I was out scouting some new small marsh areas the other night ... mostly looking for buck hideouts and possible bedding locations ... and found a few isolated beds ... but they weren't on raised dry ground ... these were actually down in the marsh and had wet bottoms unlike what I'm usually looking for (dry raised ground) ... both were located relatively close to one another (80 yards) and both under a large tree ... now it wasn't standing water (no more than 3/4 of and inch) ... but it definitely was wet ... do you think this may be an area a buck usually would bed in if it were dry and just because it's been hot 80-90* days they are bedding there to maybe stay somewhat cool ... just curious ... haven't found beds like that before
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bed wetter
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Re: bed wetter
Welcome to the Beast. I have seen bucks bed in cooler spots in hot weather. Not so much water but sand or bare dirt.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: bed wetter
Hey Stan. .. thanks for the welcome. .. believe me I've been a "subscriber" for a few years now ... figured I'd finally throw some ides/questions around ... but this piece I was scouting was just a little 40-50 acre puddle basically ... it's new to me but looks like it probably is dry some years and wet others or depending on the time of the year ... and these beds are down in the tall grasses (waist to belly high) .. so there's no visual from them really (nothing truly advantageous anyways) ... the beds are just inside the transition edge location wise and this little marsh is definitely low ground in that the surrounding topography is slightly elevated to it ... now for all i know these could be used by does or bucks ... but there was a rub line located near one ... and they had buck bedding characteristics ... but the wet bottoms of the beds had me kinda curious
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Re: bed wetter
I do find these type beds in choked river bottoms as well ... meaning beds in deep grasses ... and surrounded by basically walls of dogwood and redbrush type vegetation but usually they have just cool damp type laying areas ... nothing with any amount of water ... either way just curious what everyone thinks
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Re: bed wetter
And then I guess a separate question... in these deep marsh grass type beds with little for visuals ... obviously these beds must be dependant upon some type of wind or thermal but will a buck feel comfortable enough bedding in a thick river bottom type setting with only wind being his best defense and the fact that nothing should be able to sneak up on him quietly being his second best defense ... or am I just stumbling upon lone doe type beds ?
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Re: bed wetter
aceofspades wrote:And then I guess a separate question... in these deep marsh grass type beds with little for visuals ... obviously these beds must be dependant upon some type of wind or thermal but will a buck feel comfortable enough bedding in a thick river bottom type setting with only wind being his best defense and the fact that nothing should be able to sneak up on him quietly being his second best defense ... or am I just stumbling upon lone doe type beds ?
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I would think the deer are bedding here to be as cool as possible during the hot weather.
Last July, I scouted a bigwoods area in northern wisconsin that would qualify as hill country because of steep bluffs surrounding a small river system. Well, I found big tracks up on the elevation contours, and was able to find some of his bedding on the hills. BUT, I was surprised to kick up a deer down low by the river, which upon closer inspection, was the same big track that was bedding up on the points. I found the bed and it was for sure the same big buck and it was down near the river in thick greens type of vegetation. The bed was well used currently, but did not have the sort of strategic terrain advantages that I have come to appreciate. My assumption is that he would rather opt for physical comfort in July because there are not many humans in the woods then.
Also, this is not the only time I have seen bedding down by the river in this "hill" kind of setting. I think the old bucks like to keep cool if they can do it without giving up security.
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Re: bed wetter
Wind is always one defense. But there is always at least one more. Bucks combine scent from behind with hearing, or sight. In this case it sounds like the buck was using hearing and smell.will a buck feel comfortable enough bedding in a thick river bottom type setting with only wind being his best defense and the fact that nothing should be able to sneak up on him quietly being his second best defense
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Re: bed wetter
So dan ... I was watching your video on the the effect a waterhole has on air currents or thermals ... so how does a cool river effect thermals ?? Does the flow of the river have any effect as well if any ... in relation to these choked out/dogwood/redbrush river bottom beds ?
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Re: bed wetter
aceofspades wrote:So dan ... I was watching your video on the the effect a waterhole has on air currents or thermals ... so how does a cool river effect thermals ?? Does the flow of the river have any effect as well if any ... in relation to these choked out/dogwood/redbrush river bottom beds ?
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In theory a cold water stream should push air away as air cools and expands... But I really don't see that as much as the pull of warmer water. What I do see with rivers, streams, and creeks is air flow following the river mostly do to terrain. Wind hits the open channel for the waterway and turns to follow the opening or swirls badly at the opening. And how much it turns or swirls can change dramatically as the wind speed changes.
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Re: bed wetter
Sounds like these can be kinda tough areas to hunt ... I have had some hunting friends that love the river bottoms but that's one thing they always mentioned is that wind always seems to swirl or do something you don't expect it to do ... so how does a buck compensate for a shifty wind in that scenario or are those beds very dependant upon a steady wind that doesn't play tricks ... I guess I'm asking how as,a hunter do you go about picking these bowl type bedding areas Along the river apart
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Re: bed wetter
aceofspades wrote:Sounds like these can be kinda tough areas to hunt ... I have had some hunting friends that love the river bottoms but that's one thing they always mentioned is that wind always seems to swirl or do something you don't expect it to do ... so how does a buck compensate for a shifty wind in that scenario or are those beds very dependant upon a steady wind that doesn't play tricks ... I guess I'm asking how as,a hunter do you go about picking these bowl type bedding areas Along the river apart
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Look at the actual wind direction, or the constant shift in wind direction. I don't think deer bed hoping for a swirl... Most guys hunt right on the edge of an opening to get good view, but that puts you right in the swirl.. Best to sit back into the brush a little unless you have consistent wind.
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