Hunting open hardwoods in the southeast

[GoInLight]

I couldn't think of a better title. My question is, if you have planted pines in the middle of open hardwoods can you treat those pines kinda like an island in cat tails?? It seems to be the same principle of an interior transition and a lot of these planted pines have points and other land features that might offer good bedding.

My thought is to approach it the same way as a swamp or marsh. Does anyone have any experience or advice on the subject?? Thanks!

[Hawthorne]

Yes bedding should be on the downwind side. Look for any underbrush they might bed next to within the pines also. Autumn olive seems to grow good around pines and in hardwoods around here. Not sure if it grows in the southeast. You guys might have greenbrier or something like that. If they are mature pines I wouldn't expect bedding unless there is an elevation advantage.

[jwilkstn]

I couldn't think of a better title. My question is, if you have planted pines in the middle of open hardwoods can you treat those pines kinda like an island in cat tails?? It seems to be the same principle of an interior transition and a lot of these planted pines have points and other land features that might offer good bedding.

My thought is to approach it the same way as a swamp or marsh. Does anyone have any experience or advice on the subject?? Thanks!

I have ALOT to learn about hunting in this scenario, but as a starting point in flat terrain YES I think so. In any terrain, walk that transition pretty thoroughly and you should find decent sign of activity

[Divergent]

I've never hunted marsh or swamps, but here are some things I've noticed about pines. Younger pines seem to hold more deer than mature pines as far as bedding. They seem to bed along the transitions in the younger pines. I don't find bedding deep inside pine thickets unless there's a big enough tract and a major advantage from a terrain feature. I'm not certain, but I think the pine needles make it too easy for predators to get close to beds. Trails/travel routes are normally created when the pines were planted. These trails align more with terrain features since they were started when the pines didn't provide enough cover. Interior logging roads are used for travel and can be a good place to cut a set of tracks after a good rain. These will often lead right back to a bed. Small pine thickets on points overlooking hardwoods usually have good bedding. Pines also seem to get more traffic on windy and/or rainy days.

[Josh_S]

I've never hunted marsh or swamps, but here are some things I've noticed about pines. Younger pines seem to hold more deer than mature pines as far as bedding. They seem to bed along the transitions in the younger pines. I don't find bedding deep inside pine thickets unless there's a big enough tract and a major advantage from a terrain feature. I'm not certain, but I think the pine needles make it too easy for predators to get close to beds. Trails/travel routes are normally created when the pines were planted. These trails align more with terrain features since they were started when the pines didn't provide enough cover. Interior logging roads are used for travel and can be a good place to cut a set of tracks after a good rain. These will often lead right back to a bed. Small pine thickets on points overlooking hardwoods usually have good bedding. Pines also seem to get more traffic on windy and/or rainy days.

I agree, I think there is something to be said about low lying cover. Christmas tree fields seem to be deer magnets. Years ago a family member leased a hilltop field to a Christmas tree farmer. I remember setting up trail cameras in late summer and bumping bachelor groups of some good bucks for PA mid day within the Christmas trees. The daylight sightings of the bucks disappeared by fall, and I'm sure me leaving my scent along the edge didn't help either. The trees got torn up pretty bad by bucks and the farmer did not want to renew the lease. This particular property, adjacent public, and surrounding properties have always held good deer numbers...But I think the low lying cover of the Christmas trees provided just enough security to pull deer closer. And it was a tight transition against the hardwoods. I can't say for sure where the bucks were bedding come fall, I would assume in the adjacent hill country. Were the majority of rubs in the Christmas trees made at night, or was this actually a staging area? Had I scouted for fall beds and payed more attention to the wind maybe I could have scored. This was before I found the beast and didn't know much about bedding.

[GoInLight]

Thank y'all for the help, all good points for sure. Where I hunt it's basically flat ground with very little in the way of land change, but for sure where there is a topi change the deer use that feature.
Seems like once the leaves are off the trees a big buck could hole up in one of these thick spots and have sight advantage through the open hardwood and wind advantage from his back.
Someone else said that an elevation change, even the slightest would be key. I think that's dead on too, because it would give the buck a better view of the open woods.
Think I'll scout all the pines that have an elevation advantage, predominate wind blowing down the point,and are brushy.
If this works it will open up a lot of new hunting spots for me. Thank y'all for the help.

[matt1336]

I'd think theyd bed in pines as long as they're left alone for the most part. Pressure is the key. Bucks bed on cattail island due to security not because it's the most convenient place for them to sleep.
I'd look for anything that might give a buck added security inside or on the outside of the pines. Talking about a scenting and or visual advantage. You'll find beds at these places if they exsist in those pines.

[Divergent]

I've never hunted flat land pines, but I'd have a hard time believing they'd bed inside of them like they would in a swamp. Those pine needles are a lot quieter than water in a swamp. The dense cover seems to muffle sound too. I've had too many deer sneak up on me in them. This is pure speculation though...

[GoInLight]

Those pine needles are super quiet. I'm going to check a few spots and just see if they are using them. I'm also going to focus on bends in the creek that are brushy.

We have 3 swamps on our place and they def hold deer. I found two great beds and I've got my entry and exit planned. Problem is I want to hunt fresh sits all year, so I gotta find some more beds.

I'm really enjoying this style of hunting, it's fun. It seems to take a lot of the luck out of the hunt and replace it with hard work.

[Divergent]

Those pine needles are super quiet. I'm going to check a few spots and just see if they are using them. I'm also going to focus on bends in the creek that are brushy.

We have 3 swamps on our place and they def hold deer. I found two great beds and I've got my entry and exit planned. Problem is I want to hunt fresh sits all year, so I gotta find some more beds.

I'm really enjoying this style of hunting, it's fun. It seems to take a lot of the luck out of the hunt and replace it with hard work.

You just need to drive on up to Bankhead and hunt. There's a lot of them up there. Not sure how far south you are though.

[GoInLight]

Those pine needles are super quiet. I'm going to check a few spots and just see if they are using them. I'm also going to focus on bends in the creek that are brushy.

We have 3 swamps on our place and they def hold deer. I found two great beds and I've got my entry and exit planned. Problem is I want to hunt fresh sits all year, so I gotta find some more beds.

I'm really enjoying this style of hunting, it's fun. It seems to take a lot of the luck out of the hunt and replace it with hard work.

You just need to drive on up to Bankhead and hunt. There's a lot of them up there. Not sure how far south you are though.

I'm central Alabama, so I don't think too far at all. I'm driving 2 hrs one way now. Do you live close to Alabama? If you do we should hunt my place. It's loaded with deer and it's got some good ones too.

Bankhead would give me more options. Thanks!!

[Divergent]

Those pine needles are super quiet. I'm going to check a few spots and just see if they are using them. I'm also going to focus on bends in the creek that are brushy.

We have 3 swamps on our place and they def hold deer. I found two great beds and I've got my entry and exit planned. Problem is I want to hunt fresh sits all year, so I gotta find some more beds.

I'm really enjoying this style of hunting, it's fun. It seems to take a lot of the luck out of the hunt and replace it with hard work.

You just need to drive on up to Bankhead and hunt. There's a lot of them up there. Not sure how far south you are though.

I'm central Alabama, so I don't think too far at all. I'm driving 2 hrs one way now. Do you live close to Alabama? If you do we should hunt my place. It's loaded with deer and it's got some good ones too.

Bankhead would give me more options. Thanks!!

I live about 20 minutes north of Birmingham. I'm always down for some scouting and hunting, so just let me know when.