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Stalking bedded blacktail

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Dysfunctional Vet:
This is my 4th year of bow hunting and I usually eat tag soup but that’s ok with me. Anyway, I was lucky enough to spot a decent buck bedded in a Capitol forest clear cut. I was able to sneak the 700 yards, wading through chest deep salal/trailing blackberry and get to 35 yards. Just as I got there the wind swirled and he was gone without giving me a shot. There was no shot while the buck was bedded, could only see antlers in the tall grass. I guess my question is, what do you do when you’re in position on a bedded buck? Do you just wait for him to get up? Try to get above him so you can take a shot? I’m not really sure, it was the first I’ve been able to get close enough to a buck for a shot. I’m thinking just camp out and wait, but I’m hoping someone will chime in with some pearls of wisdom that I can use next time.

Bullkllr:
First of all, give yourself a pat on the back for getting as close as you did. That took perseverance and some skill.

You described a situation that is very common ime. There may not have been much else you could do. Sometimes it just doesn't work out, but the next time he might have stepped right into a shooting lane. Unless the cut is really bare, the brush is always a factor and makes it tough to get a shot. That's where you really find out what "looked like a couple feet, but it's over my head" really feels like. Then, animals bed where the wind is likely to swirl, or so it seems, making those situations even tougher.

As far as strategies when you get close, I think most will agree it depends on the situation. You will need a shooting lane that agrees with the wind, or it's all for naught.
 :twocents:

Dysfunctional Vet:
I was super stoked to get that close and as far as I’m concerned it was a successful day. I’ll try to do it again next weekend. Lol! Thank you for the response.

NiteHawk:
I think you've got to come in from the top and guess on which shooting lane he will step into when he gets up. It's a roll of the dice! Good job getting as close as you did. Stick with it!

zwickeyman:
Ive stalked in on bedded bucks. Muledeer, Blacktail and Whitetail. It depends on a few things if you are going to try and get them to stand up. If you know for sure the wind is going to be a constant I will wait them out and hope they stand to stretch or re position in their bed. If i think the wind is iffy or losing daylight I will try to get them to stand. I have used all of these with success and failure. Bleated, grunted, thrown small rocks.

Most of the time its a gut feeling or just a guess what you think will work at the time

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