Deer bedding habits

[walter sobcheck]

This year was my first hunting deer.  I have access to some private land in the Adirondacks.  The land is mostly made up of a mountain with some lowlands that connect to some marsh and ponds below it.  I only got access to the land late in the season, but will be hunting there next year and have access for the whole season.  I focused mainly on scouting this year and actually shooting a buck was an after thought.  I was up the last day of the season and found about 10 deer beds right near each other on one area on the south side of the mountain about half way up the mountain.  My question is if deer will likely be bedding in this same spot next year.  I had seen a couple of beds much higher on the north side of the mountain earlier in the season, not nearly as many as I did on the south side that day though.  I can't say that they weren't bedding on the south side throughout the season as I had not spent much time in that specific area before closing day so I'm wondering if that is a spot I can rely on them being or if they are more likely moving down the mountain later in the season to make it easier to get to food and water when the weather picks up.

[NFA-ADK]

If they do not get pushed out by people/predators they will likely use it again next year.

[dbHunterNY]

yea.... unless they keep getting harassed then they will be there again at some point.  a deer has many bedding areas but prefer some much more than others.  later in the season it's south facing slopes with warmth and browse.  also beds that don't see a lot of people or predator traffic.

[nyantler]

Deer like bedding on the south side of a hill or mountain because that is the side that gets the most sun... on very cold, sunny days, that bedding area will be a good bet.

[incognito]

Not meant to hijack, but:

 

I found a bedding area under several acres of pine trees containing lots of turned up beds.

 

Within the pines are also lots of old rustic blinds, which makes it look a little like a shanty town.

 

Is it likely a herd of deer returning to the same beds every night, or one deer making new beds each night, or a combination of both?

Edited December 9, 2014 by incognito

[Doc]

Definitely there are "traditional" bedding areas, or spots that year after year have a high probability of having deer bedded somewhere nearby. Deer have specific reasons for choosing cover for bedding areas. They all have the same needs, so they may not always be the same deer but those spots always deserve a little special attention when you are near them.

 

On the other hand don't assume that because you jumped a bedded deer, there will always be one there.