I was watching a whitetail habitat video with Jeff Sturgis. He was talking about bedding when deer have a consistant food source such as an ag field. He says bucks bed relative to where does bed regardless of wind.
So if you have a corn field for instance, it would go food source location, then doe bedding location, then buck would bed behind does furthest from food source.
To me this doesn't make sense as it doesn't necessarily provide secruity for a buck. Which I would think a buck would chose over a food source.
I haven't hunted a farm or an ag field so I really dont have anything intelligent to dispute this possiblity. But I thought it may be an interesting topic as I know many here do hunt an area with a consistent food source.
Has anyone else seen this?
Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
- SidewayZ
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:56 pm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SidewayZ32
- Location: Central Massachusetts
- Status: Offline
Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-SidewayZ-
I'm not scared to fail, I just fear regret!
-SidewayZ-
I'm not scared to fail, I just fear regret!
-
- Posts: 250
- Joined: Tue Feb 05, 2019 6:10 am
- Status: Offline
Re: Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
If you read through the all time best tactical post you will find lots of good information on this subject. A mature buck will choose bedding over a good food source. A young buck will pick that good food source over prime bedding. I hunt a lot of flat ground in Michigan with lots of crops and this is what I see there too.
-
- 500 Club
- Posts: 776
- Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:00 am
- Location: SE Ohio
- Status: Offline
Re: Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
IMO if you are in an area with low hunting pressure you might see an older buck let his guard down. But in my experience that is the exception of course there are no rules.
- SidewayZ
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:56 pm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SidewayZ32
- Location: Central Massachusetts
- Status: Offline
Re: Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
Hildebrand wrote:If you read through the all time best tactical post you will find lots of good information on this subject. A mature buck will choose bedding over a good food source. A young buck will pick that good food source over prime bedding. I hunt a lot of flat ground in Michigan with lots of crops and this is what I see there too.
I will check that thread out again.
Makes sense about immature deer vs mature.
I was also thinking it may be more a seasonal thing, we obviously know bedding can change location due to food availability. I just dont see how food would dictate bedding over security.
In my one hunt, next to a bean field I actually jumped 3 bucks (young bucks) in early early season out of the middle of the beans when walking along a field edge, I never thought they would be there. Just goes to show nothing is certain.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-SidewayZ-
I'm not scared to fail, I just fear regret!
-SidewayZ-
I'm not scared to fail, I just fear regret!
- <DK>
- 500 Club
- Posts: 4487
- Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:02 am
- Status: Offline
Re: Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
Jeff is actually a member here. You could reach out and he might reply quick...? Do you have a link to the video?
He could have just been referencing a general woodlot scenario where the buck could bed in the center, surrounded by satellite deer (does, young bucks). If danger comes into the woodlot they bust out first. So he could have his guard down or not need wind over his back to feel safe. Those deer will get up and enter the food source early before the buck. If danger is near they will alert him and he will either stay bedded til dark or go the opposite way. Or maybe the buck beds in a woodlot farther from access, the does and young bucks bed in the one closer to access, if you bump the first woodlot they just run to the second and now he is aware of danger.
I am still trying to apply farm bedding so take my opinions however you see. Alot could have to do with pressure... If you have a managed farm, high population, least amount of hunting pressure as possible and predator control - sure I could see that happening. A buck could live to be 4+ yrs old and hasnt really had to deal with danger in his core area. In some of the thickest areas (like a woodlot) it could be so thick a wind direction wouldnt matter bc nothing can sneak in on them. Even with those situations, I havent really found one where a buck doesnt use the wind in some way. Even if hes using wind to nose wind instead of over the back.
What im seeing is these bucks bedding in woodlots surrounded by or touching corn. Aside from the fact that corn is food to them, the corn is also great security for hearing predators and escaping danger. Bucks like spots they can jump up out of bed and disappear very quickly. Add in satellite deer bedded on the fringes, thats a tough animal to encroach on!
I am also awaiting other's inputs
He could have just been referencing a general woodlot scenario where the buck could bed in the center, surrounded by satellite deer (does, young bucks). If danger comes into the woodlot they bust out first. So he could have his guard down or not need wind over his back to feel safe. Those deer will get up and enter the food source early before the buck. If danger is near they will alert him and he will either stay bedded til dark or go the opposite way. Or maybe the buck beds in a woodlot farther from access, the does and young bucks bed in the one closer to access, if you bump the first woodlot they just run to the second and now he is aware of danger.
I am still trying to apply farm bedding so take my opinions however you see. Alot could have to do with pressure... If you have a managed farm, high population, least amount of hunting pressure as possible and predator control - sure I could see that happening. A buck could live to be 4+ yrs old and hasnt really had to deal with danger in his core area. In some of the thickest areas (like a woodlot) it could be so thick a wind direction wouldnt matter bc nothing can sneak in on them. Even with those situations, I havent really found one where a buck doesnt use the wind in some way. Even if hes using wind to nose wind instead of over the back.
What im seeing is these bucks bedding in woodlots surrounded by or touching corn. Aside from the fact that corn is food to them, the corn is also great security for hearing predators and escaping danger. Bucks like spots they can jump up out of bed and disappear very quickly. Add in satellite deer bedded on the fringes, thats a tough animal to encroach on!
I am also awaiting other's inputs
- SidewayZ
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:56 pm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SidewayZ32
- Location: Central Massachusetts
- Status: Offline
Re: Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
<DK> wrote:Jeff is actually a member here. You could reach out and he might reply quick...? Do you have a link to the video?
He could have just been referencing a general woodlot scenario where the buck could bed in the center, surrounded by satellite deer (does, young bucks). If danger comes into the woodlot they bust out first. So he could have his guard down or not need wind over his back to feel safe. Those deer will get up and enter the food source early before the buck. If danger is near they will alert him and he will either stay bedded til dark or go the opposite way. Or maybe the buck beds in a woodlot farther from access, the does and young bucks bed in the one closer to access, if you bump the first woodlot they just run to the second and now he is aware of danger.
I am still trying to apply farm bedding so take my opinions however you see. Alot could have to do with pressure... If you have a managed farm, high population, least amount of hunting pressure as possible and predator control - sure I could see that happening. A buck could live to be 4+ yrs old and hasnt really had to deal with danger in his core area. In some of the thickest areas (like a woodlot) it could be so thick a wind direction wouldnt matter bc nothing can sneak in on them. Even with those situations, I havent really found one where a buck doesnt use the wind in some way. Even if hes using wind to nose wind instead of over the back.
What im seeing is these bucks bedding in woodlots surrounded by or touching corn. Aside from the fact that corn is food to them, the corn is also great security for hearing predators and escaping danger. Bucks like spots they can jump up out of bed and disappear very quickly. Add in satellite deer bedded on the fringes, thats a tough animal to encroach on!
I am also awaiting other's inputs
Thanks man. I did not know he was a member here. I do though enjoy his content. I just dont understand his point in this case.
Here is a link to the video.
https://youtu.be/AlIOeGhnU9M
Good points. Hopefully I can track him down and see if he can expand in his take.
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-SidewayZ-
I'm not scared to fail, I just fear regret!
-SidewayZ-
I'm not scared to fail, I just fear regret!
- <DK>
- 500 Club
- Posts: 4487
- Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:02 am
- Status: Offline
Re: Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
I thought he explained it pretty well.
He originally was talking about myth of bucks bed downwind of does. Dont worry about the wind part bc ever situstion is different. He explained what we just talked about - except remove the woodlot scenario. It all has to do with pressure or danger. If a buck has his choice he will keep does and younger bucks between his bed and pressure. They are his security alarm. Thats one reason why mature bucks take over the best beds.
He originally was talking about myth of bucks bed downwind of does. Dont worry about the wind part bc ever situstion is different. He explained what we just talked about - except remove the woodlot scenario. It all has to do with pressure or danger. If a buck has his choice he will keep does and younger bucks between his bed and pressure. They are his security alarm. Thats one reason why mature bucks take over the best beds.
- SidewayZ
- Posts: 485
- Joined: Thu Dec 01, 2016 12:56 pm
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SidewayZ32
- Location: Central Massachusetts
- Status: Offline
Re: Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
<DK> wrote:I thought he explained it pretty well.
He originally was talking about myth of bucks bed downwind of does. Dont worry about the wind part bc ever situstion is different. He explained what we just talked about - except remove the woodlot scenario. It all has to do with pressure or danger. If a buck has his choice he will keep does and younger bucks between his bed and pressure. They are his security alarm. Thats one reason why mature bucks take over the best beds.
I had to rewatch it a few times but I get what he saying. I missed his initial point at first and had my head wrapped around the food source thing.
Sometimes you cant see the forest through the trees lol
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
-SidewayZ-
I'm not scared to fail, I just fear regret!
-SidewayZ-
I'm not scared to fail, I just fear regret!
- <DK>
- 500 Club
- Posts: 4487
- Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:02 am
- Status: Offline
Re: Buck Bedding Wind vs Food Source
SidewayZ wrote:<DK> wrote:I thought he explained it pretty well.
He originally was talking about myth of bucks bed downwind of does. Dont worry about the wind part bc ever situstion is different. He explained what we just talked about - except remove the woodlot scenario. It all has to do with pressure or danger. If a buck has his choice he will keep does and younger bucks between his bed and pressure. They are his security alarm. Thats one reason why mature bucks take over the best beds.
I had to rewatch it a few times but I get what he saying. I missed his initial point at first and had my head wrapped around the food source thing.
Sometimes you cant see the forest through the trees lol
Same here, I had to re watch a few times when he was explaining the order he sees things.
-
- Advertisement
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 48 guests