Beaver Ponds & Bedding

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BA-IV
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Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby BA-IV » Wed Apr 12, 2017 11:35 pm

I'd like to hear yall's experience on relating bedding to beaver ponds. It is without a doubt the closest terrain around me that compares to anything like the UP of Michigan in the big woods it seems like. Its a lot of water, super thick, and it usually always butts up to some mature pines. I'm curious to see how yall have tackled this terrain scouting wise and what yall are looking for exactly cyber scouting before you ever set foot in the area. We have quite a few areas like this, and it seems like most hunters have no desire to tackle an area like this. The only major difference is a beaver pond around here is a HOTSPOT for snakes and hogs!


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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby stash59 » Thu Apr 13, 2017 2:26 am

Have you watched this?

http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=39935

Some great points and tactics mentioned on beaver ponds.

Also search Scott's (Singinging Bridges) other threads on deer hunting. Lots of great stuff with more on beaver dams.
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby BA-IV » Thu Apr 13, 2017 3:05 am

Scott's thread got my wheels turning on the beaver pond subject. That's exactly why I started this thread! I'll check em out.

Anybody have any success stories?
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby RDubs44 » Fri Apr 14, 2017 2:22 am

Hunting Beast Forum FB page posted great podcast on youtube from Big Buck Registry interviewing Scott Shawl. Deep swamps and beaver ponds.

Thoroughly enjoyed listening to his expertise.
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby cbigbear » Fri Apr 14, 2017 2:41 am

I find the same problem you are running into with beaver ponds, slough, glades, lakes, creek beds, etc they all hold & attract hogs the better portion of the year. Thick & wet = hogs!!!! Will deer also frequent the areas - yes, but I have seen numerous deer bedding areas taken over by hogs.
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby dan » Fri Apr 14, 2017 4:07 am

Not all beaver ponds are created equal... I am looking for thick cover of brush in wet ground. Sometimes there are large dead trees (drowned) and with older areas sometimes its just brush in water. The dry humps are where they bed. Just looked at a few beaver ponds scouting Black river falls last weekend.
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby Nocturnal » Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:23 am

dan wrote:Not all beaver ponds are created equal... I am looking for thick cover of brush in wet ground. Sometimes there are large dead trees (drowned) and with older areas sometimes its just brush in water. The dry humps are where they bed. Just looked at a few beaver ponds scouting Black river falls last weekend.


Lots of beaver ponds in the area dan mentioned and of course exactly like he mentioned about them. Not all are created equal. I've been hunting them since I first started hunting and a real good one for 3 years now in which I have seen a mature deer every time I've hunted it. I have some experience hunting them and they are big buck spots for sure. Killer rut spot too. Bucks travel the high ground back and fourth and as well as the does. Most of the bedding will be on the higher ground. But I have found some good buck beds where they have pushed down swamp grass and tag elder to get the best advantage while bedding in there. Most the time maps won't help you per say. You have to get in there to find them. If your trying to bed hunt with a bow. You will probably have to hunt up wind of their beds. Too many times I've seen them walk back into the mainland downwind just because that's where they want to go.

When the guns start blazing the bucks move into the larger, more secluded swamps by us. I haven't had any luck with mature deer hunting them when the pressure really ramps up.
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby Nocturnal » Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:43 am

Image they travel right down this edge during the rut.
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby Nocturnal » Fri Apr 14, 2017 6:51 am

Image Had this ten point come in off the beaver pond from the picture above. Dont mind all my pics :lol: I love hunting beaver ponds so deal with it!
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby john1984 » Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:06 am

My last 2 bucks were killed within 100 yards of a beaver dam.

My 2 current best spots in the big marsh are very close to beaver dams.
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby UofLbowhunter » Fri Apr 14, 2017 2:08 pm

dan wrote:Not all beaver ponds are created equal... I am looking for thick cover of brush in wet ground. Sometimes there are large dead trees (drowned) and with older areas sometimes its just brush in water. The dry humps are where they bed. Just looked at a few beaver ponds scouting Black river falls last weekend.




What you said here is just like a spot i found, just this last week. I was scouting an area i pick out by topo and aerial. Got to the area i wanted to scout and started to find sign i was looking for but couldnt connect with bedding, walking at the waters edge, about to leave,i noticed two big dead trees, futher in water about 30 yards i waded though some of the thickest stuff i have been in yet,and sure enough there was a dry island about 20x 20 yrds where those two dead trees where Walked strait to the trees and and there was three big beds with hair in them rite against the side of the trees,and big buck scat to boot!! It just amazed me how he got in and out of there, it was thick!! I need to get back to scout again but copper heads and cotton mouths are not my thing :naughty: there starting to come out now in my part of the country :shock:
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby headgear » Fri Apr 14, 2017 2:16 pm

The biggest public land buck I have ever seen was bedding off a small point of brush smelling for does crossing a large beaver dam. Never did catch up with that guy but other bucks in the area have taken over his favorite spots on and around the beaver dam. When I find them they are generally some of the first places I visit when scouting.
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby Findian » Sun Apr 16, 2017 12:15 pm

The older beaver ponds that have been dry for many years, seem to have better bedding.
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Re: Beaver Ponds & Bedding

Unread postby Dewey » Sun Apr 16, 2017 5:18 pm

Findian wrote:The older beaver ponds that have been dry for many years, seem to have better bedding.


I agree with this. The biggest bucks I have seen in the north were bedding near and skirting the transition created by the old ponds that were starting to grow over. Have also found beds right in the old pond where tall grasses and brush filled in.


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