Finally found buck beds!

[Rockytophunter]

With season closing in and time constraints with work and medical emergencies with family I finally found some time to look around in the woods a little bit. I finally found 2 buck beds. 1 of them makes sense from what I have saw from the videos and read but the other on doesn't make sense to me at all. Both beds we are the same elevation but wasn't the elevation I was expecting. They were half way up the mountain and not the top 1/3. The bed that makes sense is on a small point in limestone bluffs where it turns back into a holler. The other on that doesn't make sense was roughly 75 yards around the same flat and was against a small bluff. What doesn't make sense to me is I don't see how it benifits the deer. There isn't any type of point for the deer to actually look for danger. Just kinda thick off on old logging road with the terrain being the bluff behind the bed and a small slope below. I stayed at the same elevation walking around the mountain but didn't find anything else. So would this be considered a primary bed, satellite bed, or just a random thing? He had tore every sapling there was at the bed and a good 4" popular shurb got shredded just a few yards from the bed. Also found hair in it but no tracks so I'm also trying to determine if this is possibly the mature buck I have watched all summer. Since I finally found this bed I'm trying to put 1+1 together but this has got me a little confused.

[SidewayZ]

Post a topo of the area.

[brancher147]

Just because you didn't see a visual benefit to the buck doesn't mean there wasn't some huge benefit there. It sounds to me like it could be the same buck with multiple beds for different wind directions. He did not have a visual benefit in the one bed, but maybe under the right wind conditions he did not need a visual benefit because he was able to smell swirling winds from multiple directions. It is really hard to say, and is something that is a bit of a guessing game that gets easier the longer a person sees and is learning about bedding, especially in hill country.

I agree posting a topo may help someone explain it better.

[Rockytophunter]

Blue dots are beds I found. Orange circled dot I'm not sure if it's a buck bed or not. But it seems that on would bed there just not positive. There was not any other beds around it. The black circle is where I'm confused because of terrain features. I'm just not seeing the benifits but I'm very new to this. Outlined in pink is close to property lines of my at home hunting grounds. I walked to the right in this picture but didn't find anything else. Maybe you guys can give some tips

[Rockytophunter]

I have done forgot how to upload pictures. Is it through photobucket?

[Rockytophunter]

Test #1

[Rockytophunter]

Bump

[<DK>]

So the bed w rubs and a bluff at his back is the on w the black circle?
Where is the logging road in relation to the bed?

He probably has more beds that just weren't visible on that hill side. They dont all play by the rules but there is always a reason for their actions. Dont be discouraged by the 1/3 rule. Many factors change where they might wind up. Its the best basis to start searching for any beds or deer sign in general. He could be there on a weird wind or thermal situation. Maybe weather based? Living in an area w more predators than I see could be a factor as well. Generally when I hear access trail and bed - that is why he hangs out there, to wind or watch people coming into the area. Im curious what others have to say about it.

[Rockytophunter]

Yes the on with black circle has the rubs and small bluff. Maybe 8-10ft tall. Logging road running with the topo lines is 20ish ft below the bed and it's kinda thick and another one running up the mtn that splits that bed with the ones to the left. The top bed is also based with a larger bluff to its back. I think I have found doe bedding about the bed since these was 4 or 5 beds together. Or that's what I'm thinking are doe beds. I'm just happy to actually find a for sure buck bed. It's one step closer. 80% of the time the wind blows from right to left of the picture. The right side of the picture is also north

[SidewayZ]

It kinda of makes sense, the bed is located at the end of the finger where it appears from the contour lines that there is a rather steep drop almost like a shear wall. Almost looks too steep, but must be passable.

Its a slight change, but it also appears that from the bottom to the middle if one grade and the middle to top is slightly softer slope. This may be what cause the thermal tunnel effect at that spot or if not a thermal advantage the buck has some other security advantage it feels safe with there.

No trails coming down the hill into the finger? How about trails leading from bed holding same elevation? It seems unlikely to be a trail leading down hill seems too steep?

[Josh_S]

It kinda of makes sense, the bed is located at the end of the finger where it appears from the contour lines that there is a rather steep drop almost like a shear wall. Almost looks too steep, but must be passable.

Its a slight change, but it also appears that from the bottom to the middle if one grade and the middle to top is slightly softer slope. This may be what cause the thermal tunnel effect at that spot or if not a thermal advantage the buck has some other security advantage it feels safe with there.

No trails coming down the hill into the finger? How about trails leading from bed holding same elevation? It seems unlikely to be a trail leading down hill seems too steep?

good call, looks like a lower elevation military crest

[Rockytophunter]

There are trails literally everywhere. At the bottom of the mtn is where my house is and a bean field so they come down every night. Gonna say 60-80ft below the black circled bed is another logging road that runs parallel with the mtn and right below that road is a good patch of producing oaks. The bed that was circled in orange is about a 20ft wide flat that runs between 2 bluffs. 1 way in 1 way out.

[UofLbowhunter]

I think one of you key words you said was," it's thick". That may be just enough make them bed there. Sidewazys hit it pretty good too about that one bed too!

[Rockytophunter]

I think one of you key words you said was," it's thick". That may be just enough make them bed there. Sidewazys hit it pretty good too about that one bed too!

It's thick compared to alot of stuff around it but it's not unbearably thick.

[SidewayZ]

Next step is to hunt it. Pick a spot you think is most likely an exit and see what shakes out. Then hunt another spot a few weeks later.

Best bet if you want to be aggressive is too wait to for a light rain day or rain that night, maybe then you could pull back to back days at different spots without to much scent being left behind.

And the right wind.