Bedding areas

[upstatehunter]

Where do deer like to bed or where are beds typically found. I have seen deer bedded all over the property's I hunt and never seems to be a distinct area.

[stoneam2006]

Personally I think this time of year with no pressure as close to food as they can. During hunting season I bel8eve they bed in thick stuff that has little to no humans walking thru that...although I have seen them bed in fields on thick edges where they can watch around them and also in swampy area

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[Jeremy K]

I've never been able to find a core bedding area ,i've seen plenty of times where a group was laying down in the middle of the trail and left the big egg shaped spots in the frost on the ground but i'm sure that wasn't a bedding area.

[growalot]

As stated all over but I see preferences..ridge tops,swamp area,edge of gully just below top. Then there is bottom of a hill and in pine. All depends on weather and wind direction along with pressure.

[Doc]

When they find themselves feeding on certain crops or food sources, I'm convinced they will have a preferred bedding area nearby for that location. There are features of certain bedding areas that they prefer involving cover, wind currents, visibility, escape features. But I also am sure there are many places in the woods, thickets and brush-lots that provide those features and not just one special spot.  

[landtracdeerhunter]

From what I have witnessed over the years in our flat lands, Doe with fawn will bed near or right in food sources. My red clover grass mixed hay fields are loaded with bedding areas with mom and baby(ies) when I cut. This, I believe is why buck visits are limited in the area during the summer months. Doe keep the buck at distance.  Once the hay is harvested, deer change their patterns until new growth emerges.Then Doe and young'ins come in for a good source of protein, round two. This years born deer will bed in new growth, Mothers tend not to be as trustworthy. Once my carrot, radish, and oat mixtures come to life, the pattern changes once again, all bets are off. Thus, food sources have a good deal of influence on bedding.

 

True scouting of bedding areas should partake all year long to get a good assessment of what actually takes place in a particular area..

Edited July 19, 2016 by landtracdeerhunter

[DirtTime]

Usually think brushy areas, marshes/swamps, thick pines, and as mentioned places where they can be concealed from danger, and have an escape route.

When scouting I look for runs going in or out of these areas, and then look for food and water sources in the area. Once I have these located it's time to start sitting in the evenings and mornings to get travel down. Once the season starts though, they like to change things up and go everyplace but where we saw them last. LOL

[Buckmaster7600]

A deer will always try to bed with a good amount of vision up wind.

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[G-Man]

Find bedding by doing drives.. you will.find them quick around noon ot where you jump deer... not.see them a season of drives will educate you on bedding areas as well as escape routes.. once learned they remain fairly consistent year to year and you will learn to recognise similar areas.

I don't give specfic areas as terrain in nys varies to greatly.. from patchy Woodlore in agriculture to wilderness to everythig in between

[Rockspek]

Describe to me or show me some pictures of how you tell what a bedding area looks like in the above freezing times of the year.  I'm trying to learn this now so I can recognize it and keep away from it during this heat so the deer can nap.

[skiop]

There's no absolute answer to that as every area is unique. The spot that's the hardest to approach without being seen or winded. Take into consideration the prevailing wind.

[phade]

A deer will always try to bed with a good amount of vision up wind.

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I've found deer "never" always or never do something.

 

An example of your statement being incorrect is a hard break with the wind coming off the hard break and flowing into an open expanse. In that scenario, the deer is likely looking down wind or crosswind.

 

Or hill country and the deer using the thermals to look downwind as the winds rise or drop to cover the backside.

Edited July 22, 2016 by phade

[Buckmaster7600]

I've found deer "never" always or never do something.

An example of your statement being incorrect is a hard break with the wind coming off the hard break and flowing into an open expanse. In that scenario, the deer is likely looking down wind or crosswind.

Or hill country and the deer using the thermals to look downwind as the winds rise or drop to cover the backside.

I agree with you, I shouldn't have said always.

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