"Forest ?" Beds ?

[AR Hunter]

I labeled this forest beds because I'm not sure the areas I hunt would qualify as "big woods" as they are cut with logging roads, but I guess the question is essentially the same. There is no agriculture in these areas. The deer feed primarily on mast and browse, so it is not a concentrated area in which the deer feed. The only open areas are a few food plots put in by the Game and Fish, and a few older clear-cuts. I guess my question is, are the bedding areas in this type of terrain similar to those discussed in "Hill Country Bucks?" I guess I'm confused by the fact that it seems like the bucks would move with the mast as it drops, and not bed in any one place long enough to pattern????? Very few of the bucks killed in these areas are killed outside of the rut.

[Zap]

I would think that an older buck would stick with a few beds that have worked for him in the past. If you found those sites it would be a great start. IMO.
But Dan is the expert, lets see what he says.

marty

[PLB]

I agree with Zap! Sounds like the big woods deer I hunt in Northern WI! I would look for transition lines like the edge of the hardwoods, or clearcut and start there! In a year with no mast crop they will really browse over a big area making them difficult to pattern! Generally though if that's what they have for food, the bedding areas shouldn't change much year to year imo. Is the clearcut grown up? This would be a likely bedding area!

[dan]

I do see them move towards the food in some instances... But still, the bedding should be in the same scenarios as in the DVD's, just closer to the food.
You will find though, that a mature buck has beds he uses on a regular basis, even in big timber. However they will have many bedding spots within the area they live.
They have a few primary beds and thats where they spend most days, but a little pressure or change in the wind can send them to one of there other bedding areas.
I find that a buck seems to bed in a certain bed consistently for short periods. H e might go to the same bed every day for a week then he goes off for a new food source, or the wind direction changes, or a coyote, wolf or human invades his safe zone, and he is off to one of his other bedding areas for a while. That why for me its essential to find all the buck bedding areas in your area so you can hop from one to the next until you find him.

[AR Hunter]

Thanks everyone thanks for the comments. I intend to put them to good use.