I have to admit something - deer beds

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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Buckshot20
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Re: I have to admit something - deer beds

Unread postby Buckshot20 » Sun Jul 03, 2016 6:16 am

Ok as a rule I'm thinking deer don't bed in water. However, a few years ago I was hunting in extreme south Florida. I was walking through a bunch of water trying to get to a hammock. On my way in i noticed what I thought was a buck. Sure enough it was. The deer was bedded by a pepper tree. Long story short I didn't get a shot at that deer but I went to check out where he was laying after he bolted. It was in water about the mid calf high. This was a higher spot but there was water everywhere. No dry ground. That deer was laying in the water. It may have been from pressure, maybe being submerged kept the bugs down? It was also upper 90's so maybe he was regulating body temp? Not sure...just something to think about. I'm sure this is the exception but I wonder if in hot climates there is something there?

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Tufrthnails
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Re: I have to admit something - deer beds

Unread postby Tufrthnails » Sun Jul 03, 2016 6:41 am

Buckshot20 wrote:Ok as a rule I'm thinking deer don't bed in water. However, a few years ago I was hunting in extreme south Florida. I was walking through a bunch of water trying to get to a hammock. On my way in i noticed what I thought was a buck. Sure enough it was. The deer was bedded by a pepper tree. Long story short I didn't get a shot at that deer but I went to check out where he was laying after he bolted. It was in water about the mid calf high. This was a higher spot but there was water everywhere. No dry ground. That deer was laying in the water. It may have been from pressure, maybe being submerged kept the bugs down? It was also upper 90's so maybe he was regulating body temp? Not sure...just something to think about. I'm sure this is the exception but I wonder if in hot climates there is something there?

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I've seen them laying in water as well during early sept early bowhunts in 90+ degree weather also.
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Twenty Up
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Re: I have to admit something - deer beds

Unread postby Twenty Up » Mon Jul 04, 2016 4:41 am

I'm still a rookie at locating deer beds as well but something I have found to help me is to squat in the bed and find out why a deer would be there... Check with different wind and their view point with those winds, something for the deer to lay against, tracks, scat anything. Sometimes they're extremely obvious and others not so much. Once you build up that "eye" and confidence in your judgement it starts coming together. Locating doe beds & spike beds is a lot easier and helps you build that eye and confidence then work your way up.

Also reading Rubline Secrets and Mapping Trophy Whitetails has led me to locating several deer beds as well, not to mention Dan's Marsh & Hill country videos which really puts everything into perspective.

Hope this helps!
Trust the Process~~ Lost Boys Outdoors ~~

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