - Mapping Public Land Whitetails | Scouting Buck Bedding Areas

Part 5 - Scouting buck bedding areas.
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[@shadowdawg04]

Ever since I watched you take that big toad in Iowa on Midwest Whitetails - going in there about 3 am - I have been impressed, hunters after my own heart! Nice to see you not just telling a story, but passing on what you've learned - you guys are solid in my book!

[@TheHuntingPublic]

shadowdawg04 thanks!

[@christianfranks2708]

Y’all should do some Texas public land videos!

[@jeff32689]

Honestly, I think you guys have done great work with this entire series! Keep up the hard work and I look forward to watching more videos!

[@whitetailpoet4243]

Your scouting techniques puts real meaning into what one of my old hunting mentors always says, "Think deer". Thanks again.

[@tjterps4442]

This is the best series on youtube. So extremely informing and educational. I literally can't wait to see if you guys actually hunt this spot and to be able to see the outcome. Excellent job!

[@sarahsawyer4698]

Another great video guys, probably the best explanation/demonstration of how to identify (maps) possible buck beds, and then confirm on foot, and find the best access routes and tree stand sites.

[@richmondk08]

Hands down most educational hunting you tube channels I've found for white tail hunting. Thanks for all the hard work. Happy hunting.

[@trentonskinner8893]

So pumped for the season to start. Thanks for this series.

[@justinmeyers8424]

awesome stuff guys - the final bit about planning your access was very insightful and made a ton of sense. The part about using the terrain to mask your entrance was very helpful. Too many times I have just followed the same deer trails in that I used/found when scouting....I have seen the light and feel pretty stupid for the past errors!

[@meatzman12]

Episodes 5 and 4 are probably the best hunting videos ever produced. Thanks for the education. Keep up the good work.

[@matthewsims359]

I agree

[@iowadeerslayers3599]

Great series guys, it has changed a few aspects on how I’m going to be scouting this year!!

[@BiPolar_BeaR.]

Miss the good ol days when everyone was together.. thp beginning days.. also when zack and Aaron use to be in content together..

[@rudygeorgiamulesandcountry1594]

THP always makes it look so easy ! I think we need to get Aaron, I believe thats Aaroon; an orange THP hat with some antlers on top of it so we can see "exactly" what that buck looks like when he's laying in that bed !

[@endlesshorizons1970]

Hail to "The Hunting Public"... The work and effort it takes to cover that much ground in your series is inspiring... Keep up the dedication and soon you guys will be upgraded to sweet new 4x4's. \m/

[@BowhuntersUnited]

Best video series out there on scouting public land.

[@TezOutdoors]

I just got the app, used your code 👍🏾 a friend told me to listen to y’all podcast. I’ll be first time public hunting this year 👌🏾 thanks for all of the good information you guys are putting out.

[@mattleahy1548]

No one does this stuff better!!!! Love you guys!!!

[@geterdun57]

Another great vid. I love the actual hunt videos but I think your scouting videos are best by far!

[@JohnRobinson_Oklahoma]

You guys are upping your game. Your discount went from 10% to 20%. Great job on the videos. This season finish off the series with episodes 7 and 8 on the hunt. 👍🤠🦌

[@TheBeingReal]

On-X was a big help for me this year. There was game preserve area that opened up to hunting this year. I keep searching for public land not crawling with hunters here in Mich. I was out crossbow hunting on firearm opening day and it was a maze of orange walking around well over a mile in. 🙃

[@tdelperdang2795]

THP, do a video/series on camera placement, concealment, securing (so your camera or card doesn't get stolen) and rotation/moving cameras if they don't pan out. I own a small track of land (20 acers) that I do some hunting on but mostly I hunt the public ground, learning some new tips, thanks.

[@8721superboat]

Awesome series guys! Enjoying OnX too 👍🏻

[@STRThermal]

Great video fellas. I always learn something new or some tip from you guys that I think will help me.

[@brettbeato4774]

Be careful setting up below bedded bucks, especially late season when thermals get stronger... Might be best to sit just off (Left or Right) and hope if he crosses you it’s when the thermals switch (drop). Good looking spot guys keep it up

[@huntingseason7]

When I got to meet up with Zach in NY this spring for Turkey season there was mention of bow hunting NY this year! Would you guys ever do a workshop here? there is a lot of diversity in habitat some that you guys have touched on and others I'd like to see!!

[@doubledroptinehunter]

Would ;ove to see a few more hunt recaps on the podcast after the season, especially if you can bag a buck from one of these spots in your mapping series.

[@R.A.andTheOutdoors]

Awesome, keep the vids coming!

[@bowhntr83]

I think I’ve got a few really good spots picked out on public land here in Oklahoma thanks to watching you guys and Dan Infalt. I can’t wait to see what happens!

[@jevers2010]

How’d it turn out der bud?

[@matthewsims359]

I know that yall are serious about scouting, but that was a fun and helpful scouting trip. Stay safe everybody

[@mossyhornhunter7022]

Thanks for the info , you guy's rock .

[@christopherlein2307]

Thank ya'll for taking the time, this is truly a game changer. Have scouted a nice chunk of land using this. I do have a question. I am noticing where I hunt is super thick . I cant get in it quietly to the bed. They rut is set to kick off very soon. I found 3 spots, the closest is about a mile and a half. Me and my brother are going Friday, supposed to be 35 Friday. I found a trail coming out of the thick swamp one rub coming out and runs into a fresh scrape line. The other spots are rub lines coming out of the swamp. Which one should we start at with them calling for rut to kick off? Only have a couple of days to hunt so really dont want to burn a hunt

[@thehuntingparadox2291]

Come down to TN!! Lots of public.

[@USMC-vp4rr]

These videos are great ! Really helps to refine skills! Could you all please explain how you determine different tree types while using aerial maps? And also what does a good bedding area look like on aerial maps compared to other parts of the woods? I feel like this would help others tremendously including myself because I have looked all over And can’t find a good answer Thanks!

[@adamcarter7095]

I have learned alot about how to scout buck bedding on public lands from you guys. Great work on this mapping series! Do you use the same scouting techniques to find doe bedding areas and then hunt those areas during the rut?

[@jackmorrison4382]

Do deer use the same trails/ bedding in the winter? Could you do a video on how to scout during the shed hunting season?

[@thereelaccountant9246]

good stuff guys

[@bulldogalsop]

How can you determine what season the buck is using the bed? Some beds are bear dirt others are matted down grass, how do you if it’s been used recently?

[@Jrbhunter]

This may not be the right time/place for the question, but I'd like to see some focus on doe bedding. A discussion of how and where does bed may have implications on stand access, wind directions for stand selection and predicting other hunting pressure. The focus on mature buck bedding may distract from the importance of what the other 85% of whitetails are doing during daylight hours.

[@camsmith3336]

Aaron and Zach when you chose to hunt these spots that you go out and find on public land. How do you determine when and how many times you can hunt these spots to have the most success and not over hunt one particular area? Given from what I've seen in your videos I'm assuming you are only going to these spots a couple of times scouting before the season opens. What do you go by to determine when to hunt an area with only a few scouting trips or do you base your decision off of how a first few hunts in this location go? Thank you so much for your advice!

[@kevinjohnston8060]

Love this series! My question for you guys is, when do you feel like it too late in the year to scout buck beds pre season? Thanks again for all you do!

[@ML-ks2lj]

Start scouting January or whenever the season is over. Guys this serious about hunting scout all season pretty much

[@anthonycummings6000]

I found deer beds some large some singles along mature hardwoods dotting the boundary between a private corn field and a grassy public fields backs up to some woods and a river with a tiny patch of woods connecting both fields, should I attempt to come up the river and hunt Right before sunset?

[@aarondeyoung3340]

Hey fellas. After watching you guys for quite sometime now, I've noticed how much preseason scouting with boots on the ground helps you to fine tune stand locations after studying maps. My group does some out of state public deer hunting that is around 8.5 to 9 hours from home, so we don't get a lot of opportunities to do preseason scouting. After studying maps first, do you think we should take a whole day when we get down there during season finding stand locations? Then hunt after Day 1? Or should we go in right off the get go with stands on our backs and hope to hit pay dirt first time in those areas chosen off from maps?

[@jonst.9304]

While scouting today I found some awesome buck sign and some awesome buck bedding. I walked entry and exit trails to and from different beds. All beds being buck beds. I found prob 15-20 big buck beds in about a 40acre tract. Way back almost 2 miles from any access point. I jumped a really nice big mature buck. Will the buck come back?

[@kobeepps732]

Could you expand on the differences between warm season beading and cool season?

[@anthonylucia2398]

Well there you go, The Public Land "Game on" Tour.

[@rodneycooper1968]

In Hill Country bedding, how close do you all feel comfortable hooking around upwind of the bedding areas to get to your desired stand location? Rodney Cooper, West Virginia

[@_jurist]

When you come in there and I’m already in my stand I expect you to leave😛

[@jamesjianaces1033]

Hey great channel guys keep it up thank you for all the knowledge you all are sharing but is there any way you can go over your kayak setups like where you put things on them and what you take with you?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Great idea!!!!!

[@alexwatkins6090]

Does it mess up there deer with y'all getting in the beds and stuff. Like leaving scent behind and stuff. Also do y'all do any more follow up scouting before season to make sure a good buck is in the area?

[@trailboy68]

Does the OnX maps have an offline feature that will sync up once your in range or on WIFI? I hunt Ohio and some of the hilly locations even the GPS on the phone won't work. Thanks keep up the great work and info coming!

[@SonotCali]

I just the deer would put Serta mattresses out so we would know for sure where they are😂

[@ShaneSimpsonHunting]

Is it always overcast in IA? :p Great mapping series fellas!

[@daveyboy8907]

Yes it has been the last 4 or 5 years..look up geoengineering,,its real....

[@BONEHEADoutdoors]

I was wondering if all the bedding you found on the transition was facing the woods for a west wind? Do you think that Is because the woods aren’t as thick? Or perhaps because a west wind is more prevalent in that area?

[@evandonoho7743]

Would you hunt a spot like that in the morning? It seems good because they would be on their way to bed not in the bed but at the same time youd have to spook deer in the fields due to access

[@marciahughey1771]

That's great. What about poisonous snakes?

[@jessemiller4844]

How does OnX compare to the Huntstand App? Huntstand gives you the 72 hour wind forecast for any stand location and it's free. Just wondering how they compare. Jesse Miller

[@craigfugate6147]

What product are you guys using to check the wind ? Appears to be the milkweed stuff in a little canaster. Is that correct ?

[@ryanduffey2871]

Even though this is an old post: Do you scout these spots on opposite winds that you would hunt them so they shouldn't in theory be bedding there? How can you figure out which direction the bucks will move when they leave the bedding assuming you're going in while they are bedded down? Can you access these and hunt more directly over the bed if you go in before the sun comes up?

[@nativetexanoutdoors37]

How do you make onX show elevation like yours shows? Id like you find some pinch points but have tried everything to find that but can't.

[@michaelpayne8501]

Thank you very much for all the information I'm 63 years old very hard for me to walk a long way our dread to the woods anymore Have any suggestions

[@lonestarangler8407]

Loving this series!! what Vortex Bino's are yall using?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Thanks! The Vipers and Diamondbacks. We've got the 10x42's and there awesome

[@fullautogunsandgear5141]

Plz come to western North Carolina

[@rfickes87]

Will you guys hunt PA on your tour?

[@brentwenger8791]

How late do you guys scout public land? I have some new pieces that id like to scout but i know that they are holding some nice bucks and dont want to blow them out of there...

[@kianatom3]

Hey guys, your videos and pod cast have helped me out a ton. If i sent you an aerial view of the public land I'm currently scouting would you be willing to give me some advise?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

We look at aerials for a consulting fee. The consulting business helps us pay our bills. If your interested, feel free to message us on Facebook or IG.

[@steveboggs2595]

How do you guys not get eaten up with chiggers and ticks? I have been in the woods a lot recently scouting and I think I have figured out how to avoid the ticks with Permethrin but last weekend I got chiggers under my shirt bad. Its really beating me up. Thanks great show!

[@vonkytonk9754]

Hey guys, I'm pretty new to watching ya'lls channel and I may have a dumb question but, I'm watching ya'll do all this scouting and leg work... will we be seeing ya'll hunt these areas come season?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Potentially yes

[@nolanpritts3250]

Fairly new to hunting I like the videos, great information but would the bucks change their bedding locations once done with velvet? Wouldnt a better time to scout be mid to late January before they shed and after season to find better areas they would bed to predict it for next season?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

That is a much better time to scout. But we feel anytime you can get out is a good time.

[@jpzografos331]

I’m trying to figure this spot out I scouted. Big field with thick bedding and a small river running through. Some trees in the field that form pinch points too. Almost impossible to get in there quiet is the problem and the river isn’t usable with a kayak. The woods surrounding it seem to be the best bet but still pretty thick with brush. Any thoughts anyone?

[@TheHawkdriver55]

OK you found the all these buck beds. How do you know which are beds of 2 year old's and which are beds of 3+ year old bucks. Dan talks about diameter size of beds when looking for mature "Infalt worthy" bucks.. Do you guys just focus on where you think the bucks will be and go with that?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

It's hard to say. Sometimes bucks rotate around in the same bed and it creates a larger impression. We just look for the most secure area on the place that makes sense for a buck and many times the biggest bucks on the property are there.

[@ryanwimmer5004]

Got to hunt em to find out!

[@ML-ks2lj]

What do you use for tick control?

[@tyepsu]

With hunting that close to bedding, are you guys hunting afternoons only or how do you get in the mornings without bumping deer ?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

This particular example would be for an afternoon hunt but we do both depending on the nature of the setup.

[@HuntAppalachia1]

At 5:00 you said they have to have wind,sight,or hearing advantage or they will not bed there. Is there one of those factors that you find that will typically trump the others?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

wind most of the time

[@HuntAppalachia1]

Thanks for the response! I imagined that would be the answer!

[@christophersaunders908]

If you are headed out of state to hunt(potentially 10+ hrs away), what time of the year would be best for a pre-hunt scouting mission? In a state that takes multiple years to draw a tag, would it be best to try to make multiple trips in years prior to getting drawn or just the year you get drawn?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Yes it would be ideal to do prior scouting. If not, go right before your hunt. That way the info you find is current

[@traviscoulter2631]

Y'all need to start doing a podcast so I can listen while I work. Great work I'm learning a lot keep it up!

[@TheHuntingPublic]

We do! Check it out - thehuntingpublic.podbean.com/

[@TheHuntingPublic]

It's also on itunes and the Apple Podcast app

[@travissmith-wz5nc]

Seems a little intimadiating. Can u make a 5 to 8min cliff note video for us guys when we r in woods looking.

[@danwilliams4189]

Real Life Jumangi ? 🤪

[@knobstonestickbows4962]

My question is: how the heck are you keeoing the chiggers off?!?!!

[@GassyMinerMan]

So other than the obvious being near access and having pressure, what specifically do you look for when eliminating area. The video where you did that seemed pretty arbitrary as to where you draw the line.

[@ryanreynolds3679]

If y’all scout a new area and locate where multiple does are living, what is usually the next step in locating bucks still in bachelor groups? I’ve been scouting a new area and found tons of does but I can’t seem to locate any bucks or buck sign no matter how much I scout and research.

[@jordanpowell228]

Assuming your seeing these doe groups on some sort of ag field I can tell you that those bachelor groups are around but they are going to enter that food source after the does do. That's at least been my experience, you'll start seeing the does pile out around 7pm maybe earlier but the bucks wont hit the chow until just before sun down, especially on public land. Dont invest too much in those bachelor groups tho, they are gonna break up around the time season starts and some of them will have completely different fall ranges depending on the bucks in the area, food, does, habitat and most importantly HUNTING PRESSURE.

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Ryan Reynolds buck turds are usually what we are looking at this time of year. Also rubs and scrapes from years past in or near the bed.

[@jaredbarker8904]

Some of the large public land I hunt here in AR is just flat river bottom land with no cedar thickets and all the woods look the same with no ridges or contours really. Just big open hardwoods. How would you determine the bedding areas in woods such as this? I have has success in these woods, but still trying to better understand then to fine tune my hunts. Loving your videos! Thanks guys!

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Is there any type of transition from one vegetation to the next? Most times they'll bed in a transition. Some are less obvious than others but where two habitat types converge would be my best guess.

[@jaredbarker8904]

I plan on doing some additional scouting here in the next few weeks. This place has a LOT of snakes and ticks and its hot here in AR, but I need to get out there even during the summer and look around. I have never even really considered scouting over there in the middle of the summer but thanks to your videos, I am going to do it. I have snake boots and tick spray so why not. :) I'll check for more transition areas and see if I can find some additional sign. Thanks!

[@slaphappychappy]

Woo Pig Sooie. Good luck out there. Permethrin is your friend.

[@JtotheG317]

I have the same issue with the large areas of rugged terrain I hunt in AR. Everything kinda looks the same so I am trying to find water or private fields adjacent. Also taking into account what they have said about bucks bedding on finger ridges. And yeah I just sprayed a good layer of permethrin on my scouting clothes!

[@jaredbarker8904]

Amen to that! Permethrin is the only thing that works seems like. :)

[@clintward8569]

Looks like your using Vortex Bino's. What model and power are they???

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Clint Ward They are Viper 10x42

[@TheHuntingPublic]

We also use the Diamondbacks and like those as well

[@Eightball2516]

How do u guys avoid all the ticks I was scouting and had tons of ticks on me

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Permethrin

[@Eightball2516]

How do u predict the wind in those locations of the beds

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Bucks will usually bed with an obstruction to the back (like a tree, fallen log, thick cover, rock, etc) with wind blowing from the obstruction over the deers body. Once you find a bed envision how he's laying there in relation to the obstruction and it'll make sense.

[@kimq6750]

hi, i have 160 arec property at canada. can you coach me your lesson base on my property?

[@Harold10845]

Would laying in the bedding alert the deer you have been there?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Harold Mosley maybe in the short term but after a week or so your scent will be gone. However we only do this one time a year then don’t come back into the area until it’s time to kill one

[@Harold10845]

@@TheHuntingPublic okay thank you

[@ronnieduwayne9516]

On x. And get hounded with emails

[@colerogers2115]

Are you guys not worried about blowing the bucks out of the buck bedding you are scouting?

[@TheHuntingPublic]

No it doesn't seem to effect them. But you can only get away with it once.

[@jacobpurvis8809]

Are you going to be hunting this area

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Possibly yes.

[@jonesoutdoors9901]

The code is not working for the discount on maps...have tried all caps and everything and still says code not valid

[@TheHuntingPublic]

are you trying it on onxmaps.com?

[@jonesoutdoors9901]

The Hunting Public on the phone with onx maps now thanks guys

[@butch9187]

Why can't they tell you what exactly you will be buying in the package? They only tell u terms that B.S... I WANT TO BUY , BUTT I WANT TO KNOW WHAT IM PAYING FOR...? Can anyone tell me where to find the right package for land owners & deer hunting , The best package without a bunch of crap I don't need??? Thank you Butch

[@TheHuntingPublic]

You mean from OnX Butch? You can either buy the Hunt App for your state or all states.

[@austinkepes1655]

Coupon code isn’t working

[@TheHuntingPublic]

Austin Kepes are you typing it in all capital letters? It is case sensitive.