Bedding question

[longislandhunter]

Based off my research I thinkthat the best spot prior to the rut and especially early season is to try and hang your stand in an area in which deer will pass through going from bedding to feeding areasand vice versa. I hunt in Long Island in New York. How do you know where deer like to bed? The are I hunt has some open grassy patches within some thin woods. It has wide open fields, it has some very dense woods and it also has some clusters of pine trees?

Where would they most likely go to bed down?

Thanks

[jf5]

Get your self on a trail and walk it out. You'll find foodand bedding cover eventually. In my expereince its usually in the thickest cover or high up on a vantage point so the deer can see you and catch thermals. Dosn't sound like you have much for hills. So..In thecover you described, the first places I would look is the pine clusters and dense woods. Pay close attention to areas with downed trees too, as deer seem to like to bed in these blowdowns. I am sure others here will have some great advice for you.

Good luck

[Jimmy S]

ORIGINAL: jf5

Get your self on a trail and walk it out. You'll find foodand bedding cover eventually. In my expereince its usually in the thickest cover or high up on a vantage point so the deer can see you and catch thermals. Dosn't sound like you have much for hills. So..In thecover you described, the first places I would look is the pine clusters and dense woods. Pay close attention to areas with downed trees too, as deer seem to like to bed in these blowdowns. I am sure others here will have some great advice for you.

Good luck

All very good advice, jf.

I would just add that deer need security and the need to bed down in areas that offer cover when the weather turns nasty.

As jf said look for the thickest cover. Usually the thickest, darkest areas are swamps. I would certainly check out those areas as well as high ridges where deer can see/smell danger for a distance. Also thick, nasty alders are a place deer love as well.

I always remind myself that deer almost always want to go where hunters don't.

[Sniper151]

When deer are not pushed and in a natural state they will bed just about anywhere. Like humans, if it's cold and rainy they will try to bed in areas with heavy brush and pine trees for protection. If it's a cold, clear day they like to bed on a southern facing slope for the heat of the sun with a thick, brushy area for a quick escape. In SE Pa. corn fields are a prime bedding area in the early season. When the leaves are off the trees, corn harvestedand the temperature drops, I find they like steep southern facing slopes with blow downs and heavy brush near by. A good way to find the bedding areas on the land you want to hunt is to walk in the woods when there is snow on the ground. I wouldn't be surprised if they aren't bedding in back yards of housing developments if they have cover and an escape route near by.