bedding in the rain

[rochester coops]

got out for the 1st time yesterday. Due to family obligation I was late getting out. on my way in through a field of standing corn, I had to cross a ditch that runs through the field. This ditch makes a bend or elbow right where I crossed. either side of the ditch has 5 yds of weeds/grass and brush rt in the ditch. at the inside corner of the elbow on a slight rise was a single, rather large bed in the grass. Looking at the direction the grass was matted down I think he was bedded facing back toward the woods, right down the ditch. This would put his back to the corn I came through, making his back to the road and my approach. I am guessing he chooses to bed with a south wind coming from the road to protect from danger coming from the road, but he watches his entrance trail coming down the ditch from the main woods.
Funny, cause I don't hunt that woods with a south wind as I like to hunt the south edge of it.

Well, it rained pretty good last night, and there is a south wind today. I'd like to go check it out. My only question is seeing that it rained pretty good this a.m., would it be likely he bedded there in the open with no canopy overhead today?

[dan]

You sure that its not a night bed?

[rochester coops]

I'm going to try to upload some pics so everyone can get a better idea of this area. It may be a night bed, i don't know. I went back tonight, circled around downwind through the corn, near the edge of the woods on the (east side of the ditch) hoping to be able to actually see the bed from the edge of the corn. I waited until about 45 min left of daylight, then decided to ck out the bed as it didn't appear to be anything there, and this time I was more interested in knowing how and if the bed was used than sticking it out till last light (couldn't anyway today).
This is my view with my back to the woods and facing the bed (south).

[rochester coops]

This is the bed with my bow in it, at the inside corner of the elbow of the ditch

[rochester coops]

sitting in the bed looking back to the woods and where my first pic was taken

[rochester coops]

deer's view to the south (opposite direction, woods are to the north) This is where the ditch turns and runs back west (to the rt in the pic)

[rochester coops]

directly behind the bed is the corner of this corn field at the elbow, with a deer trail in or out from the bed

[rochester coops]

So I don't know, maybe its a night bed. I was pleased to see 3 very fresh piles of droppings just off the bed 2 toward the corn trail behind the bed and 1 on the trail into the ditch. These were definitley fresh within the last 24 hrs, some appeared to be within a few hrs. the tracks in the corn looked like a doe, nothing huge, but this is the only visible bed around. Nice to know after the rain last night (and more forcasted tonight) that some deer was comfortable enough there today to hang out long enough to poop at least.

Also relooking at the bed I'm not conclusive as to the direction the deer may be facing, though definitely looks body laying east west so facing north or south (south is toward the road)

Hope that helps some. Took me long enough to figure out how to post pics, should also find out how to post an ariel too, no time tonight though. thanks for any help.

[gjs4]

Seems like that is an odd location to me for this time of year unless his primary bed has suffered a ton of pressure or it is a nighttime bed.

With the temps of late I think water would be a driver in temporary bedding locations if pressure is not a factor. I could some of those colder days, or post downpour that offering a nice windbreak where the sun could dry his coat out quickly.

Where does the wind come from (not as much direction but are there predators, does, etc upwind of him)

Probably buggier than all get-out in there .....

Neat puzzle