Buck Bed v/s Primary Buck Bed

[backstraps]

Once a hunter gets the concept down to locating bedding via topo maps....
Are there things to look for to actually identify a buck bed as a primary buck bed?

Will that bed require a number of things to identify it as primary?
Location, obstacle at back, rubs, lots of tracks in and out of bed, will the point have many beds around the point for several wind directions, amount of wear in the bed.... I am just trying to figure out which buck beds are considered as primary.

[headgear]

My loose definition is its the absolute best bedding in a given area, it should be used year after year by a number of different bucks. I seem to find more sign in some of these areas but not all of them. It might be more difficult to hunt because the buck has several or extra advantages other beds might not provide. It might be closer to more food sources and is used far more often than other beds in a given area, maybe not year round but more throughout the season than usual. It's likely in an area that gets little to no pressure, the big boys know this and know they can depend on this bed for safety. I also look for multiple escape routes, not just running for their life through open woods or fields but escape routes where they can slip away in multiple directions without being seen, think thick cover escape routes.

[Bigdaddy-yoyo]

My loose definition is its the absolute best bedding in a given area, it should be used year after year by a number of different bucks. I seem to find more sign in some of these areas but not all of them. It might be more difficult to hunt because the buck has several or extra advantages other beds might not provide. It might be closer to more food sources and is used far more often than other beds in a given area, maybe not year round but more throughout the season than usual. It's likely in an area that gets little to no pressure, the big boys know this and know they can depend on this bed for safety. I also look for multiple escape routes, not just running for their life through open woods or fields but escape routes where they can slip away in multiple directions without being seen, think thick cover escape routes.

That is key for it to be primary bedding, from what I have seen

[justdirtyfun]

This might or might not be true but a bed that does not rely on seasonal changes will get more use.
Hill beds are dependent on winds but Dan says marsh beds are less wind dependent. Cover that is up year round like catails, crp, pine trees are possible. Does anyone have primary beds they could describe?

[ Post made via Android ]

[dan]

Does anyone have primary beds they could describe?

If I described the ones I hunt the description would be identical to what Headgear said...

[backstraps]

My loose definition is its the absolute best bedding in a given area, it should be used year after year by a number of different bucks. I seem to find more sign in some of these areas but not all of them. It might be more difficult to hunt because the buck has several or extra advantages other beds might not provide. It might be closer to more food sources and is used far more often than other beds in a given area, maybe not year round but more throughout the season than usual. It's likely in an area that gets little to no pressure, the big boys know this and know they can depend on this bed for safety. I also look for multiple escape routes, not just running for their life through open woods or fields but escape routes where they can slip away in multiple directions without being seen, think thick cover escape routes.

Would it be possible to narrow down areas on a topo to possibly point to a primary bed or would boots on the ground most likely be required?

I could guess the beds closest to food, if there were ag fields, or other known food sources, and could also guess the area that see the lesser amount of human intrusion when looking at maps. Maybe if I did a process of elimination and study the beds notated on my map that are left as being primary? Just curious how you guys determine possible primary spots via cyber scouting

[KLEMZ]

Would it be possible to narrow down areas on a topo to possibly point to a primary bed or would boots on the ground most likely be required?

You have some great reponses to your question on this thread. The missing ingredient you are looking for may or may not be available via cyber-scouting alone. If you have access to exceptional aerial photos taken without leaf cover you will be able to tell how thick the vegetation is on those points. Thick cover on top and on the point, with more open hardwoods down the slope, would be the ideal combo to look for. You could hire a plane and fly over a bunch of possible spots and take pictures and notes. Otherwise, just walking all the points is the only way.

[dan]

You might be able to find it based on aerial or topo, but you really have no way to be sure unless you walk it.

[Singing Bridge]

I would rethink my approach to this thread- instead of worrying about whether a bedding area is primary or not with no boots on the ground I would take a different approach. With cyber scouting I would select what I believe to be the best bedding area for a mature buck and not get so hung up on whether or not it is primary. I would use an observation stand, if possible, to scout the area first. If not I would move in and hunt based on my cyber scouting, primary bed or not.

[backstraps]

Thanks guys! I appreciate it. I am constantly looking at new public ground via cyber. The majority of public I look at is 6+ hours away. I just try to be as thorough as I possibly can be on cyber scouting.

Many times when I go to hunt these properties its for 3-4 days at a time. I often will spend the first day or even 2 glassing my cyber scouted areas for visuals of bucks and try to close in on them the last day or two I am there.

I am close enough to the land I hunt that I can make several long weekend 3-4 day trips through out the season.
But being 6+ hours away is why I have been trying to determine primary beds, or like SB mentioned, the best beds to hunt while I am there

[dan]

I would rethink my approach to this thread- instead of worrying about whether a bedding area is primary or not with no boots on the ground I would take a different approach. With cyber scouting I would select what I believe to be the best bedding area for a mature buck and not get so hung up on whether or not it is primary. I would use an observation stand, if possible, to scout the area first. If not I would move in and hunt based on my cyber scouting, primary bed or not.