Deciphering a Bed's Use

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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AB_Vinny
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Deciphering a Bed's Use

Unread postby AB_Vinny » Sat Nov 26, 2011 6:34 am

When I discover beds through scouting I alway wonder why deer are rarely in them midday when I find them. There is always a deer you bump and hear run away but for every 20 beds I find, there is one animal actually in their bed.

Why is this. Did I bump all of them prior to me arriving and didn't hear them get up, or do they use beds only at certain times?


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Spysar
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Re: Deciphering a Bed's Use

Unread postby Spysar » Sat Nov 26, 2011 8:25 am

Deer get up and lay down all the time. They feed and lay down all night long. I would say you are finding these "resting cud chewing" beds. I think a true "bed" is a place where a deer spends the majoity of its daytime. A prime bed should have signs that it is used more than once. Do the beds you are finding look like they've been used more than once? Either that or you are bumping the deer off them and not realizing it.

You mentioned hearing one deer leave for every 20 beds you see. Do you really expect all of those beds to be occupied?
A buck will see you three times, and hear you twice, but he's only gonna smell you once.
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swamp-assassin
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Re: Deciphering a Bed's Use

Unread postby swamp-assassin » Sat Nov 26, 2011 10:13 am

i know where i hunt,,unless you know exactly where the bed is and sneak up from downwind one step at a time, 90% of the time you will bump them before you can hear or see them..they can hear you coming and smell you coming before you know they are there.
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Re: Deciphering a Bed's Use

Unread postby dan » Sat Nov 26, 2011 12:36 pm

Most beds are not occuoied all the time... Bucks have several primary bedding areas and tons of random bedding areas. Its a bit of a guessing game. It takes some detective work. I have found some beds that only produce when a certain food is available nearby like acorns, corn, etc. Which might be every other year, or untill the crop is cut. Other beds seem to always have a buck if unmolested.


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