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Bucks bedding on small knolls

Posted: Tue Mar 23, 2021 11:58 pm
by mbone1327
Anyone have experience hunting or scouting small knolls? I’m talking 100-200 feet elevation changes. The knobs are usually rock piles and can be inaccessible on one or more sides.
I’ve been finding a good amount of active beds on the top of these knobs but I’m not sure if it’s buck bedding because it’s usually in the open.

Re: Bucks bedding on small knolls

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 12:52 am
by headgear
Those are bigger hills where I hunt and absolutely yes they will use them even when they are 10-20 feet. Nothing wrong with super wide open either, just have to be all the more careful when planning access and setups.

Re: Bucks bedding on small knolls

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 4:39 am
by mbone1327
headgear wrote:Those are bigger hills where I hunt and absolutely yes they will use them even when they are 10-20 feet. Nothing wrong with super wide open either, just have to be all the more careful when planning access and setups.


Thanks headgear. Definitely can’t get as close as swamp bedding. Seems observations sits might be helpful.
How do you determine if you’re going to hunt the beds?

Re: Bucks bedding on small knolls

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 5:22 am
by Ryan549
There are a few spots where I am on public where the state dug out the canals to improve the efforts of fish spawning. Those higher spots are notorious for buck bedding. They are long, narrow and maybe only 4’ higher than surrounding elevation. The have since overgrown with thick brush, but if you walk them, they are littered with bedding and rubs.

Re: Bucks bedding on small knolls

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 11:05 am
by mbone1327
Ryan549 wrote:There are a few spots where I am on public where the state dug out the canals to improve the efforts of fish spawning. Those higher spots are notorious for buck bedding. They are long, narrow and maybe only 4’ higher than surrounding elevation. The have since overgrown with thick brush, but if you walk them, they are littered with bedding and rubs.


That's interesting. Part of the reason these knobs are throwing me off is because they are not littered with rubs and the area isn't thick.

Re: Bucks bedding on small knolls

Posted: Wed Mar 24, 2021 11:44 am
by Ryan549
mbone1327 wrote:
Ryan549 wrote:There are a few spots where I am on public where the state dug out the canals to improve the efforts of fish spawning. Those higher spots are notorious for buck bedding. They are long, narrow and maybe only 4’ higher than surrounding elevation. The have since overgrown with thick brush, but if you walk them, they are littered with bedding and rubs.


That's interesting. Part of the reason these knobs are throwing me off is because they are not littered with rubs and the area isn't thick.


I think any change in elevation is advantageous to bucks. Visibility, wind current.... they could all be different and in a deer’s favor. The rubs may not always be there, but the beds should be.