Please help me locate beds...

[Seeker529]

I took my kids for a short walk yesterday to just get them out of the house... it was right next to a parking area... it had lots of thick stem count with some massive red oaks and then some pines mixed in all places on a high ridge or hill. I thought It would be a great spot that deer could watch people use the access paths and let them walk on by!! over all in this little stretch we probably saw 120 rubs all different sizes scattered all over facing all ways on trees but no beds! I’m wondering if this is a rut spot or if the transitional edge I walked I should be in the bog/marsh side and not the woods side? I did find some spots that had 3-4 rubs in all different directions (5’ circular group)
and what looked like a spot for a bed... but no droppings no hair ..when rubs are found like that,was that most likely a bed in the fall? any information to help guide me is greatly appreciated!

[Ryan549]

Get out of the woods and into the marsh. There is quite a bit of higher ground out there littered with what looks like dogwoods, red maple. Regardless of what the trees and brush actually are, that is where the deer are bedding.

[Lockdown]

Get out of the woods and into the marsh. There is quite a bit of higher ground out there littered with what looks like dogwoods, red maple. Regardless of what the trees and brush actually are, that is where the deer are bedding.

Yep. Deer will bed near human intrusion if that’s their only choice. But if they can find solitude, that’s likely where they’ll be.

It looks like you stopped a hair shy of the transition as well. If that marsh has standing water, the beds will likely be VERY close to it. And if there’s plenty of bedding out in the marsh/swamp, the slightest bit of pressure will push those deer out of those dry land beds where you just walked. If they’re there at all. Just because you’re on a transition, it doesn’t guarantee that you’ll find beds there.

[PK_]

Early season would be my guess. In most of the places I hunt deer prefer the higher elevation until pressure ramps up and sends them to the swamp.

[jzehr]

Yeah I'm sure if you can find high spots in the marsh you will find beds, might be hard to see this time of year, they are there

[Seeker529]

Thanks for the help guys! Might have to wait until next spring time to go out into the swamp and scout for beds then!!