Buck Bed Size

[Natenlsn2]

So I scouted out a spot Where a big buck is, snow on the ground and found his bedroom. In the bedroom I found beds ranging in size from 48-55 inches in length. Is there any variation in bed size for one single buck? If they lay down curled up tighter or something could that 48 in bed be from the same buck that made the 55inch bed?

Nathan Nelson

[checkerfred]

So I scouted out a spot Where a big buck is, snow on the ground and found his bedroom. In the bedroom I found beds ranging in size from 48-55 inches in length. Is there any variation in bed size for one single buck? If they lay down curled up tighter or something could that 48 in bed be from the same buck that made the 55inch bed?

Nathan Nelson

That’s not a huge variation. I could see that being the same buck. I watched a doe this year bed down and lay out sideways, then later move a little and tuck her head in close to her side. That could change the bed by 7 inches easily. If you’re finding big beds that’s a big deer even if there are multiple bucks using it.

[Dewey]

Sounds like a big buck. If you have a 55" bed that's for sure a mature buck. The 48" beds may be a different buck. The same bed could have multiple different bucks using it on different days or could even be two different bucks bedding together this time of the year. I have seen this many times.

Here is some good reading. I like to use this info to get a general idea what I'm looking at. Over the years it's been very accurate.

http://www.drnordbergondeerhunting.com/ ... Areas.html

[MikePerry]

I measured tons of beds in the snow for years in the areas of NW PA and NE Ohio I hunt and a big buck here may not represent a big buck where you live but anywhere from 44-52 inch bed around here was usually associated with Big tracks 3” wide and I considered a mature or big bodied buck. The bucks around here start bedding together again in mid to late January even though they can still breed and most have not shed yet. So it’s very possible it’s more than one buck or like stated above it could be the same buck that stretched in his bed.

I’m still currently trying to kill a couple different mature bucks in Ohio as of Jan 27th and one in particular is still showing up at night to the food source alone and another is traveling with a couple 2 1/2 years olds and a 1 /2 year old, all still carrying their antlers.

[ghoasthunter]

bed size is tuff unless you have snow. but a bigger bed also means its used more sometimes. I try to put all the clues together location tracks rubs poop size and overall the nature of a deer. if he is j hooking into a bed hes more likely to be mature. younger deer don't always approach a bed with the best entry to watch a backtrack or bed in less secure area big buck beds are bullet proof.

[Rob loper]

[quote="Natenlsn2"]So I scouted out a spot Where a big buck is, snow on the ground and found his bedroom. In the bedroom I found beds ranging in size from 48-55 inches in length. Is there any variation in bed size for one single buck? If they lay down curled up tighter or something could that 48 in bed be from the same buck that made the 55inch bed?

Nathan Nelson

From what ive learned yesterday sounds like they might be wind specific beds gotta think about where the beds are and the terrain features they are in
also a bed will be used by all bucks but if big boy wants to use that bed then he will chase a subordinate out of it. Also me and dan found some really big beds yesterday and it looks like 3-4 deer are bedding in it.these beds had features like overhead branches for blocking sun. And uninpenetreble nasty thick tall whatever all around him and an obstacle to his back also of course escape trails
Its a bed that makes you look around and think wow if i was a deer i would hide here
Also from what ive learned a very large bed means the buck beds on one side in this wind then on this side on this wind etc. like a big circle and always facing down wind and wind at his back
So for example. A buck is bedded for ne wind in a really large bed if the wind switches to south west he will get up move a certain to a certain spot still in that same large bed and lay back down its a large bed with 3-4 different beds in the same bed. I hope i worded that right lol
This is what we saw yesterday and im gonna review alot today with dan. Sounds like your on the right track though bro good luck

[dan]

Sounds like a big buck. If you have a 55" bed that's for sure a mature buck. The 48" beds may be a different buck. The same bed could have multiple different bucks using it on different days or could even be two different bucks bedding together this time of the year. I have seen this many times.

Here is some good reading. I like to use this info to get a general idea what I'm looking at. Over the years it's been very accurate.

http://www.drnordbergondeerhunting.com/ ... Areas.html

Thats great info if your looking at one single wind specific bed, or if its one bed made in the snow. But beds used on any wind will appear much bigger than reality cause the deer shift around the bed based on the wind. In that case the bed will be longer and wider than the bucks that are bedding there.

If the bed is "bean" shaped, its likely only used on one wind and you might be able to measure it, but it again may be bigger than the biggest buck using it cause they don't always lay exactly in the same spot.

In my opinion, the only time you can really trust this measurement is in snow when its a single bed you can clearly see the outline of the buck in. My opinion differs now from a decade or 2 ago. So you may find contradictory statements in one of the 1st DVD's or floating around the net. But years of studying these beds has convinced me that its harder to determine buck size by bed size than people think. For example if he beds 6 inches to the left one day (maybe cause of the exact wind variation, or maybe just where he flopped) and then 6 inches the other way another day, thats a 12 inch difference. Which is the difference between a monster and a midget. There are some wind specific beds that you can see form the shape of the deer and are a true representation of the size of the biggest deer using it, but most are not like that, and it can be misleading to newbies to think they can measure "all" beds and come up with age classes.

What my scouting shows, is once your good enough at recognizing all ( or at least most) of the primary bedding on a property or in a section, you should be able to determine which specific beds are favored by the big bucks based on exact location within the primary bedding, then by looking for tracks and rubs on the property determine if there is shooters or mature bucks on the property, thus using the primary beds.

[<DK>]

I measured tons of beds in the snow for years in the areas of NW PA and NE Ohio I hunt and a big buck here may not represent a big buck where you live but anywhere from 44-52 inch bed around here was usually associated with Big tracks 3” wide and I considered a mature or big bodied buck. The bucks around here start bedding together again in mid to late January even though they can still breed and most have not shed yet. So it’s very possible it’s more than one buck or like stated above it could be the same buck that stretched in his bed.

I’m still currently trying to kill a couple different mature bucks in Ohio as of Jan 27th and one in particular is still showing up at night to the food source alone and another is traveling with a couple 2 1/2 years olds and a 1 /2 year old, all still carrying their antlers.

x2. Great post Mike

[mainebowhunter]

Sounds like a big buck. If you have a 55" bed that's for sure a mature buck. The 48" beds may be a different buck. The same bed could have multiple different bucks using it on different days or could even be two different bucks bedding together this time of the year. I have seen this many times.

Here is some good reading. I like to use this info to get a general idea what I'm looking at. Over the years it's been very accurate.

http://www.drnordbergondeerhunting.com/ ... Areas.html

Thats great info if your looking at one single wind specific bed, or if its one bed made in the snow. But beds used on any wind will appear much bigger than reality cause the deer shift around the bed based on the wind. In that case the bed will be longer and wider than the bucks that are bedding there.

If the bed is "bean" shaped, its likely only used on one wind and you might be able to measure it, but it again may be bigger than the biggest buck using it cause they don't always lay exactly in the same spot.

In my opinion, the only time you can really trust this measurement is in snow when its a single bed you can clearly see the outline of the buck in. My opinion differs now from a decade or 2 ago. So you may find contradictory statements in one of the 1st DVD's or floating around the net. But years of studying these beds has convinced me that its harder to determine buck size by bed size than people think. For example if he beds 6 inches to the left one day (maybe cause of the exact wind variation, or maybe just where he flopped) and then 6 inches the other way another day, thats a 12 inch difference. Which is the difference between a monster and a midget. There are some wind specific beds that you can see form the shape of the deer and are a true representation of the size of the biggest deer using it, but most are not like that, and it can be misleading to newbies to think they can measure "all" beds and come up with age classes.

What my scouting shows, is once your good enough at recognizing all ( or at least most) of the primary bedding on a property or in a section, you should be able to determine which specific beds are favored by the big bucks based on exact location within the primary bedding, then by looking for tracks and rubs on the property determine if there is shooters or mature bucks on the property, thus using the primary beds.

Its interesting for sure. I have been looking at a lot of snow beds this year. 1 buck is 6-7yrs old, another is at least 4. Its been something that has been rolling around him my head when looking at some of these beds..hard to determine if BIG bed or 1 bed, bedded 2 different ways. Been looking at a lot of them.

What is interesting is the lack of rubs in some of these beds.

[KLEMZ]

Thats great info if your looking at one single wind specific bed, or if its one bed made in the snow. But beds used on any wind will appear much bigger than reality cause the deer shift around the bed based on the wind. In that case the bed will be longer and wider than the bucks that are bedding there.

If the bed is "bean" shaped, its likely only used on one wind and you might be able to measure it, but it again may be bigger than the biggest buck using it cause they don't always lay exactly in the same spot.

In my opinion, the only time you can really trust this measurement is in snow when its a single bed you can clearly see the outline of the buck in. My opinion differs now from a decade or 2 ago. So you may find contradictory statements in one of the 1st DVD's or floating around the net. But years of studying these beds has convinced me that its harder to determine buck size by bed size than people think. For example if he beds 6 inches to the left one day (maybe cause of the exact wind variation, or maybe just where he flopped) and then 6 inches the other way another day, thats a 12 inch difference. Which is the difference between a monster and a midget. There are some wind specific beds that you can see form the shape of the deer and are a true representation of the size of the biggest deer using it, but most are not like that, and it can be misleading to newbies to think they can measure "all" beds and come up with age classes.

Great common sense observations Dan...thanks for sharing that!

What my scouting shows, is once your good enough at recognizing all ( or at least most) of the primary bedding on a property or in a section, you should be able to determine which specific beds are favored by the big bucks based on exact location within the primary bedding, then by looking for tracks and rubs on the property determine if there is shooters or mature bucks on the property, thus using the primary beds.

And there's the "golden nugget"!! That is likely the most important sentence ever written about hunting mature whitetail bucks!

[Singing Bridge]

Golden nugget is right- great post by Dan. I'll share a couple of thoughts...

After viewing thousands of beds, big buck beds stand out just like the rest of their sign... tracks, rubs, droppings...

As Dan said, determining when a big buck is using an area is the ticket.

Also, don't get caught up on singular sign. I've had hunter after hunter tell me they were going out scouting to find beds... or rubs... or scrapes... and once they find one they are excited and that's fine.

But when you find a big buck bed under a white pine that is filled with pine neeles and maybe the tree the bed is next to is rubbed... do you stop there? If its the off season, your scent is already in there and you may as well get the job done right. Did you get right down low and peer at the bed for a partial track... clear the pine needles away and find a standing, 4 finger wide track right in the bed? If the bed is dented in the ground, you may have a primary bed that is used all year.

Wait, there's more... did you notice the oversized pellets in and right next to the bed? I've seen more than one mature buck that poops right in the bed to serve notice to other bucks that its his and it helps deter them from that exact spot. The lesser bucks bed in the that small area when he isn't there, but in a different spot. No need to aggravate the boss.

And that's just the bed itself, not to mention track direction, side of the tree that scratchings or rubs are on when following bedding area entrance and exit trails...

And more. Bridge

[Tim H]

Golden nugget is right- great post by Dan. I'll share a couple of thoughts...

After viewing thousands of beds, big buck beds stand out just like the rest of their sign... tracks, rubs, droppings...

As Dan said, determining when a big buck is using an area is the ticket.

Also, don't get caught up on singular sign. I've had hunter after hunter tell me they were going out scouting to find beds... or rubs... or scrapes... and once they find one they are excited and that's fine.

But when you find a big buck bed under a white pine that is filled with pine neeles and maybe the tree the bed is next to is rubbed... do you stop there? If its the off season, your scent is already in there and you may as well get the job done right. Did you get right down low and peer at the bed for a partial track... clear the pine needles away and find a standing, 4 finger wide track right in the bed? If the bed is dented in the ground, you may have a primary bed that is used all year.

Wait, there's more... did you notice the oversized pellets in and right next to the bed? I've seen more than one mature buck that poops right in the bed to serve notice to other bucks that its his and it helps deter them from that exact spot. The lesser bucks bed in the that small area when he isn't there, but in a different spot. No need to aggravate the boss.

And that's just the bed itself, not to mention track direction, side of the tree that scratchings or rubs are on when following bedding area entrance and exit trails...

And more. Bridge

This great information for sure!

[Tim H]

Golden nugget is right- great post by Dan. I'll share a couple of thoughts...

After viewing thousands of beds, big buck beds stand out just like the rest of their sign... tracks, rubs, droppings...

As Dan said, determining when a big buck is using an area is the ticket.

Also, don't get caught up on singular sign. I've had hunter after hunter tell me they were going out scouting to find beds... or rubs... or scrapes... and once they find one they are excited and that's fine.

But when you find a big buck bed under a white pine that is filled with pine neeles and maybe the tree the bed is next to is rubbed... do you stop there? If its the off season, your scent is already in there and you may as well get the job done right. Did you get right down low and peer at the bed for a partial track... clear the pine needles away and find a standing, 4 finger wide track right in the bed? If the bed is dented in the ground, you may have a primary bed that is used all year.

Wait, there's more... did you notice the oversized pellets in and right next to the bed? I've seen more than one mature buck that poops right in the bed to serve notice to other bucks that its his and it helps deter them from that exact spot. The lesser bucks bed in the that small area when he isn't there, but in a different spot. No need to aggravate the boss.

And that's just the bed itself, not to mention track direction, side of the tree that scratchings or rubs are on when following bedding area entrance and exit trails...

And more. Bridge

This is great information for sure!

[Natenlsn2]

Sounds like a big buck. If you have a 55" bed that's for sure a mature buck. The 48" beds may be a different buck. The same bed could have multiple different bucks using it on different days or could even be two different bucks bedding together this time of the year. I have seen this many times.

Here is some good reading. I like to use this info to get a general idea what I'm looking at. Over the years it's been very accurate.

http://www.drnordbergondeerhunting.com/ ... Areas.html

Thats great info if your looking at one single wind specific bed, or if its one bed made in the snow. But beds used on any wind will appear much bigger than reality cause the deer shift around the bed based on the wind. In that case the bed will be longer and wider than the bucks that are bedding there.

If the bed is "bean" shaped, its likely only used on one wind and you might be able to measure it, but it again may be bigger than the biggest buck using it cause they don't always lay exactly in the same spot.

In my opinion, the only time you can really trust this measurement is in snow when its a single bed you can clearly see the outline of the buck in. My opinion differs now from a decade or 2 ago. So you may find contradictory statements in one of the 1st DVD's or floating around the net. But years of studying these beds has convinced me that its harder to determine buck size by bed size than people think. For example if he beds 6 inches to the left one day (maybe cause of the exact wind variation, or maybe just where he flopped) and then 6 inches the other way another day, thats a 12 inch difference. Which is the difference between a monster and a midget. There are some wind specific beds that you can see form the shape of the deer and are a true representation of the size of the biggest deer using it, but most are not like that, and it can be misleading to newbies to think they can measure "all" beds and come up with age classes.

What my scouting shows, is once your good enough at recognizing all ( or at least most) of the primary bedding on a property or in a section, you should be able to determine which specific beds are favored by the big bucks based on exact location within the primary bedding, then by looking for tracks and rubs on the property determine if there is shooters or mature bucks on the property, thus using the primary beds.

Great info, very helpful! So if you find a single bean shaped bed in the snow, do you have a certain size bed that you are looking for? At what point do you know it is a mature buck?

Nathan

[Dewey]

Sounds like a big buck. If you have a 55" bed that's for sure a mature buck. The 48" beds may be a different buck. The same bed could have multiple different bucks using it on different days or could even be two different bucks bedding together this time of the year. I have seen this many times.

Here is some good reading. I like to use this info to get a general idea what I'm looking at. Over the years it's been very accurate.

http://www.drnordbergondeerhunting.com/ ... Areas.html

Thats great info if your looking at one single wind specific bed, or if its one bed made in the snow. But beds used on any wind will appear much bigger than reality cause the deer shift around the bed based on the wind. In that case the bed will be longer and wider than the bucks that are bedding there.

If the bed is "bean" shaped, its likely only used on one wind and you might be able to measure it, but it again may be bigger than the biggest buck using it cause they don't always lay exactly in the same spot.

In my opinion, the only time you can really trust this measurement is in snow when its a single bed you can clearly see the outline of the buck in. My opinion differs now from a decade or 2 ago. So you may find contradictory statements in one of the 1st DVD's or floating around the net. But years of studying these beds has convinced me that its harder to determine buck size by bed size than people think. For example if he beds 6 inches to the left one day (maybe cause of the exact wind variation, or maybe just where he flopped) and then 6 inches the other way another day, thats a 12 inch difference. Which is the difference between a monster and a midget. There are some wind specific beds that you can see form the shape of the deer and are a true representation of the size of the biggest deer using it, but most are not like that, and it can be misleading to newbies to think they can measure "all" beds and come up with age classes.

What my scouting shows, is once your good enough at recognizing all ( or at least most) of the primary bedding on a property or in a section, you should be able to determine which specific beds are favored by the big bucks based on exact location within the primary bedding, then by looking for tracks and rubs on the property determine if there is shooters or mature bucks on the property, thus using the primary beds.

I was speaking of fresh well defined single snow beds. Sorry I should have made that more clear.