Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

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Mr. SMITH
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Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby Mr. SMITH » Sun Jan 02, 2022 4:33 pm

I did a little bit of scouting today in a new spot and found some beds on some points that i suspected to have beds. This area had a regeneration cut from a year or two ago on a bench on the side of a mountain.
Near the one side of the cut there was a draw that went about 75 yards into the cut. This draw was not cut and was still full of mountain laurel. I scouted both sides of the draw and found two small beds on the west side and one big lone buck bed on the east side with a good amount of cover around it.
This is a big woods hill county area with the wind coming out of the west and thermals pulling up hill to the north through the cut. The beds are south of the cut, down hill. My question is is a buck bed on this terrain feature (a point with a transition) more likely to be a primary bed? And would he be more likely to use a bed back deeper in the cut. In the early season when the leaves are still on the new growth?


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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby Lockdown » Sun Jan 02, 2022 5:53 pm

If him bedding deeper early due to foliage makes sense to you, then there a decent chance that could happen.

Btw try not to get caught up in a proper name for it. Primary/secondary or whatever. Your goal is to figure out when he is there and what he’s doing. If you feel it’s a spot that is worth hunting, then keep tabs on it. Basically all you can do is make your best guess (coupled with scouting, observations, trail cams, etc). and go from there.

Even if it’s a spot that I think is pressure bedding, if I’m really high on it and I don’t want to miss the boat, I’m still going to keep an eye on it early.

Another thing you can do is place a cam invasively mid to late summer and leave it alone. You can learn a ton about a spot by doing long camera soaks. Typically when I do this I’ll go in and swap cards and change batteries (if needed) when either:

A) My scent is in there due to a kill sit
B) Just before gun season when all heck is about to break loose anyway.

A common misconception is that veteran Beasts can scout new ground and know exactly what to do. It’s 50% scouting and making game plans, and 50% figuring out what the deer are actually doing. It’s pretty common for it to take a few years to figure out. Year 1 you’re in the game. Years 2 and 3 you’re making tweaks and adjustments.
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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby brancher147 » Sun Jan 02, 2022 10:59 pm

From what I have seen in early season with leaves on they can and do bed in wide open mature timber areas but once leaves fall (and pressure picks up) they seek more cover. I find terrain and wind/thermals to be most important early season. Some places once the leaves fall I have no idea where bucks go but they’re gone and rarely come back except for does during rut and even that is rare
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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby PK_ » Mon Jan 03, 2022 1:57 am

I can’t give you a specific answer for that exact scenario. But I can tell you with conviction that when there is high pressure, cover trumps all. Terrain and wind be darned, they are in the cover. When there is mild pressure they will be on the edge of cover. When there is no pressure they will be wherever it is most convenient for them to eat or breed.
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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby oldrank » Mon Jan 03, 2022 2:22 am

I see terrain beds in low pressure situations. Examples would be summer, post season in late winter. During season those beds are usually abandoned. Rut cruising bucks may layup in them for a quick rest though. Terrain and cover combo is usually a golden ticket. I like to layer my odds. Getting 4 or 5 things to line up usually leads to success.
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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby Ahawk116 » Mon Jan 03, 2022 3:19 am

PK_ wrote:I can’t give you a specific answer for that exact scenario. But I can tell you with conviction that when there is high pressure, cover trumps all. Terrain and wind be darned, they are in the cover. When there is mild pressure they will be on the edge of cover. When there is no pressure they will be wherever it is most convenient for them to eat or breed.



Amen to this.

Also people don’t realize how rare “primary bedding” is. At least around here in years and years of searching the woods there just aren’t that many spots that always hold the biggest deer.

They do exist, but just know timing is the thing you’ll spend most of your time trying to figure out.
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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby brancher147 » Mon Jan 03, 2022 3:32 am

Completely agree with PK. I should have mentioned the areas I hunt are mostly low to no pressure other than myself early season.
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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby Mr. SMITH » Mon Jan 03, 2022 4:57 am

In this particular situation the area receives vary little pressure except during late November and early December. When the bear and rifle seasons come in. While scouting i was looking for any signs of other hunters and saw none. Not even any trash.
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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby Mr. SMITH » Mon Jan 03, 2022 5:47 am

Lockdown wrote:If him bedding deeper early due to foliage makes sense to you, then there a decent chance that could happen.

Btw try not to get caught up in a proper name for it. Primary/secondary or whatever. Your goal is to figure out when he is there and what he’s doing. If you feel it’s a spot that is worth hunting, then keep tabs on it. Basically all you can do is make your best guess (coupled with scouting, observations, trail cams, etc). and go from there.

Even if it’s a spot that I think is pressure bedding, if I’m really high on it and I don’t want to miss the boat, I’m still going to keep an eye on it early.

Another thing you can do is place a cam invasively mid to late summer and leave it alone. You can learn a ton about a spot by doing long camera soaks. Typically when I do this I’ll go in and swap cards and change batteries (if needed) when either:

A) My scent is in there due to a kill sit
B) Just before gun season when all heck is about to break loose anyway.

A common misconception is that veteran Beasts can scout new ground and know exactly what to do. It’s 50% scouting and making game plans, and 50% figuring out what the deer are actually doing. It’s pretty common for it to take a few years to figure out. Year 1 you’re in the game. Years 2 and 3 you’re making tweaks and adjustments.

I have already placed a camera on an exit trail out side of the bedding area. Too hopefully get some information on whats in the area. Planning on pulling the camera in a few months when i go in to do a more thorough scouting job.
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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby dan » Mon Jan 03, 2022 7:25 am

Cover is generally more important. hOWEVER i FEEL ITS REALLY ABOUT A GOOD BALANCE.
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Re: Is terrain more important than cover for a Primary buck bed

Unread postby backstrap19 » Fri Apr 22, 2022 6:50 am

I am no expert, but in my high pressure areas of PA, I find bedding is usually not more than one or two jumps from being inside super dense cover, OR down a steep elevation change. I do find the cover more consistent than the terrain, but that may be a product of the pressure. I also find bedding moves with food, and I don't hunt AG, so this is a mast vs preferred browse pattern. I also find that mast feeding during the daylight is very limited to the best cover near that mast. Hard to find the first/best mast source.


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