Bedding on public land

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Ajc5o5o
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Bedding on public land

Unread postby Ajc5o5o » Wed Sep 06, 2017 5:45 pm

Hi everyone, brand new to the site and I've already spent the past 4 hours pouring over all of the info on the boards, love it! I'm fairly new to hunting, this will be my second season and I hunt only public land in upstate NY. If anyone else is in the Rochester NY area please messsge me it would be great to hook up! To get to my question...I've found a ton of what I believe to be bedding areas but what confuses me is that I've not once seen a deer in these areas during daylight hours. From what I understand that's where they should be a large portion of the day. I've been cautious with my scent and approached these areas using the wind, both scouting and on the rare occasion hunting last season. So I guess what I'm asking is if they aren't bedding there during the day am I most likely mis identifying these areas? Also what is the ideal time to scout bedding areas, both season and time of day? Any help would be greatly appreciated as I struggled to locate deer last season.


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Mschmeiske
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby Mschmeiske » Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:45 pm

Scout year round! All the sign seems to stand out easier post season though when all the leaves half dropped and it's a bit more open. Snow can be helpful too, real easy to identify beds then.
Tennhunter3
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Wed Sep 06, 2017 10:51 pm

January or February are best to scout before green up.


As far as time it makes no difference you will still spook the buck bedded in that area.

It does seem strange you are not hearing deer run off from the bedding your checking.

While scouting try to focus on 1-3rd from the top bucks like the area behind their beds to be thick with open in front.

If the beds you are checking are in open hardwoods most likely they are night bedding and are not being used during the day.
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SidewayZ
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby SidewayZ » Thu Sep 07, 2017 6:52 am

Are you actually finding beds in these areas? Is the bed worn? Is there belly hair in the bed? Are finding single beds or groups of beds? Is the bed next to thick cover or a tree with an open view? Rubs in the bed? What kind of tracks are leading to the beds?

If yes, you must next determine if this is a wind based bedding area or primary bedding area. Primary bedding they should almost always be there, if it is a wind based bedding area you must determine on which wind(s) the bed or beds are used?

In most situations its wind over back with cover to the back with the buck watching an opening or back trail seeing everything downwind and smelling everything behind him.
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cdeam
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby cdeam » Thu Sep 07, 2017 8:40 am

I only jump the occasional deer when scouting beds. I attribute this to deer leaving the beds on my approach. In other words, the bed works. And that's why they bed there. When I scout I usually move through an area with a purpose. I'm definitely not stalking. So the deer know I'm coming before I ever see them and quietly sneak out to avoid being noticed.
Ajc5o5o
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby Ajc5o5o » Thu Sep 07, 2017 10:04 am

Yea I haven't jumped anything which is what I've found strange. I'm guessing that they hear/smell me coming and are long gone before I get there. The beds that I've found are in an open field of high grass which is clearly matted down with droppings everywhere. If it's any help the prevailing wind is out of the west and I always approach from the east. Also, on all sides is thicket, beyond that hard woods and probably 200 yards to the north theres a marsh which leads up to Lake Ontario as it borders the entire property to the north. This is a fairly pressured area with birdwatching, hunting and occasional hikers. So I'm going to venture into the marsh post season and see what I find, I just feel like it's a bit late now with the season 3 weeks away to do much more scouting. Thank you guys so much for the help and anything in addition you can share would be greatly appreciated. The area I hunt is "Braddock bay WMA" if anyone wants to take a look online at the parcel. Take care everyone and best of luck this season!!!
Last edited by Ajc5o5o on Thu Sep 07, 2017 10:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
Ajc5o5o
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby Ajc5o5o » Thu Sep 07, 2017 10:10 am

SidewayZ wrote:Are you actually finding beds in these areas? Is the bed worn? Is there belly hair in the bed? Are finding single beds or groups of beds? Is the bed next to thick cover or a tree with an open view? Rubs in the bed? What kind of tracks are leading to the beds?

If yes, you must next determine if this is a wind based bedding area or primary bedding area. Primary bedding they should almost always be there, if it is a wind based bedding area you must determine on which wind(s) the bed or beds are used?

In most situations its wind over back with cover to the back with the buck watching an opening or back trail seeing everything downwind and smelling everything behind him.



The beds I'm finding are all grouped, in a large grassy field surrounded by hardwoods. Marsh land about 200 yards to the North and Lake Ontario just beyond the marsh.
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stash59
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby stash59 » Thu Sep 07, 2017 10:23 am

Sound more like night bedding to me.
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tgreeno
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby tgreeno » Thu Sep 07, 2017 10:31 am

stash59 wrote:Sound more like night bedding to me.


Yes...Possible doe bedding?
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SidewayZ
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby SidewayZ » Thu Sep 07, 2017 12:47 pm

tgreeno wrote:
stash59 wrote:Sound more like night bedding to me.


Yes...Possible doe bedding?


Agreed, could be either. Does generally bed in more open areas.
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stash59
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Re: Bedding on public land

Unread postby stash59 » Thu Sep 07, 2017 12:52 pm

SidewayZ wrote:
tgreeno wrote:
stash59 wrote:Sound more like night bedding to me.


Yes...Possible doe bedding?


Agreed, could be either. Does generally bed in more open areas.


Yeah especially in summer.
Happiness is a large gutpile!!!!!!!


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