Seasonal vs pressure bedding

[Robertpgrissom86]

I’ve always had those aha moments whenever ive jumped a bedded mature buck in the fall. He was on that 1/3 elev on a ridge or on a transition line etc. but I have noticed that almost every time I’ve jumped a mature deer or found a seasonal bedding area in the summer, they are almost always in very low topography close to water in a cool shaded area.

Yesterday, I was in an area that I have no intel on and don’t plan on hunting this year so I decided to do some walking around. I was finding bedding areas in the bottom of drainage ravines, right at the end of them before they ascended up into the ag fields. Heavy cover of stinging nettle that the deer seemed to be eating like crazy. The beds were worn to dirt.

First, do you guys think this is wind based bedding ?
Second, it’s a cool find but there is a lot of rut sight up on the ridges. Would I be correct in assuming that they will not be bedding down there in the fall? This is big hard wood timber with some very thick stuff up high. some ag in the upper fields. 150ft elev change. I was hoping to eventually walk through these ditches for access.

[headgear]

Sounds like summer bedding with the potential to be a good early season hunting spot. A lot will change once the leaves are down, pressure is up and the rut kicks in. You will see the more of the pressured and rut bedding later in the year but these are not hard and fast rules, just general guidelines so I wouldn't rule anything out.

[dan]

I assume its summer bedding, or night bedding (after feeding). To know if its wind specific bedding you would have to look at the beds, the view from the beds and if there is thick to one side.

[<DK>]

I’ve always had those aha moments whenever ive jumped a bedded mature buck in the fall. He was on that 1/3 elev on a ridge or on a transition line etc. but I have noticed that almost every time I’ve jumped a mature deer or found a seasonal bedding area in the summer, they are almost always in very low topography close to water in a cool shaded area.

Yesterday, I was in an area that I have no intel on and don’t plan on hunting this year so I decided to do some walking around. I was finding bedding areas in the bottom of drainage ravines, right at the end of them before they ascended up into the ag fields. Heavy cover of stinging nettle that the deer seemed to be eating like crazy. The beds were worn to dirt.

First, do you guys think this is wind based bedding ?
Second, it’s a cool find but there is a lot of rut sight up on the ridges. Would I be correct in assuming that they will not be bedding down there in the fall? This is big hard wood timber with some very thick stuff up high. some ag in the upper fields. 150ft elev change. I was hoping to eventually walk through these ditches for access.

I find this alot in our state.

Sounds like summer bedding with the potential to be a good early season hunting spot. A lot will change once the leaves are down, pressure is up and the rut kicks in. You will see the more of the pressured and rut bedding later in the year but these are not hard and fast rules, just general guidelines so I wouldn't rule anything out.

x2

[Twenty Up]

Yup same experiences here.

One time hanging cameras on a cool 93F day I caught a gust of thermals dropping down a draw towards a dam. It felt 30F cooler and as I was stopped to appreciate the cold weather I noticed a 6pt bedded not 20 yards from me.





I believe this is an example of a summer bed, found in late September.. Dead center of a creek bottom around a fallen tree stump. Two beds around the tree facing openings with rubs leading to/away. Found a couple hairs and actually kicked a doe out of this bed... Was noticeably cooler down here as well. No deer sign after mid October, though.