This property is adjacent to a subdivision to the East. There is a pond 'buffer' between the pictured area and the houses. The orange is a walking trail that gets frequent use by people walking dogs. (3-5 times a week right now, probably 2-3x as much during late summer)
Orange - Walking Trail
Yellow Dot - I found a 68" shed last spring
"AM Pics" - A few mid-December pictures of a couple good bucks moving along the arrow, around 7AM. May have been 2nd rut activity.
Red Lines - Heavy trails
Pink dots - Doe beds
Red Dots - Possible buck beds
Notes:
1. The ice is frozen now. The deer are freely walking on the ice and crossing from the marsh, crossing at that point where the 3 meet.
2. Farms to the West and SW. Deer primarily go South in the evenings, North in the Morning.
3. The southernmost bed is under heavy brush. The deer would go unseen if leaves were on. The bed was worn down pretty good, and it's about 5 yards off a cattail marsh. There are several rubs within 5-10 yards of the bed, including several 3-5" diameter trees. Might this be a 2 1/2 year old bed?
There were also tracks on that red line that were 3.25" wide, 5.75" long (including dew claws).
Can I assume these are buck beds? Would a mature-ish buck bed this close to human activity? They regularly come into the subdivision, per anecdotes from non-hunting neighbors. Or are these beds only because the walking trail is used less during winter, and from a younger buck? The rubs are nice-sized, but the younger bucks include some 10s. There are some nice bucks in the immediate area. My initial thinking was the bigger bucks were bedding out in the marsh to the West.
