Clear cut bedding???

[BBH1980]

Recently I scouted some clear cuts here in PA, and felt like I hit the jackpot. They are actually controlled burns about 2 years old. The vegetation is about 3 to 4 ft high and extremely thick. These areas also have a few mature trees scattered throughout them. They have smaller "islands" of oak trees and even points of oak timber sticking out into them or strips of oak timber connecting one side of the cut to the other. These areas are fairly big 50 acres each or more with walkable access roads on the edge or cutting through them. They are surrounded by some open oak hardwoods. My question is how do bucks bed cuts like this in big woods areas? Do the same principles apply as a marsh or swamp?

[elk yinzer]

They'll often bed edges until hunting pressure hits and then head for the interior. Edges are hunter magnets. You'll see the stands.

They are kinda catch 22 because they really grow old bucks and help a lot of deer survive rifle season, but can be difficult to hunt because by the time bow season starts most deer are holed up in them like rabbits from scouting and stand hanging activity.

Towards the rut if does are using them, anything can happen. If you can find one that's unpressured it can be a gem.

[BBH1980]

They'll often bed edges until hunting pressure hits and then head for the interior. Edges are hunter magnets. You'll see the stands.

They are kinda catch 22 because they really grow old bucks and help a lot of deer survive rifle season, but can be difficult to hunt because by the time bow season starts most deer are holed up in them like rabbits from scouting and stand hanging activity.

Towards the rut if does are using them, anything can happen. If you can find one that's unpressured it can be a gem.

Thank you! The cut I'm looking at is almost 2 miles back. I haven't seen any hunter sign just yet but I'm going to monitor it as the season get closer.

[BBH1980]

They'll often bed edges until hunting pressure hits and then head for the interior. Edges are hunter magnets. You'll see the stands.

They are kinda catch 22 because they really grow old bucks and help a lot of deer survive rifle season, but can be difficult to hunt because by the time bow season starts most deer are holed up in them like rabbits from scouting and stand hanging activity.

Towards the rut if does are using them, anything can happen. If you can find one that's unpressured it can be a gem.

Funny you mention the rabbits thing.... The deer I have jumped waited till I was right on them before they busted. They literally disappeared into the cut with one jump lol. First one that ever happened with scared the crap outa me.... Reminded me of rabbits for sure!

[tbunao]

The previous 3 seasons I chased one particular buck. Something I started to realize leading up to last season is he was using this particular clear cut much like that of a buck in a large marsh. Think of the briars and new growth as cattails.

[Evanszach7]

Im usually focusing on cuts in 2 categories. 1-4 year old = food source. 4-8 year old = bedding/ food source. I prefer to hunt 1-4 year old cuts with hill country buck bedding in mind, typically away from the cut (due to pressure). These cuts attract a lot of does and eventually hunters. Im tying them into my prerut and rut strategy. You can usually find good scrapes for camera inventory where the cut/woods edge meet a connecting terrain feature. Work back from there.

[DaveT1963]

They'll often bed edges until hunting pressure hits and then head for the interior. Edges are hunter magnets. You'll see the stands.

They are kinda catch 22 because they really grow old bucks and help a lot of deer survive rifle season, but can be difficult to hunt because by the time bow season starts most deer are holed up in them like rabbits from scouting and stand hanging activity.

Towards the rut if does are using them, anything can happen. If you can find one that's unpressured it can be a gem.

I agree with Elk Yinzer. A lot of times clear cuts, especially the edges are the easiest topo to hunt in the South/Southeast - thus they get hammered. I find that mature bucks will seldom stay on the edges - they often will bed right in the middle in the nastiest areas - provided their is enough cover and it is big enough. What I find more typical, is that they will bed in the woods, usually in a spot where they have good wind advantage and can WATCH the clear cut edge. Look for elevation that gives them a bit of visual advantage. But it really does matter how much the land is pressured. One other thing, often there are still two tracks remaining, if even they are getting overgrown, where the heavy equipment got in/out - I often find bucks bedding to watch these as that is where hunters and the does tend to travel. Always look for the low spots, especially drainages that run through the clear cut as this is where I find most mature bucks will enter from.

[BBH1980]

They'll often bed edges until hunting pressure hits and then head for the interior. Edges are hunter magnets. You'll see the stands.

They are kinda catch 22 because they really grow old bucks and help a lot of deer survive rifle season, but can be difficult to hunt because by the time bow season starts most deer are holed up in them like rabbits from scouting and stand hanging activity.

Towards the rut if does are using them, anything can happen. If you can find one that's unpressured it can be a gem.

I agree with Elk Yinzer. A lot of times clear cuts, especially the edges are the easiest topo to hunt in the South/Southeast - thus they get hammered. I find that mature bucks will seldom stay on the edges - they often will bed right in the middle in the nastiest areas - provided their is enough cover and it is big enough. What I find more typical, is that they will bed in the woods, usually in a spot where they have good wind advantage and can WATCH the clear cut edge. Look for elevation that gives them a bit of visual advantage. But it really does matter how much the land is pressured. One other thing, often there are still two tracks remaining, if even they are getting overgrown, where the heavy equipment got in/out - I often find bucks bedding to watch these as that is where hunters and the does tend to travel. Always look for the low spots, especially drainages that run through the clear cut as this is where I find most mature bucks will enter from.

This is spot on based on my limited experience scouting cuts. Thank you Dave

[BBH1980]

Bump

[218er]

I’ve come across beds and jumped deer in 5-8 year old cuts a lot. Hunt the transitions between the different age classes of the cuts. It is very difficult if not impossible to go directly through most. By working the edge you typically have better visibility and can move more quietly. Find trails with rubs headed into the cut and key off that. Follow the trails into the cut while scouting and either find the beds or jump the deer and you’ve accomplished a lot towards solving the riddle.

[rfickes87]

Bump

I agree with what others said. To put my own spin on it...

If PA had a Sept opener id tell you to go hunt that but by October and especially once the season starts i wouldn't put alot of stock in bucks still bedding there. Ive failed at it so it's just something i like talking about.

Your very close in your scouting though. For me the gold standard of PA bedding on public are those 30 year old clear cuts. Hunting their transitions. Thick back cover with open views in front. You find and old clear cut that you can see was logged out back in the early 90s or something, that's gold. I have spots where the whole top of the ridge is that and it stops on a point where the crest drops off. You scout that in the spring and there's beds and rubs and crap everywhere. Spend your time mostly on the lee slopes of those cuts. Find as many of those you can and rotate thru them as the season goes on. You'll instantly be on quality bucks.

[funderburk]

Following this thread. Curious as to how relatable cuts and swamps/marshes are as far as lone trees, points, etc. My post-season scouting has confirmed a lot of those similarities here in the south

[BBH1980]

Bump

I agree with what others said. To put my own spin on it...

If PA had a Sept opener id tell you to go hunt that but by October and especially once the season starts i wouldn't put alot of stock in bucks still bedding there. Ive failed at it so it's just something i like talking about.

Your very close in your scouting though. For me the gold standard of PA bedding on public are those 30 year old clear cuts. Hunting their transitions. Thick back cover with open views in front. You find and old clear cut that you can see was logged out back in the early 90s or something, that's gold. I have spots where the whole top of the ridge is that and it stops on a point where the crest drops off. You scout that in the spring and there's beds and rubs and crap everywhere. Spend your time mostly on the lee slopes of those cuts. Find as many of those you can and rotate thru them as the season goes on. You'll instantly be on quality bucks.

Good stuff... The cuts I am looking at are about 2-3 years old and extremely thick. Talk enough to hide a deer for sure. I am not sure how much pressure it really gets cause I've never hunting this area. So far I see no hunter sign around the cuts but that sometimes doesn't mean they won't be there for the season

[BBH1980]

bump

[Cchez]

If you have the time, throw an early observation sit or 2 at it and see what you see. If you're not planning on hunting it right away maybe walk around inside the cut and see what you find for sign. I've got a similar cut near me thats 40 acres, but its surrounded by pines and swamps. I've found sign both on the edges and inside of the cutting. The bedding inside that i've found has the classic details to it, beds on a rise with thick to back where they can see a ways. Sounds like there's plenty of browse, you've got your work cut out for you.