Appreciate some feedback

[DaveT1963]

Still learning the Beast method and trying to apply to land I hunt in Texas. Want to see if I am picking this up OK. I have a new area that I have been scouting. This is typical farm country in Texas/Oklahoma that I am used to hunting. Normally I would set up on funnels and pinch points and hope deer would move through... been pretty successful but would like a more planned/purposeful method.

The first picture is an overview of the entire area. Most of the cultivated land is wheat or milo planted for duck habitat the large area to the east is sometimes just put back in native grass.



The second picture is more detailed of the main brush/woody habitat where a lot of deer bed up. This is a large block of brush and timber – mainly mesquite, cottonwood, hackberry and scrub brush. The blue arrow is normal wind direction. Blue lines are the main entry trails of other hunters (public land). The red lines are the places I highlighted as potential bedding areas.
Would appreciate some candid feedback if I am on right track. If not what am I missing when isolating bedding areas from photos. I know only boot leather can validate but I would really like to get better at analyzing photos first. Thanks for any help.





ps. Still not sure what I am doing wrong when trying to post pictures?

[DaveT1963]

these are links to pictures as I just cannot get them to load

1. copper/displayimage.php?pid=4853

2. copper/displayimage.php?pid=4852

[Stanley]

Added the pics for you.

[DaveT1963]

thanks - what am I doing wrong with posting pics?

[Stanley]

thanks - what am I doing wrong with posting pics?

Click on the Photo Gallery (at the top just below your log in name)

**First time users will need to register & name their photo folder** (create an account in the photo gallery)

upload to the folder you choose by clicking on upload file and choosing the folder

click in the "Browse" box to select your picture

then click upload

once picture is uploaded click continue

highlight the file name and copy

Paste the url to your post

then using the tool box in your post message area click on the image that looks like a square box with mountains and a sun. That is your image box [img]

this will link your pasted url to your image

click submit

[dan]

You seem to be looking in the right places... Might want to scout the interior transitions completely and not just the marked spots though... But, yes, your on the right track.

[DaveT1963]

Dan - not sure I am following which line you suggest. The blue lines are where most of the hunters walk - are you saying I should I scout that interior transition edge as well? Or is there another edge I am missing. Would you mind drawing some lines to help me there?

Thanks again folks for all your help with these pics it is helping a lot and I am putting in a ton of boot leather time to validate.

I do have another observation. During winter early spring it was really hard to find actual beds due to our environment here - the bucks seldom bed in same spot and with no snow it is really hard to tell. However, now that I have actual grass growing, it is much easier to detect where the grass has been laid on. Is it typical in southern areas to be able to determine bedding areas after green up? I also noticed that during winter it is hard to find good tracks due to how dry we are and have been down here. But after spring showers I can usually get out and start finding some tracks to confirm things. I like winter scouting because much of the rut sign and travel corridors are much easier to decipher.

[dan]

I am talking about interior traqnsitions. They are the transitions that are within the wooded area where two differing types of trees brush meet, or where a river or ditch runs thru... I can't draw lines from my work computor, and its hard on your picture without zooming in or changing the year of the picture to get different contrasts.

If its easier for you to find beds after green up, do so... There is a short period right at about green up where they change coats from winter to the reddish summer coat, when this occurs the beds will be full of hair... Lots of hair, and be easy to see.