Are these beds I'm looking at?

Discuss the science of figuring out our prey through good detective work.
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csb1780
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Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby csb1780 » Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:47 am

I went scouting last weekend and found what I thought might be beds. Bare dirt was visible right at the base of a few trees. I couldn't find any hair in the dirt or poop near by. I circled in red the areas were I took the pictures.
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Moose
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby Moose » Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:44 am

I will try to help but im pretty new to finding beds to. The picture with the rub could possibly be a bed or scrape but i wouldn't think the ones around the tree are beds though. Sorry if im not much help.
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backstraps
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Feb 25, 2020 9:54 am

The pictures around the base of the trees doesn't appear as bedding.

Also, the area you circled on your topo, wouldn't jump out to me as bedding....but having eyes on the ground may prove differently.
The top topo map with the circle...could be a bed being used shortly off the clearing to the west of the circle
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tgreeno
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby tgreeno » Tue Feb 25, 2020 12:18 pm

1st pic, maybe an old bed? The other don't look like beds to me.

I would try some of those points, 2/3rds up.
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby jmaas07 » Tue Feb 25, 2020 1:26 pm

Not beds like the others said
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jwilkstn
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby jwilkstn » Tue Feb 25, 2020 1:59 pm

Csb1780, I see you're in Tennessee. What area of the state? There's several of us on here from TN, and someone might be able to help ya out.
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gsquared23
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby gsquared23 » Tue Feb 25, 2020 3:22 pm

In hill country, the beds don’t stand out very well unless it’s a primary bed that is used all of the time, or unless it has snowed recently. Because the bed is wind based, any change will cause them to slightly change the bed, so they’re not even laying in the exact same spot very often.

So you’re looking for a depression in the leaves, that RARELY (in my area) has bare dirt. If I see a depression in the leaves but don’t see hair, I’ll gently rake some of the leaves back to see if there is any under the top layer, especially in areas that are oak-heavy (oaks drop late and that leaf litter will cover up a bed that is well used before leaf drop).

Keep looking in the places the beds are supposed to be (1/3 the way down brushy points in my area), and once you find a few, even the subtle ones will start to jump out at you. And then your work has just begun!!
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csb1780
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby csb1780 » Wed Feb 26, 2020 2:21 am

I grew up in Knoxville. I live in the Strawberry Plains area now. My dad and I have hunted Fort Campbell a lot in the past (although it's getting tougher for a civilian to check into an area any more). Also hunt LBL quite a bit, Catoosa when drawn and local land as well. Had a Montgomery county lease for the past four years but the price was getting too high and we aren't renewing this season. Looking to start hunting more mobile. After learning how mature bucks catch onto your presence so fast I feel like mobile hunting is the way to go.
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby csb1780 » Wed Feb 26, 2020 2:23 am

jwilkstn wrote:Csb1780, I see you're in Tennessee. What area of the state? There's several of us on here from TN, and someone might be able to help ya out.


I grew up in Knoxville. I live in the Strawberry Plains area now. My dad and I have hunted Fort Campbell a lot in the past (although it's getting tougher for a civilian to check into an area any more). Also hunt LBL quite a bit, Catoosa when drawn and local land as well. Had a Montgomery county lease for the past four years but the price was getting too high and we aren't renewing this season. Looking to start hunting more mobile. After learning how mature bucks catch onto your presence so fast I feel like mobile hunting is the way to go.
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby Seeker529 » Wed Feb 26, 2020 11:49 pm

Ya gotta get on hand and knees and really comb for deer hair if you think it’s a bed .. only way I can really tell 100%! I have found beds like that around trees and the bark was all rubbed off from them laying against it
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Re: Are these beds I'm looking at?

Unread postby greenhorndave » Thu Feb 27, 2020 1:28 am

Seeker529 wrote:Ya gotta get on hand and knees and really comb for deer hair if you think it’s a bed .. only way I can really tell 100%! I have found beds like that around trees and the bark was all rubbed off from them laying against it

Or in my case, using my phone to take a picture and then zooming in. :lol: My near vision ain’t what it used to be.

I thought the first pic looked more like a scrape.
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