Questions on some beds I found today

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bcl1683
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Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby bcl1683 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 12:47 pm

After a few trips out scouting over the past couple of days with not much luck I decided to try again after work today despite the 5-6 inches of snow we have got a few days ago in western Pa. I had some luck today finding a few beds on a couple of points I decide to check, really trying to concentrate on the top 1/3 military crests. I am pretty new to the forums and trying this style of hunting. I bought the hill country video last fall tobstart from there since most of the terrain I hunt here in western Pa is hilly. Some very steep usually with a some Ag at the tops and creeks at the bottoms and ranging from 1500 at the top to 1100 on the creek bottoms. Anyways I found what I thought to be a good buck bed right at about where it drops steeper and looks down into the bottom. Even had a rub right in front of the bed. The wind was out of the south today and this bed was on a north facing point and had to be within a day or two old because that is when the snow got dumped on us. As I left to continue on I then found about 6 other beds maybe 15-20 yards away same elevation. So I am just wondering has anyone else ever found a buck bed close to what would seem to be a group of does. Was it just an immature buck bed or was it even a buck bed at all. I suppose I could hang a camera to verify.


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Re: Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby Dewey » Sat Feb 10, 2018 1:02 pm

How big was the bed and did you notice larger tracks? No mistaking a mature buck track. If it was a younger buck he may bed close to the doe/fawn family groups. Not super common once they get beyond 2 years old unless bedding cover is very limited but I could see a younger buck bedding among them.

Also the other beds could possibly be from the same buck changing bedding positions as the wind changes. Did all the beds appear to be the same size? Pretty obvious to recognize doe/fawns bedding together by comparing bed size. Fresh snow can give you so much good information.
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Re: Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby bcl1683 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 1:16 pm

Sorry I am trying to get some pictures up having a bit of trouble. There was actually two beds real close like feet apart one right in front of the rub and then one just back 5 feet or so right in front of a dead fall kind like some of the other pictures members post with a back cover. They looked close to the same size but the beds where there where 6-7 together looked to be various sizes I should have took more note on the sizes of those ones. I just assumed those to be doe beds. Hopefully I can get the pictures to post to give some better idea. I agree the snow helps tremendously. Can see the beds a bit aways. I am trying to get out as much as possible right now while we have snow and get an idea of what to exactly look for so when there is no snow and I want to scout before it greens up I’ll have a little easier time finding.
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Re: Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby bcl1683 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:28 pm

Image

There is a picture of the bed with the cover behind.
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Re: Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby Rob loper » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:39 pm

Looks like wind specific beds especially if beds are same size look for a jhook trail entering maybe up the slope if not too steep. Sounds like he just moving a little bit with wind change.keep plugging bro good luck
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Re: Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby bcl1683 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 2:50 pm

Image

The bed that is just in front of the one with the back cover looking into the bottom with the rub in it on the little sapling to the left.

Image

This is the view from that bed what would be the deers eye level.
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Re: Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby bcl1683 » Sat Feb 10, 2018 3:10 pm

Image


And this kind gives a picture of the area. With up being north and and winds today changing between sour and south east. The bed with the rib being the red and the other couple beds together being just a tad south on that same elevation and point. Pasture fields both at the flat on top and sloping flat on bottom just off the screen to the east.
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ghoasthunter
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Re: Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Tue Feb 13, 2018 1:53 pm

bcl1683 wrote:After a few trips out scouting over the past couple of days with not much luck I decided to try again after work today despite the 5-6 inches of snow we have got a few days ago in western Pa. I had some luck today finding a few beds on a couple of points I decide to check, really trying to concentrate on the top 1/3 military crests. I am pretty new to the forums and trying this style of hunting. I bought the hill country video last fall tobstart from there since most of the terrain I hunt here in western Pa is hilly. Some very steep usually with a some Ag at the tops and creeks at the bottoms and ranging from 1500 at the top to 1100 on the creek bottoms. Anyways I found what I thought to be a good buck bed right at about where it drops steeper and looks down into the bottom. Even had a rub right in front of the bed. The wind was out of the south today and this bed was on a north facing point and had to be within a day or two old because that is when the snow got dumped on us. As I left to continue on I then found about 6 other beds maybe 15-20 yards away same elevation. So I am just wondering has anyone else ever found a buck bed close to what would seem to be a group of does. Was it just an immature buck bed or was it even a buck bed at all. I suppose I could hang a camera to verify.

bucks and does will bed in same areas like that if the cluster of beds were set up so they were all laying but to but and they all had there own place to watch it was does the single bed was most likely a buck bed. follow the tracks a bit and see how the deer navigated and how the deer walked to sit down bucks will use wind and travel different routs than does he will most likely walk the wind tunnel more.
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Re: Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby dan » Tue Feb 13, 2018 10:52 pm

They bed close to each other... The buck bed will be the one laid out perfect on the point. It will be used by smaller deer when a big buck don't show, but the biggest buck to show in the morning will get that bed. The rest will bed in the other beds. If the beds you saw were in circle formation facing different directions, they were likely doe beds. if they were against obstacles and facing down hill / down wind, likely buck beds. Bucks do sometimes bed in groups like does though...
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Re: Questions on some beds I found today

Unread postby PK_ » Wed Feb 14, 2018 2:51 am

Looks like a decent bed to me.

My advice would be:

Check as many more spots as you can and then compare the beds/sign found in each spot. Hard for someone to look at a photo and small piece of a map and tell you if that is THE spot or bed. It is all relative and needs context.

I have found spots I thought were money and then later found several other spots in the same area that were so much better.

Then I have also found spots I thought were not great and then after scouting more spots in the area I realized what I found initially was the best looking stuff around.

Also understand the hottest bedding right now may or may not be the hottest in Oct or Nov. but in western PA in the terrain you are in I find those kinds of beds to be good year round.
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