The Hunting Beast

A lot of us know the bedding tendencies of the bucks in the areas we hunt, and I was just wondering if anyone has ever tried creating buck beds in specific spots on public land, or if you have improved existing beds by clearing debris from them so they are more apt to be used? Many of us have seen guys like Jim Ward and Jeff Sturgis create these beds on private land with success, but I was curious if anyone has ever tried it on public land.

Ack wrote:A lot of us know the bedding tendencies of the bucks in the areas we hunt, and I was just wondering if anyone has ever tried creating buck beds in specific spots on public land, or if you have improved existing beds by clearing debris from them so they are more apt to be used? Many of us have seen guys like Jim Ward and Jeff Sturgis create these beds on private land with success, but I was curious if anyone has ever tried it on public land.

On public land creating beds is pretty difficult without breaking the law by altering the terrain or cutting... I have had some limited success in blocking beds by laying logs over satellite beds so they don't bed in a certain spot where they will bust me, but even that is hard cause they try to just make another bed a few feet away in a lot of cases.
Even when you talk private, creating beds is doable, but creating areas for them to bed is easier... I have been to a lot of properties after the big name guys were there a few years earlier and looked at there "created" beds... They don't seem to get the beds in the thermal tunnel, and often not on the leeward side. One property I am going to in a couple weeks had a big name guy come in and create bedding a few years ago and after look ing at maps of the property and improvements the guy had created all the beds for an east wind... I told the land owner this and pointed out where I would expect the best buck to be bedding, and he said that's where he seen the best bucks, not where the enhancements were done.

Bucks bed in exact spots for precise reasons. You can enhance those spots or elevations, but its hard to create an exact bed. Some of the big name guys created beds that I looked at that were in the right area but off on elevation got use the 1st year or so, then went dead according to the land owners. I think this is cause they had fresh open soil in the bed when 1st created... they seem to like open soil. Getting deer to bed in a spot is one thing. Getting a mature buck to bed in a spot you create is not as easy... look at how perfect the next great primary buck bed you find is... Another point is I believe they pick there spots based on air currents and what / where they can smell from the bed. I just can't smell like a deer can.

I have monitored this buck bed for years. It is the only spot that a buck can lie down on this small island. The rest of the island is covered with debris. I have watched bucks from 110" to 130 + come out of this bed. I spot check the bed in the offseason and clear out any accumulated debris. There isn't a doubt in my mind that a buck will utilize the bed next fall.

Dan is right about them liking black dirt. I have had does (presumably) bed in ground blinds that I have made after I clear the forest floor. I have seen it multiple times.

I have pulled blowdowns and removed debris from known primary beds that went dead. In most cases they were used again which was confirmed with post season scouting. If it's a good bedding area they will return. They chose that spot for a reason.

That is what I was looking for. While scouting the other day I came across a few beds that had old sign in them, but I could tell they weren't used this past season. They also had several sticks and limbs in them, so I cleared them out while I was there so they will hopefully get used again. I've heard that bucks do not like laying on sticks and such, and it just got me wondering if anyone else did this. Thanks guys.

I also have cleaned a bed of branches to keep it active.

Hey, if you have a dog at home I'm sure you have watched them root around on their blanket or pillow trying to get it just right. With their foot or nose or both.

An antlered buck won't be able to push with his nose during velvet I don't think. But like the dog probably would make some effort to improve the bed.

Ack wrote:That is what I was looking for. While scouting the other day I came across a few beds that had old sign in them, but I could tell they weren't used this past season. They also had several sticks and limbs in them, so I cleared them out while I was there so they will hopefully get used again. I've heard that bucks do not like laying on sticks and such, and it just got me wondering if anyone else did this. Thanks guys.

I've picked sticks out of alot of beds and placed brush in others but like mentioned above alot of times they just move over a few feet

I plan on building and enhancing some bedding on my small private piece this year. Twice on state land this year I've seen where hunters put their stands right over a buck bed. Both had rubs around and hair in the bed. I think they saw the rubs and didn't know there was a bed there. Both stands looked old and not used in some years.

Dewey wrote:I have pulled blowdowns and removed debris from known primary beds that went dead. In most cases they were used again which was confirmed with post season scouting. If it's a good bedding area they will return. They chose that spot for a reason.

I do the same, clear the bed and haul some dead trees to help with cover. I think a spend a good hour one time hauling dead trees from all over. I had shot a buck off this particular point before but there wasn't a ton of cover, now they have a pretty decent barrier to their back when they use the bed.

Dam said earlier in this thread thermal bedding
And im gonna ask him this weekend but wanna get a few other opines on this
I live in very very flat land delaware. Ag everywhere
Well how do i figure out thermals associated with bedding i am guessing its a bed where the wind for some reason swirls and covers all directions because of wind boucing off stuff temperature rise and fall etc
so it makes it that the deers bed can cover most areas with his nose and the rest with his eyes right?
Or should i be more focused on the prevailing wind direction temprature and moon phase of when that deer is using that specific bed? And in flat areas how does the thermals effect bedding area. I hope i asked this right its kinda hard to word lol sorry

Lopedog699 wrote:Dam said earlier in this thread thermal bedding
And im gonna ask him this weekend but wanna get a few other opines on this
I live in very very flat land delaware. Ag everywhere
Well how do i figure out thermals associated with bedding i am guessing its a bed where the wind for some reason swirls and covers all directions because of wind boucing off stuff temperature rise and fall etc
so it makes it that the deers bed can cover most areas with his nose and the rest with his eyes right?
Or should i be more focused on the prevailing wind direction temprature and moon phase of when that deer is using that specific bed? And in flat areas how does the thermals effect bedding area. I hope i asked this right its kinda hard to word lol sorry

flat ground think water rivers ponds swamp they go nose wind into a bed and use the thermal pull to exit the bed in evening all my biggest buck beds in flat ground used water to their advantage.