Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


User avatar
Divergent
500 Club
Posts: 766
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:18 pm
Status: Offline

Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby Divergent » Sat May 20, 2017 5:25 pm

Are you guys targeting certain bed characteristics other than wind conditions. I'm finding a lot of beds and trying to narrow down when they're being used. I've seen some cyclical traits with deer on trail cams. Say storm rolls in...are you targeting low elavation thickets on those days? After that do you find them shifting to a mid elevation bench bed to get out of the high wind after the front and then finally to a higher elevation crest on a bluebird day? Just wondering if they cycle thru beds on a more consistent basis according to weather than we realize...thoughts?


Jdw
500 Club
Posts: 776
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:00 am
Location: SE Ohio
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby Jdw » Sun May 21, 2017 1:27 am

I went in to hunt a bed on a day with sustained 30 mile per hour wind. The bed was on the side of a leeward point.
As I approached, from below, to sneak up a ditch to my stand location, I jumped the buck out of a blowdown. He was at least 100 yards lower down the hill than I expected.
I went in after the season to check to see if there was evidence of a bed in the blowdown and there was none. I concluded the buck beded lower do to the high wind that day.
Either the thermal tunnel was lower or he was trying to find a more sheltered location than his usual bed.
User avatar
<DK>
500 Club
Posts: 4484
Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2014 10:02 am
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby <DK> » Sun May 21, 2017 2:20 am

I am trying to be more aware or in tune as well Divergent. There is definitely something to it. Here is a thread about weather bedding:
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37262
User avatar
headgear
500 Club
Posts: 11625
Joined: Wed Sep 08, 2010 7:21 am
Location: Northern Minnesota
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby headgear » Sun May 21, 2017 3:04 am

I like to target cedar swamps when those winter storms hit, and of course water is taken into consideration when its hot out. High winds if it is super cold get taken into consideration as well.
User avatar
Divergent
500 Club
Posts: 766
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby Divergent » Sun May 21, 2017 5:02 pm

Jdw wrote:I went in to hunt a bed on a day with sustained 30 mile per hour wind. The bed was on the side of a leeward point.
As I approached, from below, to sneak up a ditch to my stand location, I jumped the buck out of a blowdown. He was at least 100 yards lower down the hill than I expected.
I went in after the season to check to see if there was evidence of a bed in the blowdown and there was none. I concluded the buck beded lower do to the high wind that day.
Either the thermal tunnel was lower or he was trying to find a more sheltered location than his usual bed.


Yeah, I've noticed some change in elevation depending on wind speed/thermals too. Do you specifically target benches on those windy days?
User avatar
Divergent
500 Club
Posts: 766
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby Divergent » Sun May 21, 2017 5:12 pm

Darkknight54 wrote:I am trying to be more aware or in tune as well Divergent. There is definitely something to it. Here is a thread about weather bedding:
http://thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37262


Thanks, I'll take another look at the link. I should probably go back and re-read those tactical threads with a more fine tooth comb. It was probably sensory overload when I first started taking in the info. I'm sure I missed a lot of key points. I really enjoyed Autumn Ninjas breakdowns and theories.

I remember either Stanley or Uncle Lou speaking about cycles and also about many deer using a bed versus repetitive use from a single buck. I'd love to hear their thoughts...just can't remember who it was.
User avatar
Divergent
500 Club
Posts: 766
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby Divergent » Sun May 21, 2017 5:19 pm

headgear wrote:I like to target cedar swamps when those winter storms hit, and of course water is taken into consideration when its hot out. High winds if it is super cold get taken into consideration as well.


I wish we had both of those here in the south. I do target pine thickets during/after a rain or high winds.I placed a cameras at two isolated water holes in north and south Alabama a few years back during a "drought" year and I never saw the deer at them like I hear you guys speak of up north. I guess there's enough in the plants to keep them content.
User avatar
Divergent
500 Club
Posts: 766
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby Divergent » Sun May 21, 2017 5:30 pm

Darkknight54 wrote:I am trying to be more aware or in tune as well Divergent. There is definitely something to it. Here is a thread about weather bedding:
http://thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=37262


I thought that topic looked familiar. I came in on the tail end of it a few weeks back.
RatMe
Posts: 194
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2017 5:51 am
Location: Maine
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby RatMe » Mon May 22, 2017 12:42 am

This is very Interesting topic for sure and it peaked my interest enough to chime in with my first post. One of my goals this spring was to find and mark as many beds/bedding areas as possible within the “expanded zones” I’m hunting here in Maine. (Expanded zones are deemed higher deer population areas by the sate and typically occur within more urbanized areas).

Although maybe not groundbreaking information to most, I’ve found many of the beds in the areas I have scouted to be oriented with the major road (Maine’s only major road) at their back. I find it fascinating that they utilize the road as a natural geographic barrier and are not concerned with predators coming in from this area. Some of the beds are within 50 yards or less from the major highway.

This is just a neat characteristic of the beds in this unique “urban” setting.

I apologize if this throws the thread off topic, but the initial posts got me thinking.

Still thinking of creative methods by which to hunt these beds…
Jdw
500 Club
Posts: 776
Joined: Thu Dec 29, 2016 9:00 am
Location: SE Ohio
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby Jdw » Mon May 22, 2017 4:49 am

Divergent wrote:
Jdw wrote:I went in to hunt a bed on a day with sustained 30 mile per hour wind. The bed was on the side of a leeward point.
As I approached, from below, to sneak up a ditch to my stand location, I jumped the buck out of a blowdown. He was at least 100 yards lower down the hill than I expected.
I went in after the season to check to see if there was evidence of a bed in the blowdown and there was none. I concluded the buck beded lower do to the high wind that day.
Either the thermal tunnel was lower or he was trying to find a more sheltered location than his usual bed.


Yeah, I've noticed some change in elevation depending on wind speed/thermals too. Do you specifically target benches on those windy days?


I am going to be more diligent to take abnormal weather into account and not just assume the buck will be it the same bed like I have in the past.
I Think there is a better chance they will move lower on high wind days.
Hunting them there can be even more difficult due the swirling winds.
The additional air movement is most likely why they adjust their bedding location.
User avatar
Divergent
500 Club
Posts: 766
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby Divergent » Mon May 22, 2017 4:04 pm

[/url]
RatMe wrote:This is very Interesting topic for sure and it peaked my interest enough to chime in with my first post. One of my goals this spring was to find and mark as many beds/bedding areas as possible within the “expanded zones” I’m hunting here in Maine. (Expanded zones are deemed higher deer population areas by the sate and typically occur within more urbanized areas).

Although maybe not groundbreaking information to most, I’ve found many of the beds in the areas I have scouted to be oriented with the major road (Maine’s only major road) at their back. I find it fascinating that they utilize the road as a natural geographic barrier and are not concerned with predators coming in from this area. Some of the beds are within 50 yards or less from the major highway.

This is just a neat characteristic of the beds in this unique “urban” setting.

I apologize if this throws the thread off topic, but the initial posts got me thinking.

Still thinking of creative methods by which to hunt these beds…


I've found the same thing related to major roads/highways. I made a post on it a lil while back.
http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=39412&hilit=Major
User avatar
Divergent
500 Club
Posts: 766
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby Divergent » Mon May 22, 2017 4:12 pm

Jdw wrote:
Divergent wrote:
Jdw wrote:I went in to hunt a bed on a day with sustained 30 mile per hour wind. The bed was on the side of a leeward point.
As I approached, from below, to sneak up a ditch to my stand location, I jumped the buck out of a blowdown. He was at least 100 yards lower down the hill than I expected.
I went in after the season to check to see if there was evidence of a bed in the blowdown and there was none. I concluded the buck beded lower do to the high wind that day.
Either the thermal tunnel was lower or he was trying to find a more sheltered location than his usual bed.


Yeah, I've noticed some change in elevation depending on wind speed/thermals too. Do you specifically target benches on those windy days?


I am going to be more diligent to take abnormal weather into account and not just assume the buck will be it the same bed like I have in the past.
I Think there is a better chance they will move lower on high wind days.
Hunting them there can be even more difficult due the swirling winds.
The additional air movement is most likely why they adjust their bedding location.


I agree. There's a reason they choose to bed at different locations. I think it's going to take time in the field to completely understand their tendencies, but there's a lot of good hunters on here breaking it down.
RatMe
Posts: 194
Joined: Fri Apr 21, 2017 5:51 am
Location: Maine
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby RatMe » Tue May 23, 2017 10:18 am

Thanks for the link divergent. Great photos in that post as well.

I'm going to think about how I park elsewhere and creep close to the bedding areas from the interstate.

Thanks again,
User avatar
tgreeno
500 Club
Posts: 4770
Joined: Fri Feb 19, 2016 5:06 am
Location: WI
Status: Offline

Re: Anyone target certain bed characteristics?

Unread postby tgreeno » Tue May 23, 2017 10:34 am

Dan has said more than a few times..."Some of the biggest bucks he's shot were less than 100 yards from the road."

Those overlooked spots are hidden gems! Overlooking or adjacent to a parking area's or access trails.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
It's better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than to open it an remove all doubt


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google Adsense [Bot], PoppaOtt84 and 74 guests