Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

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Weaver.b
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Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby Weaver.b » Mon Aug 21, 2017 3:38 am

I hunt a public marsh in Ohio that does not have alot of cattails or oaks. Alot of it is maple trees and other low value wetland species. My problem is when I do my cyber scouting I see good bedding potential but cant imagine a great feeding source like an agriculture field or oaks for quite a long ways. My question is how do you pinpoint a food source in these oakless marshes and how far would you expect a buck to bed from these food sources. Would a mile be an extreme distance for a buck to bed from his food?


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Re: Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby Killemquietly » Mon Aug 21, 2017 3:53 am

Good question, standing by for more experienced beasts to chime in...
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Jackson Marsh
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Re: Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Mon Aug 21, 2017 4:10 am

For the most part I don't think bucks care if they are "close" to food, as long as they don't get bothered. 1 or 2 miles is nothing for a buck to travel.

I've personally witnessed bucks bedding almost 2 miles from food in an area that is considered farm country. There is a lot of browse they eat that has nothing to do with farming or oaks.

I've seen them bed that deep even in the dead of winter when everyone else says they bed right next to food.

It all depends on pressure and safety. Could be close to food or miles away.
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Re: Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby Weaver.b » Mon Aug 21, 2017 4:18 am

I was curious to hear if anyone would mention browse. I wasnt sure how much they rely on browse to get by. Another problem in my area is it gets hit hard by duck hunters from all over. That worries me that the bucks that are there are either extremely deep or are drove off to private properties.
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Re: Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby Killemquietly » Mon Aug 21, 2017 4:30 am

Weaver.b wrote:I was curious to hear if anyone would mention browse. I wasnt sure how much they rely on browse to get by. Another problem in my area is it gets hit hard by duck hunters from all over. That worries me that the bucks that are there are either extremely deep or are drove off to private properties.

where I am, browse is pretty much the only thing they subsist on, we have acorns for about 2 months but no agriculture. There's a ton of plants they'll eat in a swamp. Our local LA Sportsman magazine did a browse article one year that mentioned they have about 600 varieties of plant material they'll at least tolerate.
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Re: Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby stash59 » Mon Aug 21, 2017 4:47 am

Whitetail deer are a browse animal. Most game departments have a short list of preferred browse foods. The other way to learn them is just pay attention when you see deer feeding. Or by looking for nipped off plants.

In northern latitudes where farms don't exist Browse is the main diet. Personally I consider leafy plants or leaves from trees. Also as browse.

I've had old timers tell me of killing deer 4-5 miles from any corn field. That had corn in their belly.
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Re: Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby tgreeno » Mon Aug 21, 2017 4:52 am

I have quite a few areas that aren't adjacent to a good food source. It's amazing how far buck will travel and what they will eat to support themselves. Browse can be a big source of food in remote areas.

Like JM said, There #1 priority is being in a secure area were they aren't bothered.

Here's a great thread about pressured beds!

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=20978
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Stanley
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Re: Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby Stanley » Mon Aug 21, 2017 5:58 am

Deer will eat anything. They eat poison ivy. I often see deer browse on the way to a food source. I think it is a survival instinct. In case they don't make it to lunch.
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Re: Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby Weaver.b » Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:28 am

Thanks for the helpful replies. That gives me more confidence to get away from the pressured fields.
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Re: Pressured area. Bed and food relation.

Unread postby Dan T » Mon Aug 21, 2017 7:50 am

A mile is nothing. Freshly fallen maple leaves adjacent to marsh bedding Might make for a good staging area. Depending on the maple species, those leaves can make a for a good pre and post nap snack for a buck.


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