deerhunter1224

was out scouting today found a few bedding areas. they were right off a highly used trail. my question do deer bed in the same area every time? other question what should i do should i set up a stand nearby these beds?

Rack-attack

What did these bedding areas look like?

How do you know they were daytime bedding areas?

I may be wrong but from your post I take it you found a few beds (depressed leaves) where deer had layed down - is this correct?

Daytime beds are usually not right along main trails. In the summer they may be, because of the thick undergrowth. You do not want to waste time setting up on night time beds that can be made anywhere the deer browse.

Tell us more about the lay of the land and relationship of these beds to food source / open woods / thick woods.

deerhunter1224

well the woods these beds are in is a pretty thick woods. the trail is running from east to west. from the looks the deer head west. it is right next to an wheat field and a bean field.

kevin1

I' d set up near the trail itself about halfway between the " beds" and the food source . What do you think Rack ?

Tazman

No they do not usually use the same bed all the time, I am sure in certain areas where there is very few bedding areas they might, but for the most part no. I will qualify that statement a bit and say the areas I hunt have numerous thickets, gulleys and some of them have swamps so the deer have a lot of bedding areas to choose from.

Rack-attack

It sounds like it could be a productive area - but not because of the beds. Being so close to the fields I suspect it is not a major fall time bedding area and more of a nigh time area. Though in summer they can bed anywhere - so don' t let the summer sign fool you.

Any thick area close to a food source can produce deer. But the mature bucks will most likely have a hid out much further from the fields.

To get a real good grip on your deer patterns you need to locate the areas the deer use as their main daytime beds. The higher the pressure the further from the food and the thicker. The " areas" they most often return to on a regular basis and retreat too when the pressure heats up.

When you find these areas then you can formulate a game plan to intersect them entering and leaving the bedding areas as Kevin1 said. To me a few beds is not enough information to formulate a plan.

Bedding areas are IMO the MOST important ingredient in taking bucks. So much in fact I have simplified my strategies to completely revolve around them - with ALL other sign and patterns a far second.

So once you find a few main bedding areas half the battle is won

skeeter 7MM

I think half your battle has been won, you have found a main trail (highway if you will), food source and possible bedding locations. I would now start looking for what I refer to as bleeder trails or trails that are not as heavy as the main but often intersect in different locations or run parralell. These trails will be the ones your bucks and even other deer will use to get to and from their bedding areas. I like to set as close to the bucks bedroom as possible and in early bow season half way point is good solid advice. I will set up on the " bleeder trails" or intersections with the heavy trail. I prefer to never hunt the main trail for a couple of reasons, less eyes, get busted may possibly blow the whole area and higher % of mature buck activity (I have found the mature bucks tend to take the road less travelled). I would also suggest you spend a few night long distance scouting the food sources, this should give you a gauge at whats entering, where and how. Now is the time to try and find those hot spots by walking the woods and as with hunting do so only on a good wind...pressure is an enemy to patterning deer, especially mature ones.

All in all sounds like you have gotten yourself in a decent spot, just need to refine and adjust as the season changes. Don' t be affraid to move around come season and follow the patterns, they often change with their life stages (such as: birthing/summer, bachelor groups, pre-rut, rut and post rut). Summer scouting lets you who is there, etc and it may buy you a early chance but more often than not it is just the base to finding that " Honey Hole" .

trmichels

If I understand the lay of the land correctly, you MAY have found a night time bedding area. Beds near food fources are often used at night, or within a few hours of sunrise. These beds are often along or practically on top of deer trails; and they are usually used by does.

Daytime beds are usually in secure areas; thick woods, brush, swamps, large open fields. Daytime mature buck beds are often well away from other deer and humans or human activity.

Deer don' t always bed in the same area; bedding sites depend a lot on the weather. Deer like to get out of the wind, cold, heat and heavy precipitation; so they bed in different spots according to the weather.

I' d do a little more scouting (watching) to determine which deer are using the area, and at what time.

If this is a night time bedding area, you could set up between it and the daytime " core area" to hunt the deer in the morning.

I' ve got some stuff posted on core areas, bedding areas and Patterning over on the " T.R.' s Tips" forum, come on over and read it.

T.R.