Deer beds

[Witty]

"One of the best ways to improve where you hunt is making areas for deer to bed."<br /><br />That's a statement I think all of use have heard or even said but what does it actually mean? In my experience I'd say deer don't bed in the same place all the time. Just yesterday I found 3 beds on my in-laws 5 acres. There were 2 adult size beds and one fawn size bed all under an apple tree with a small hill on one side and a creek on the other in calf high grass. That's the first time I've seen a bed on their property. While scouting I would find beds in all kinds of different cover. I'm curious as to what makes a spot desirable for a deer to bed in? And do they consistently use the same beds? What do you guys and gals do to make good bedding areas for deer?

Edited July 24, 2013 by Witty

[phade]

Beds are a taboo topic on this forum. Some people get it, some people are getting it, and some will never get it.

 

I applaud you for looking into it further.

 

Making beds is more of an in-depth consideration of the parcel itself.

 

Some easy ways include TSI that allows light in through the canopy. This light can often jumpstart multiflora, which can hold deer. Hinge cut trees can also serve as potential bedding areas.

 

Create transition (edge) changes. Bucks like this. Instead of planting a 5 acre field into a plot, take the right section and plant bedding grasses. Corn can be too, for seasonal.

 

Still, as much bedding as you can design, you are betting off finding, leasing, buying, accessing parcels with the natural bedding there. If you control the bedding, you control the most important part of the puzzle imo. Food is great, but they're at their beds or within the safe zone in shooting light more often than not.

Edited July 24, 2013 by phade

[Doewhacker]

 

Beds are a taboo topic on this forum.

 

I noticed that in another thread, haha

I have noticed that deer tend to use the same areas for bedding, sometimes year after year. Bucks seem to bed in different areas than doe's in my opinion, in can be in a strip of grass behind a house or in deep cover(just for example). What ever allows them the most safety via wind and vision and lack of pressure. It also seems to me that you might only get one chance at bumping him out of his bed before he goes elsewhere. What am I saying, my screen name is Doewhacker..hehe

[Witty]

Well I know where Turkeys sleep and its made me a better turkey hunter, I figured knowing more about where deer sleep and rest would improve my hunting also. Not sure I understand why a topic about an important aspect of an animal we hunt would be taboo. I've been doing a lot of reading on whitetails, I particularly like one by Alhsimer (sp) where he chronicles a doe and two bucks for an entire year. I found that helpful and entertaining but this whole bedding thing is a little confusing for me. Every time I find a bed I look around to figure out why a deer decided it was a good spot to lay down. I ask because there are guys on here who have the knowledge and experience I don't. <br /><br />I've been watching 3 particular deer, all three of them seem to be eating and sleeping in a very small area. I see a doe and her fawn every night browsing in a trilicate field and bedding in tall grass around a creek. The buck I've seen around the same creek and although I see him less but I have trailcam photos of him almost everyday using the trail along the creek. Now on the 225 acres I have to hunt these deer seem to be using the same 25 or so acre patch of cover, woods and food. It's a very visible 25 acres at that.

[phade]

  

I noticed that in another thread, haha

I have noticed that deer tend to use the same areas for bedding, sometimes year after year. Bucks seem to bed in different areas than doe's in my opinion, in can be in a strip of grass behind a house or in deep cover(just for example). What ever allows them the most safety via wind and vision and lack of pressure. It also seems to me that you might only get one chance at bumping him out of his bed before he goes elsewhere. What am I saying, my screen name is Doewhacker..hehe

 

 

Some good info in totality, and the bolded part isn't always true or false as you noted. Some cases yes, but in some cases, a buck will indeed return, and some known bed hunters will argue most times this happens, but if a buck is bumped and it gets away successfully, it'll return to that bed again. Some tactics atually involve purposely bumping a buck off its bed, setting up the stand and getting back in there before the buck returns the next morning.

 

One of the more successful buck hunters I have met in NY purposely bumped deer from beds in August with a partner. He would climb to a vantage point in a tree, and then have the partner go through the bedding and the buck would then take its route out. The hunter then would glass and set up when he believed the buck was in its bed and hunt the route out. Prior to the Oct 1 date, he had taken 5-6 mature bucks on opening day in a row. Haven't seen him in a few years, but his ability to hunt beds was imressive.

Edited July 24, 2013 by phade

[phade]

Well I know where Turkeys sleep and its made me a better turkey hunter, I figured knowing more about where deer sleep and rest would improve my hunting also. Not sure I understand why a topic about an important aspect of an animal we hunt would be taboo. I've been doing a lot of reading on whitetails, I particularly like one by Alhsimer (sp) where he chronicles a doe and two bucks for an entire year. I found that helpful and entertaining but this whole bedding thing is a little confusing for me. Every time I find a bed I look around to figure out why a deer decided it was a good spot to lay down. I ask because there are guys on here who have the knowledge and experience I don't. <br /><br />I've been watching 3 particular deer, all three of them seem to be eating and sleeping in a very small area. I see a doe and her fawn every night browsing in a trilicate field and bedding in tall grass around a creek. The buck I've seen around the same creek and although I see him less but I have trailcam photos of him almost everyday using the trail along the creek. Now on the 225 acres I have to hunt these deer seem to be using the same 25 or so acre patch of cover, woods and food. It's a very visible 25 acres at that.

 

Core areas are about as small as they get at this time of year. Its the time of plenty. If you are getting those early morning (just at sunrise) or late evening (sunset) shots in shooting hours, then you are likely near his bed. You can then monitor the area to see if his pattern changes come hunting time.

 

The reason why it is taboo is that there are disagreements on their use as a whole. Some people believe mature bucks bed willy nilly here. Others don't. That's all.

Edited July 24, 2013 by phade

[cityboy]

There's a sisterhood of does that regularly bed on one of my acres in the back. It's not huntable land because of the locations of houses and roads, but it's nice to observe the coming and going of bucks and does. 

[G-Man]

an old video, had good information, take a month or a whole season and drive areas you believe hold deer, learn the escape routes, thenat future date hunt them. the areas that hold deer are usually bedding areas. (notice i didn't say bed) . deer will constintually use an area for bedding. it may be (small an acre or so) or large (a 20 acre crp field) creating an area that deer feel safe/dry/protected on your property is prolly the most important thing to do. driving deer seems to be a thing of the past but if you have ever been on one that has been sucessful its because the person organizing it knows a bedding area and the escape routes. now in our modern "stand hunting" if you learn the escape routes and set up on them you stand a pretty good chance of getting your deer when others start to move and kick deer around.

[Doewhacker]

 

Some good info in totality, and the bolded part isn't always true or false as you noted. Some cases yes, but in some cases, a buck will indeed return, and some known bed hunters will argue most times this happens, but if a buck is bumped and it gets away successfully, it'll return to that bed again. Some tactics atually involve purposely bumping a buck off its bed, setting up the stand and getting back in there before the buck returns the next morning.

 

One of the more successful buck hunters I have met in NY purposely bumped deer from beds in August with a partner. He would climb to a vantage point in a tree, and then have the partner go through the bedding and the buck would then take its route out. The hunter then would glass and set up when he believed the buck was in its bed and hunt the route out. Prior to the Oct 1 date, he had taken 5-6 mature bucks on opening day in a row. Haven't seen him in a few years, but his ability to hunt beds was imressive.

 

Thats a solid idea that hunter had.

We also try to make mental note of where we find young bucks bedded for the following years and exit routes ect.

We have seen both cases by the way, some return some don't. A couple years back my brother got a nine with the bow just that way, found his area and him but couldn't get a shot. Returned a few weeks later and got him (while still hunting no less).

[phade]

That hunter at last check averaged 3 deer over 130 a season. He did hunt multiple states all DIY, but the last year I spoke to him he tagged two of the three bucks in NY. It's a common theme I have seen from hunters who are mature buck killers who don't own or control elite ground.

[BizCT]

Nothing like making a spot & stalk on a bedded buck.

[phade]

I agree. Heart pumping. I've never been good at it, thus I have to work to my strengths in a stand or blind.

 

I'd have to really work at being a western hunter. I so want to do it, and will in good time.

[BizCT]

In NY during gun season, I usually get cold and bored by like 11am.  Typically from 11am -2pm, I still hunt at a snail pace.  Literally 2 steps, then stop/look/listen. Then repeat.  I have snuck up on many bedded deer like (more does than bucks), but have shot a couple of bucks like this.  In PA, I spotted a buck about 200 yards away, I snuck within 40 with my crossbow and then realized it was a spike (illegal in PA). I thought he had more points. I dont know if I was imagining things or the high grassy stuff made it look like more. Pretty disappointing.  My only Mule Deer buck was a bedded buck (with a couple of other bucks). Got within 500 yards and they got up and ran over the next hill. Then got within 330 yards and shot him, he ran 110 yards and I finished him off at 440.

[moog5050]

I agree. Heart pumping. I've never been good at it, thus I have to work to my strengths in a stand or blind.

 

I'd have to really work at being a western hunter. I so want to do it, and will in good time.

 

 

Shouldn't you be risk mangaing or something?

[phade]

Shouldn't you be risk mangaing or something?

 

 

Touche'.

 

Deer beds are a bottomless pit of conversation for me.