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Post by ecgreen on Aug 27, 2009 8:21:17 GMT -5
Hey guys,
Got a question if you got the time. Do deer tend to use the same bedding areas at this time of year or do they switch it up?
Sean
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Post by steinea286 on Aug 27, 2009 9:26:06 GMT -5
It all depends on how pressured the deer are. I know where I hunt that it ends up being different in some areas. During our shotgun season it seems as deer look for secluded areas that hunters wouldnt even think about walking through, not because of its thickness, but because of how small the area may be. Deer will also tend to go deep into swamps where it is much harder for a hunter to jump them. I have also seen where deer do bed in the same thickets as they always have and just laid there thinking that the hunter will just walk right by. It varies all over the place.
During the later season, deer typically will bed where they can smell anything coming upwind. They also seem to pick a vantage point where they are able to see things (pine ridges in my area) or pockets of thickets where there is more than one escape route. I hope I am giving you useful information but its tough to know what deer do once they are pressured. A lot of times I will scout after deer season while squirrel hunting, rabbit hunting and grouse hunting with snow on the ground If I find beds, I am able to look around and possibly see WHY they bedded there to begin with. Again, hope this helps.
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Post by ecgreen on Aug 27, 2009 15:20:17 GMT -5
Awesome answer, thanks!
The area I am hunting is very flat, so vantage points are out. There is also a ton of thick cover. The island I live on was farmed almost completely until the 60's (i think), so most of the brush is really thick. With that being said, the deer could most certainly have a safe thick place to bed every 200 yards or less. That is why I wondered if they move from bed to bed on a day to day basis. Especially when there is a lot of food to be had in summer.
I have noticed that there is a bedding area about 400 yards from my house in some insanely thick brush. But they only seem to use it from December until the snow is gone. I wonder why?
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Post by davie6 on Aug 27, 2009 18:51:42 GMT -5
southern exposure can play a role also. in the colder months they look for beds where they can absorb the most sunlight. we hunted a cornfield for geese in march with 6 inches of snow last year and we poked over the knoll in the field to find a bunch of beds out in the middle of the field(vantage point also)
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Post by steinea286 on Aug 28, 2009 7:38:52 GMT -5
with that many pockets of cover for the deer, it should be good during the rut. Bucks will travel from bedding area to bedding area in search of a hot doe, so setting up inbetween those area may work out well for you!!
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traps82
#3 Newhouse
Hope is always alive
Posts: 3,208
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Post by traps82 on Aug 28, 2009 19:01:41 GMT -5
"I have noticed that there is a bedding area about 400 yards from my house in some insanely thick brush. But they only seem to use it from December until the snow is gone. I wonder why? "
I find them in the thick stuff too... less wind gets thru that stuff. Even if it is a little bit warmer, they will be there.
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Post by ecgreen on Aug 28, 2009 20:13:39 GMT -5
Makes sense!
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