Deer Bedding around Reservoirs

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Brick1083
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Deer Bedding around Reservoirs

Unread postby Brick1083 » Fri Oct 27, 2017 9:23 am

Over the last year, I've been reading a lot about deer bedding in marshes, hill country, etc and how it's dictated by what they can see and smell. I feel like I've got a pretty handle on that, but I'm wondering how that translates to my situation. My hunting happens on public land in KS, generally without much topography, and generally around a reservoir.

My biggest question: Will bucks bed in cattails or thickets on a point jutting into a reservoir with the wind blowing from the land into the point? They certainly have the ability to smell anything coming from land and can either see anything approaching via water or feel safe in knowing that nothing will approach by water. But the trouble is it seems they could get cornered very easily. It seems if I were a buck, I might avoid bedding on the edge of a reservoir because my potential escape routes get cut by half or more.

One extreme example:
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Re: Deer Bedding around Reservoirs

Unread postby Twenty Up » Fri Oct 27, 2017 10:09 am

If the surrounding water is deep, probably not. Seen them bed on small islands in rivers and swim across if needed but it was maybe a 30-40 yard swim.... not sure how far they would swim on a lake but pressure/food would dictate that IMO
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Jonny
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Re: Deer Bedding around Reservoirs

Unread postby Jonny » Fri Oct 27, 2017 10:44 am

It also depends on the bottom characteristics. I scouted a section of river bottom with lots of points that jet out into a backwater that is only a foot or two of water at most. But I've been over my waist before in that muck. Never have seen a deer in the water around it. But the one point with hard sand and gravel around it :whistle: had some bedding there

All of the beds I found were in areas with escape routes that can be used quickly and quietly. Even the river bottom I gun hunt in, all the crossings are in the shallowest, flattest sloped areas with a hard bottom. Don't see any crossing in the silty areas despite it having the other characteristics.
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Re: Deer Bedding around Reservoirs

Unread postby sir_tob » Fri Oct 27, 2017 10:48 am

Where i musky fished this year, the lake had a marsh border. We frequently saw good bucks on the border bedding in the 'tails on root balls. not sure about that point though.. any sign going in or out of it? Is it dry land all the way to the end or some breaks of water. He could be there if he feels nothing can reach him but the lack of exit is def an issue.
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Re: Deer Bedding around Reservoirs

Unread postby Twenty Up » Fri Oct 27, 2017 10:53 am

Off a second glance, I'd focus in-land a little more on pockets of trees near points or high spots. Seems to be marshy or open fields inland as well.
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Re: Deer Bedding around Reservoirs

Unread postby Singing Bridge » Fri Oct 27, 2017 11:46 am

The point you are looking at is pretty thin... his only real escape is to jump in and swim. If there's a ton of hunting pressure or other predators it may hold bedding. But I like the transition of the woods at the base of the point much better where it meets that interior, swampy looking area. I think there are much higher odds of finding buck bedding on that transition when the wind blows from left to right in your pic. Same thing with the pocket of woods above it, along the reservoir. Look at the big trail between the two, a great transition to pick off a buck looking for does in those two pockets of trees... or returning to bed.
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Re: Deer Bedding around Reservoirs

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Fri Oct 27, 2017 12:25 pm

Lake points are best when lake is low for along time and shoreline is growed up with thick weeds. Without a escape route they ain't no Bueno. Move farther up on the point and should start finding sign. I have best luck around the side hill drainages, they will still move to the waters edge to feed in the evenings though. which is a hunter friendly low impact set up. With wind blowing from point to water the deer don't expect danger from the lake
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