Deer winter bedding locations???

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mikew36
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Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby mikew36 » Mon Dec 25, 2017 12:00 pm

Hey guys, hopefully this isn't too much of a newbie question or anything, but I have struggled for years with tracking down deer in the winter. The last two years I finally started seriously scouting and it has helped a lot, getting my best buck to date this year, but I still have a doe tag I could have been trying to fill, but been spending the time scouting just because I don't feel onto any deer really enough to justify hunting in my mind. I hunt mostly public marshes and swamps in far southern WI around me, sometimes hunt private lands in various areas also, but mostly my question focuses around marshes and swamps. I know a lot of you guys on here hunt those types of areas a lot, so where have you guys noticed deer moving to as far as bedding in the winters? Do some of them stay in swamps, or do most of them move to different locations for the winter? Any common types of areas you see them bedding in around this type of year? Even if you don't hunt around swamps your input is appreciated, as there are areas of hardwoods, and lots of farm country around me also. Only thing I cant really relate to is plains or open country types of areas. Thanks in advance!


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Lockdown
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Re: Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby Lockdown » Mon Dec 25, 2017 2:55 pm

Your topography is a bit different than what I hunt (hard core ag) but I see most deer bedding in cattails and really thick dogwood and willow thickets. And shatter cane. They like the low spots and getting out of the wind is the name of the game especially on nasty days. Seems like later in the winter i’ll find them bedded in more open areas where they can get some sun. But right now they’re still in “hide and stay safe” mode.

I’m sure some will hole up in thick groves choked out with buckthorn and the like.
mikew36
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Re: Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby mikew36 » Mon Dec 25, 2017 3:23 pm

thanks for your thoughts. There is tons of ag around me too, almost all the public I hunt is surrounded by ag properties, but most of the deer seem to be in the swamps and marshes and come out to the ag or woods to feed. In the winter though, I cant seem to find them in the swamps unless they really go in deep and have really tight ranges and staging areas. This was my first year seriously hunting these types of areas, so still all relatively new to me, even though I try to scout a lot.
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Ragingun
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Re: Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby Ragingun » Mon Dec 25, 2017 4:01 pm

What I've noticed this year in particular is the deer bedding has changed if the winter food source is far enough away. They don't want to spend a lot of energy in the winter so bedding may very well move closer to the food. Also, in a similar way, if there are cedars nearby they will move out of the swamps if there's appropriate bedding availability and into the cedars. Cedars provide everything including food, security, wind shelter and typically are at least a few degrees warmer than any other surrounding area.
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Lockdown
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Re: Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby Lockdown » Mon Dec 25, 2017 4:24 pm

Keep in mind they’ll bed wherever they want in cattails after freeze up.
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tgreeno
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Re: Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby tgreeno » Tue Dec 26, 2017 2:11 am

I've found a few groups of cedars that seem to hold deer late season from my scouting. It's a small thicker grouping of cedars in a bigger more open cedar swamp.

The tough part is figuring out how to hunt them in there. Slow stalking may be my best option.
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Peeps22
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Re: Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby Peeps22 » Tue Dec 26, 2017 4:06 am

Dont overlook a water source this time of year. With everything freezing up, deer still need water and sometimes that can be more of a draw than food...
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Re: Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby EdC » Tue Dec 26, 2017 4:28 am

that's a great question, same thing goes thru my mind since I took up hunting swamps

I remember Dan saying that they are more predicable this time of the year, what was not clear how it related to bedding

are they moving their bedding areas closer to food or finding food in the swamp year around
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wolverinebuckman
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Re: Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby wolverinebuckman » Tue Dec 26, 2017 5:31 am

tgreeno wrote:
The tough part is figuring out how to hunt them in there. Slow stalking may be my best option.


I was slow stalking a marsh last week when we had a snow. That muffled my steps well. We also had a decent wind so the cats were making some good cover noise.
I found myself in a bed, and based on track size and rubs close I believe it was a buck. Very fresh tracks leading out makes me believe I chased him out.

Here is a plan I have development for my next opportunity and why based on what I noticed.

1)Trails - look for step down trails...think 4 lane highway, township road, driveway. When you get to the narrowist path I think that's his driveway.
Have you ever noticed when you here someone walking down the front walk or neighbor's driveway you don't think much of it? Ever notice how high alert you are when the noise is in your driveway? I think when I hit this path he likely slipped out.
2) poop. I seen a common pattern in the snow that day...piles of crap within 20 yards of beds. The bed I believe was a buck had a large pile pretty near the driveway entry, within 20 yards (last place i go before bed , makes sense) . Also a rub at a crossroads on some small scrub brush trees.

I think I will not go up a buck's driveway. I will likely sit on downwind side of a crossing few feet in the cats. Close quarters! Should be exciting.
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JAK
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Re: Deer winter bedding locations???

Unread postby JAK » Sun Dec 31, 2017 7:33 am

Scouting today I found a few groups of doe bedding about 400 yards from food source but I made my way back into the swamp (cattails + red brush ) and the trails were insane back there and that was a mile at least from food source. Winter bedding is kind of new to me but from what I saw most of deer didn't even leave the swamp but all trails were leading to the ag fields


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