Deer Beds?
#1
Deer Beds?
Hello, I am new to these forums and have already found tons of info. I have an old pasture field surrounded by woods. The field has grown up to about chest high from lack of livestock.I have found fresh beds all over it. My question is this; do deer usually use the same bed or do they have several different ones? I am asking because I am trying to estimate the number of deer frequenting my property. I have seen 5 or 6 different deer but there are many more beds than that. Thanks for your help.
#2
RE: Deer Beds?
As far as i know deer are highly habitual... that said i think they will bed in the same area pretty consistently.. Be cautious when hunting a bedding area. If i hunt near a bedding area i only do it if the wind is right and i can get there early and be sneaky. Id suggest staying outta it or you might lower the number of deer frequenting your prop. Get a trail camera to help you estimate your herd size
#3
RE: Deer Beds?
That's exactly what I did. I've got three trail cameras set up around the field at the places I think they are entering. I hope I get some good pictures and may find some deer I didn't know were there.
#5
Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 568
RE: Deer Beds?
I will not hunt in a bedding area itself. Its to easy to have deer bust you. And if pass on smaller deer that bed there, then its going to be hard to get away undected. That can make things difficult when hunting bigger bucks. Instead hunt the trails going to or from the bedding area when the wind is right. Deer will have different bedding areas that they will use as condtions change, hunting pressure, rut, food sources. They all play a roll.
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: west central wi USA
Posts: 2,242
RE: Deer Beds?
I wouldn't get too excited about the number of beds. Especially in the summer, I've watched a lot of deer pop up out of tall grass. Around here, they seem to use those areas when there are a lot of mosquitos. I've seen too many deer get up out of a bed, feed a little while and lay back downin another spot. The fact that you've got beds there indicates you've got deer habitually using the area. You may a few deer making a lot of beds. Hunt it carefully, it won't take much disturbance for them to go somewhere else
#10
RE: Deer Beds?
ORIGINAL: bmwalker
Hello, I am new to these forums and have already found tons of info. I have an old pasture field surrounded by woods. The field has grown up to about chest high from lack of livestock.I have found fresh beds all over it. My question is this; do deer usually use the same bed or do they have several different ones? I am asking because I am trying to estimate the number of deer frequenting my property. I have seen 5 or 6 different deer but there are many more beds than that. Thanks for your help.
Hello, I am new to these forums and have already found tons of info. I have an old pasture field surrounded by woods. The field has grown up to about chest high from lack of livestock.I have found fresh beds all over it. My question is this; do deer usually use the same bed or do they have several different ones? I am asking because I am trying to estimate the number of deer frequenting my property. I have seen 5 or 6 different deer but there are many more beds than that. Thanks for your help.