Where can I find doe bedding?
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Where can I find doe bedding?
I know this topic has probably been done to death, but would some experienced guys lend me some insight? I've carefully studied Dan's buck bedding tactics and strategies, wind at the back, military crest of hill, wind tunnels, thermals etc, but I don't know of any that apply to does. I live in western Pa, in hilly country. I'd greatly appreciate any insight on how or where I should look for doe bedding. Any time I've found groups of doe beds, it's been seemingly random without much rhyme or reason. What are the links between these areas that I should be observing and using as tools to fill my doe tags? Thanks in advance, and cheers from Western Pa.
The hare is smarter than the panther.
- brancher147
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
I usually see does bed in the closest available cover, on points or benches in hill country, to their main food source.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
Any idea how I can find out what their food sources are? I know that's a bit much to ask...
The hare is smarter than the panther.
- The_Real_Jmill
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
By no means an expert but would say check the upper 1/3 elevation as you would bucks, next after I would check security cover. Does in my experience are less picky on wind direction for bedding.
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
Thanks for the insight guys.
The hare is smarter than the panther.
- Drenalin
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
You'll find a lot better advice on here than mine, so take this with a grain of salt. In my experience, when does are pressured check the thicker stuff near food sources as Brancher suggested. Food sources vary a lot and can change kind of suddenly, but I'd start with acorns. If there's not a lot of pressure, I often find does bedding on fingers, flat ridges, and sometimes bottoms of draws right off of field edges. Have seen this on both public and private property. When it gets cold, I tend to find does bedding on south facing slopes, generally still on the upper third.
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
Eddie Stover wrote:Any idea how I can find out what their food sources are? I know that's a bit much to ask...
Follow their tracks around
- headgear
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
You find them just about everywhere, many in the same areas bucks might bed, basic thick cover, transitions, all forms of swamps, just all over the place. There are many spots that hold does all the time, those are the ones you want to focus on during the rut. Very similar to buck bedding, find those spots that are great from year to year and you will be all set.
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
Every area is different and so is the herd but for the areas I hunt.
Does typically bed down in the thickest stuff they can find as close to water and food.
Unless a really good coldfront comes through, if we get a hard cold front dropping the temps really low with chance of ice, freezing rain or snow they will be bedded down on a south slope in clear cuts that is still grass.
I'm talking bout like 3 foot or taller grass.
Just my experience from the areas I hunt.
Does typically bed down in the thickest stuff they can find as close to water and food.
Unless a really good coldfront comes through, if we get a hard cold front dropping the temps really low with chance of ice, freezing rain or snow they will be bedded down on a south slope in clear cuts that is still grass.
I'm talking bout like 3 foot or taller grass.
Just my experience from the areas I hunt.
- jmickey
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
I find Doe bedding just about anywhere. I was actually outside shooting my bow the other day while two doe fed in a soy bean field directly 100 yards in front of me. The one doe bedded down in the middle of the field with a brushy dirt mound and wind to its back while watching me shoot as the other fed. Best time to find them is with snow on the ground, you will find does bed in groups so they can cover every direction.
- NYBackcountry
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
I've noticed that does tend to bed a little higher than bucks in hill country. Typically on flats that sit above points. In my area they seem to be less wind based and more vision based, meaning they need to be able to see decent distances. Usually they are in groups and can see in most directions. I've also seen them bedding low on benches with their backs up to steep inclines looking out in a semi circle. This is specific to hill country, though. Swamp seems to be more random, any dry thick topography they can find and im not as experienced with marsh.
- Ditz
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
I hunt predominantly in PA hill country, and the most consistent doe bedding that I have found are on benches where they lay in a semicircle and can see down a fairly long way into the open hardwoods below them. It seems like whenever I walk these benches I'm always kicking up does, and when I put cameras on them I get a lot of doe pics. The benches I'm referring to are the first one you come to as you come down from the top of the ridge. This is just my experience, I'm sure others on here will chime in with some good insight.
- ghoasthunter
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
lone does use buck bedding. in groups i see it on benches points they like high ground with cover where a group can see in every direction cover can be brush boulders or just a blow down tree. if they are getting pressure they will favor buck bedding or swampy spots or bowls with cover. if you jump does in hills thats almost always where they head to hide bucks do the same too. break from cover hook run with wind too nose till they feel they got away then get in the wet. you can use that as as tactic to fill a tag. walk all the elevated bedding around a swamp then cut down real sneaky and setup off the edge with a gun then blast them as they exit at dark.
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- ghoasthunter
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
ghoasthunter wrote:lone does use buck bedding. in groups i see it on benches points they like high ground with cover where a group can see in every direction cover can be brush boulders or just a blow down tree. if they are getting pressure they will favor buck bedding or swampy spots or bowls with cover. if you jump does in hills thats almost always where they head to hide bucks do the same too. break from cover hook run with wind too nose till they feel they got away then get in the wet. you can use that as as tactic to fill a tag. walk all the elevated bedding around a swamp then cut down real sneaky and setup off the edge with a gun then blast them as they exit at dark.
o too know where to setup look for digging along your walk the does bed real close to there food later on and will be headed for it come dark
THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL A HUNTER HAS IS BETWEEN HIS SHOULDERS
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Re: Where can I find doe bedding?
Can't help with hill country, but In ag country with small-ish woodlots it's often thick cover immediately adjacent (from 0 to 200 yards) to food sources where the food source can be ag field, mast trees, or preferred browse. It may change depending on time of year, weather, and pressure, but I find that they don't necessarily move with pressure rather they just don't hit food sources until after dark.
I have often heard does get 'preferred' bedding and have found that to be true if your definition of 'preferred' is thick and close to food.
I have often heard does get 'preferred' bedding and have found that to be true if your definition of 'preferred' is thick and close to food.
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