doe bedding questions-Big woods

[dbltmn]

Ive found many areas on knolls, ridge tops, and ridge sides where there are a random bed here and there or two. I am assuming these are doe beds since Ive also found some buck bedding spots in my area that has more of the classic buck in hill country bedding characteristics. In reading many topics on here though Ive come across the term "primary bedding" What determines and what do you look for to define primary doe bedding? I am hunting oak ridges, old clear cuts, large tracts of pines, and some ridges littered with thick xmas trees that you can hardly get through. Some ridges are steep, some gradual. NE Wisconsin.

Also it is Nov 15. I hunted southern Wi last weekend and there were bucks cruising like crazy. I spent the last 2 day in the woods up here and have not seen any deer while out scouting. (Im not bow hunting since I did get a buck last weekend). I am trying to determine the stage of rut we are in but no deer sightings makes that tough. I just had a doe and 2 fawns in the back yard snacking on some treats. Have I heard that a doe will kick the fawns to the curb as she goes into heat?

With the later gun opener what adjustments are you experienced big woods hunters (gun season) making?

Thanks

[Hodag Hunter]

Check the does hock glands....deer in our back yard we know pretty well.....some are turning white already. Should mean they are bred already. Some of our big does actually leave the yard and seems search bucks out while fawns stay behind.

Doe bending changes quite often in big woods. Food and pressure related. Gun season I would hunt back areas where other hunters will push deer on accident. After the 1st few days, depending on pressure, bucks could hole up in bedding or what I see more of back on the move looking for does to breed

Bucks really don't stop cruising for does pretty hard until 2nd or third week of December. Right before they shed. I have had a 120"+/- 10 I was chasing years back shed already on the 5th or 6th of December.

Find a good buck core area and hunt it hard with a low impact entrance/exit for yourself. Even if the buck is out on a circuit cruising for does he should make it back every 3-5 days.

Good luck.

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[dan]

Ive found many areas on knolls, ridge tops, and ridge sides where there are a random bed here and there or two. I am assuming these are doe beds since Ive also found some buck bedding spots in my area that has more of the classic buck in hill country bedding characteristics.

Does don't always bed in the same depression like a buck... A buck is a solitary animal that looks out for number one. Does bed as a group. Circle formation each looking a different direction. They will likely be close to buck bedding, or in areas that somewhat mimic buck bedding, although buck beds are often in the exact position they need to be in for maximum survival...

The beds you found sound like "night beds" but I can't be sure without seeing them. Night beds are spots where deer lay down to chew there cud at night. I would not say they are "random" but they are a lot more random than day beds. They also could be satellite buck beds, or buck fawn beds.

What determines and what do you look for to define primary doe bedding?

Does are more inclined to bed within thick cover patches, rather than the downwind edge a buck prefers, and they like ridge points at a slightly higher elevation than bucks.

[blackwolf]

I see a lot of does bedding as Dan says, brushy,thick areas on side hills or above streams and thick pine areas near food sources such as cuttings when no acorns. With acorns, thick, brushy areas close to the acorns, preferably on hillsides, brushy draws leading to oaks or cuttings.