Currently out on a scouting mission. First time on a large parcel. First stop wasnt looking great til i hit a clump of smaller pines. That clump was literally littered with more deer poop than ive ever seen and quite a few rubs. It was very small, maybe a 30 yard circle bordered by a beaver pond.
Was i looking at a winter yarding area or a bedding area? Thanks
Yarding sign
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Re: Yarding sign
Winter bedding being your spot is only 30 yards wide.
Geographically where are you talking?
My definition of yarding is different than deer moving to a winter location to "hang out".
Yarding in the far north of the UP of Michigan is different than deer moving to winter location than say northern central WI where I call home.
Yarding for deer is moving 50 plus miles and hundreds of animals void an area all together and a winter shift may have a select number of deer (20 some) move to winter location to take advantage of a new or existing food source. example logging areas.
If you ever seen a true yarding area it is impressive and sad at the same time as lots of deer come to an a select spot year after year even if the browse line is too high to efficiently feed. Predators and winter snow/cold kill quite a few animals during poor winter survival conditions.
Geographically where are you talking?
My definition of yarding is different than deer moving to a winter location to "hang out".
Yarding in the far north of the UP of Michigan is different than deer moving to winter location than say northern central WI where I call home.
Yarding for deer is moving 50 plus miles and hundreds of animals void an area all together and a winter shift may have a select number of deer (20 some) move to winter location to take advantage of a new or existing food source. example logging areas.
If you ever seen a true yarding area it is impressive and sad at the same time as lots of deer come to an a select spot year after year even if the browse line is too high to efficiently feed. Predators and winter snow/cold kill quite a few animals during poor winter survival conditions.
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Re: Yarding sign
I’m no expert in a big woods scenario but I’d bet heavy that you found a primary bedding area that’s used year round. Just might be used a lot more during the winter months.
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Re: Yarding sign
I am in NW PA. I found more sign in that small area than ive seen in a while. Just scads of scat and rubs all in that tiny patch of cover
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Re: Yarding sign
Can't imagine they would be rubbing much when yarded up, good chance it's used all year.
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Re: Yarding sign
Sounds like a bedding area to me. Was there also an elevation advantage that aligns leeward with the typical wind direction? I've seen lots of bedding spots just like that in both north Wisconsin (deep snow), and south Wisconsin (much easier winters). When pines line up with terrain and prevailing winds, it's going to be a good bedding spot for the deer all year. Shade in the summer, thermal cover in the winter.
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Re: Yarding sign
There may have been a slight elevation change, but generally it is very flat. The pines provided a very obvious terrain change. Ill have to explore it further. It was an overlooked little area. No hunting sign as far as stands go. Maybe its what ive been after???
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