Are these beds?

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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pitz0022
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Are these beds?

Unread postby pitz0022 » Thu Jan 08, 2015 7:12 am

I was doing some e-scouting and noticed something odd in this picture. This is a crp which has been burned, but there are some spots that look like they didn't burn (red arrows). I was thinking it would make sense that if a deer bedded and matted the grass down it may not burn. Then I started looking at the trails. One scenario would be that these are buck beds and the deer leave the private fields, do a sent check and then bed (yellow dotted line and arrows). That would mean that the wind is coming from the private fields (Actually East or Northeast since West is up on the photo) and then they would face the woodlot? It just doesn't seem like a classic bedding spot except the spot under the evergreen tree maybe but I would expect that to be used on the opposite wind (W or SW). I thought I would get some opinions. I haven't actually put boots on the ground here yet. I do need to make some other posts as I have had some successful scouting trips over the Holidays that I want to share.

The inset picture is just a picture of the area in question without my markings on it.

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dan
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Re: Are these beds?

Unread postby dan » Thu Jan 08, 2015 7:42 am

They look to big to be beds... Only way to be sure would be to get some mud on your boots.
pitz0022
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Re: Are these beds?

Unread postby pitz0022 » Thu Jan 08, 2015 8:07 am

Thanks Dan,
Can we pretend for a minute that they are beds so I can get a better handle on how these deer behave? If they are beds and those deer are feeding in the private fields do the Yellow lines make sense for how those deer travel on their way back from feeding before dawn? If so, what wind would they use the beds? Finally if you were going to hunt this spot, where would you set up and how would you access? I am really trying to understand how the conditions affect when a deer uses a bed. My understanding is that as a general rule with no variables (thermals, etc), deer prefer to bed with heavy cover at their back, the wind at their back and visibility to their front watching their back trail. They also make a loop before entering their bed to the downwind side to sent check it.

My thought on setup would be where the ATV trail intersects the treeline at the bigger yellow arrow. Then you could use the two big Pine trees as cover between the deer and my tree while I set up.

I've been finding a lot of beds which I know are Buck beds based on what you've taught me and have been logging them for next year. I received Hill Country and Marsh Bucks videos for christmas and binge watched them the next day. I need to go back and watch them again but I have learned so much since our firearms season ended I have probably doubled my knowledge of deer behavior. The best part is that my hunting partners all thing I'm nuts so I get all the premium spots to myself when I hunt with them since they will stick to their rut tactics all season.

PS. If I get a divorce because I've been scouting too much I'm blaming you!! Hunting season: It's not just September through November anymore.
dan
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Re: Are these beds?

Unread postby dan » Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:56 am

If they are beds and those deer are feeding in the private fields do the Yellow lines make sense for how those deer travel on their way back from feeding before dawn?

When bucks come back to bedding they like to come in with wind to face, but may head towards the area in the same general path and then change there pattern close to the bed to get wind to nose... How close? that may vary from deer to deer, or spot to spot. So, I could not really answer a question like that without walking it and looking at the sign, and bedroom morning entrys vary enough that even then it may be hard to determine. Evening trails exiting bedding are much easier to predict based on sign coming from bedding.

Finally if you were going to hunt this spot, where would you set up and how would you access?

Thats another question that would be hard to answer based on your picture. What "I" would do is look at the beds, check them out and look at what the deer can see from his bed, think about what they can smell, and what wind they are bedded there on, think about how close you can get undetected, and set up there.
how would you access?
Again, look from the deers perspective and find a rought undetected by scent, sight, or sound.
deer prefer to bed with heavy cover at their back, the wind at their back and visibility to their front watching their back trail.
Somewhat true... Some beds are wind and sight based, some are sound based... You will find some get in a thick noisy patch and they listen for you and exit the oppisate way you enter for escape.
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Re: Are these beds?

Unread postby pitz0022 » Thu Jan 08, 2015 10:11 am

Awesome information. Thanks Dan!

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checkerfred
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Re: Are these beds?

Unread postby checkerfred » Thu Jan 08, 2015 12:40 pm

dan wrote:...morning entrys vary enough that even then it may be hard to determine. Evening trails exiting bedding are much easier to predict based on sign coming from bedding.


So what do you look for... Just rubs? Ive been wondering how you tell entry/exit/escape routes especially in relation to the buck I just jumped the other day.

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Re: Are these beds?

Unread postby NCmedic » Thu Jan 08, 2015 4:29 pm

Seems to me that there would be two ways to tell if it's entry or exit. I think most importantly would be the main directions of tracks; i.e. which way are the majority of the tracks pointed? Away from the bed or towards? As far as escape paths, I guess one would figure this out by jumping a deer and seeing which trail they use. You may be able to determine by the tracks, if they are splayed or appear as if the deer was running or moving quickly.
I also have read that bucks tend to rub the side of the tree nearest to them along their path, so this may give an indication of direction as well.

I'm not sure if this is correct information, just trying to figure it out for myself as well. Thinking out loud.
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Re: Are these beds?

Unread postby dan » Thu Jan 08, 2015 9:17 pm

checkerfred wrote:
dan wrote:...morning entrys vary enough that even then it may be hard to determine. Evening trails exiting bedding are much easier to predict based on sign coming from bedding.


So what do you look for... Just rubs? Ive been wondering how you tell entry/exit/escape routes especially in relation to the buck I just jumped the other day.

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The main tral(s) coming out of the bedding are evening trails. Thewy may or may not have rubs/scrapes... Sometimes in very thick cover suchy as cattails, you can see the bed entry trails too... But, there should be a direction they head out of the beds in the evening. They take the same exits every time they use the bed unless the food source flips 180 degrees so there will be sign in the form of track and trails maybe rubs in the direction they head...


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