Large woodlots

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lostinstateforest
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Large woodlots

Unread postby lostinstateforest » Tue Jan 14, 2014 9:53 am

So again I find myself frustrated with my ability to find consistent bedding. I have put in plenty of miles this year but the beds I find are not what the fellow beasts are finding. I hunt 1000s and 1000s of acres of state forest. The only cover is laurel. It is what I consider hill country. I know the deer sleep in the laurel from observation but I have yet to find more than one consistent bed. These laurel patches can cover 100s of yards and deer can slip through unnoticed. I find beds when the snow is on but they are not repeated when it is off. I have only found one bed that was worn and full of hair. So do they bed differently in large tracts or am I approaching it wrong. Lastly the scat through the laurel is thick enough to jump from pile to pile.

If this has been covered please direct me

LisF

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Re: Large woodlots

Unread postby dan » Tue Jan 14, 2014 10:48 am

your probably walking right past beds not knowing it. They are not always worn to the ground, and in hill country they move the bed position a lot to catch the exact wind for the day and time they are there. I can just about guarantee that there are good bucks bedding off points that have the predominant wind blowing down. Post a topo map and I will point out where to look.
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Re: Large woodlots

Unread postby lostinstateforest » Tue Jan 14, 2014 11:32 am

ImageURL=http://s1233.photobucket.com/user/jasonbear/media/Screenshot_2013-07-11-11-18-2_edit_1389655541142.png.html]Image[/URL]


Dan are you saying to trust the elevation and the wind even if i can't find beds or am I not looking close enough and they are distinct?

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lostinstateforest
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Re: Large woodlots

Unread postby lostinstateforest » Wed Jan 15, 2014 10:34 am

Up

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Re: Large woodlots

Unread postby Spysar » Wed Jan 15, 2014 11:09 am

Are the laurels in the low areas, or on the tops of hills? What state? I know the deer bed in laurels here, but they still have to be in a spot where the deer can use his nose to his advantage. Plus, laurels are so thick, it would be easy to miss a bed.
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Re: Large woodlots

Unread postby Southern Man » Wed Jan 15, 2014 11:51 am

I attended one of Dan's workshops last year and he showed us bedding in one area that if he hadn't pointed it out, I'd have walked right past it and not realized it for what it was. From the beds I have found, I came to the realization that not all bedding is created equal. I have found 1 bed last year that resembles some of the beds shown here, but most I find do not. But then again, I'm no expert. Keep at it.
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lostinstateforest
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Re: Large woodlots

Unread postby lostinstateforest » Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:50 pm

Spysar wrote:Are the laurels in the low areas, or on the tops of hills? What state? I know the deer bed in laurels here, but they still have to be in a spot where the deer can use his nose to his advantage. Plus, laurels are so thick, it would be easy to miss a bed.


Laurels can be any where high or low. Patchy or 100yards long. Some spots are un walkable some are perfect funnels through the laurel for undetectable travel. I am in Pa.

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Re: Large woodlots

Unread postby dan » Wed Jan 15, 2014 12:58 pm

Whats your predominant wind? N.W. ?
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Re: Large woodlots

Unread postby dan » Wed Jan 15, 2014 1:07 pm

check out these 3 spots... Pretty sure if you look real close you will find buck beds in these locations.

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Re: Large woodlots

Unread postby lostinstateforest » Wed Jan 15, 2014 5:47 pm

The wind is pretty is pretty unpredictable here but looking at the weather this week the wind is out of the west 5 of the 7 days, any where from NW,W,SW,

Thanks to all the responded. I will hit these spots up this weekend with snow hopefully and update the thread.

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