Finding Beds

[kenn1320]

Went on another scouting trip a couple hours before dark last night. It had just rained, so everything was soaked. I had my samsung hd W190 pocket cam and shot some video with it. Thought I would share some footage to show how I locate beds. I have a pretty good connection to the internet and the videos need to be played twice, or they dont play smoothly. If anybody has any tips on compressing footage, let me know.

This area has Oaks, and the elevation change is approximately 20ft. This open area is a mixture of 4ft grasses with ocassional cattails. Its very hard to see any sign of deer, but aerial photos show runs in the fall. This area likely "heats up" as the hunting season puts pressure on the deer, forcing them into areas like this. I did find a fresh bed, so some deer are using the area right now.
[bbvideo=425,350]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v492/kenn1320/For%20Sale/?action=view&current=HDV_0006.mp4[/bbvideo]

Here is a view inside the clump of brush. I didnt sit right in the bed, but did pan to give you some idea of how much seclusion this deer has with all the folage.
[bbvideo=425,350]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v492/kenn1320/For%20Sale/?action=view&current=HDV_0005.mp4[/bbvideo]

Back outside of the bed I show you a couple locations of beds I found previously.
[bbvideo=425,350]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v492/kenn1320/For%20Sale/?action=view&current=HDV_0007.mp4[/bbvideo]

I turned on the cam at prime time. It was about 20min left of shooting light. When the cam is pointed at cover that is close, it does well. When I pan back to the open field, it got grainy and almost foggy looking on the cam. This video shows how I walk the edge and when you come to a clump of brush, you just dive in. I was going to walk through that open area between the woods and this clump, but sublte signs of a bed caught my eye to my left. Where this video ends, note the dark "Hole" that is low to the ground. Right in there I found a bed. There were several other beds in that big clump of brush.
[bbvideo=425,350]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v492/kenn1320/For%20Sale/?action=view&current=HDV_0009.mp4[/bbvideo]

This last video Im not sure what if anything this represents. In the video I called it a possible scrape area/licking branch. The weeds were matted down in the general area, indicating to me an area of concentrated traffic. It wasnt flattend like a bed. The freshly broken limb drew me to the spot. In this envoronment its unlikely you would get a bare dirt scrape. However I think its possible this could be used as a licking branch for communication. The one limb in the frame that isnt broken, was very rubbery when I moved it, meaning it wouldnt break easily with repeated movement. This could be nothing, but its caught my eye.
[bbvideo=425,350]http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v492/kenn1320/For%20Sale/?action=view&current=HDV_0008.mp4[/bbvideo]

Hope this post helps you find some beds, or maybe your just looking for a cheap cam to use for scouting. I bought this cam on clearance for $56 at walmart. Its water proof to 10ft and shock proof from 6.5ft. It takes video and pics and does have a zoom which I showed in the one video. When you find a likely bedding spot, look at it closely. Not every bed is real obvious when you look. Some beds are not being used yet(seasonal), but you will see a general impression and maybe some scattered weeds growing out of it. Others like the one in this post are flattened like your grass in your yard if you ever left a board or something laying on it for a week.

[Jackson Marsh]

Good stuff Ken!

[ Post made via Android ]

[backstraps]

Good stuff thanks for sharing.

[U.P. bownut]

Good stuff kenn. Were any of the branches alive in the last video? I thought the deer mostly use live branches for licking and leaving scent.

[Stanley]

Thanks for sharing.

[kenn1320]

Good stuff kenn. Were any of the branches alive in the last video? I thought the deer mostly use live branches for licking and leaving scent.

No, they were all dead. I have seen deer use dead sticks for licking branches. Due they prefer a live tree, it seems that way, but I think location is more important then the object they are using as a scent comunicator. Again Im not sure that is a licking branch, but initial thoughts based on the sign there, made me feel it could be. I was also just having fun with the new camera.

[headgear]

Nice work kenn.

[gjs4]

Great stuff Kenn. Thank you for videoing and sharing!

[Singing Bridge]

GJ on getting out there scouting !

[ Post made via Android ]

[DEERSLAYER]

I'm not sure what sure what format your cam is recording in, but you can convert it into another format using a free program called Any Video Converter. I think your recording in H.264 though which I thought was supposed to work just fine. I don't know much about the technical stuff so take this with a grain of salt.
http://www.any-video-converter.com/prod ... ideo_free/

[KLEMZ]

Good hustle, out there scouting in late July!
The last video with the matted vegetation that isn't a bedding area could be a staging area. are there beds within 100 yards?

Nice steady video, by the way. Sometimes i need to take motion sickness pills before i watch scouting video footage on the forum!

[DEERSLAYER]

...Nice steady video, by the way. Sometimes i need to take motion sickness pills before i watch scouting video footage on the forum!

X2!

I have quit watching some of them because it messes with my aging eyes.

[kenn1320]

...Nice steady video, by the way. Sometimes i need to take motion sickness pills before i watch scouting video footage on the forum!

X2!

I have quit watching some of them because it messes with my aging eyes.

Think I was be extremely careful on those. I filled a 4g card today scouting and watching it I know exactly what you guys are talking about. I think there is some good info in todays video, so Ill risk the eye complaints and post it. Just need to compress it first.

[SouthernHunter]

Nice...Thanks for Posting