Drainages and River Bedding

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ZanderBones
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Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby ZanderBones » Tue Aug 09, 2022 6:27 am

I've rarely hunted rivers before and hardly and drainages either.I have no idea how deer would bed on them and or where to expect beds.

-Will bucks be bedding there early season?
-If I quick scout, where should I look for sign to confirm the drainage is in use.
-How would you set up on drainages? (yards from bed) (in or out of drainage)

Personally my plan was to scout the entire top of the ridges leading into the drainages and to never enter the drainage, is that the right move?

Locating Buck Beds or Good Sign would give me the confidence to hunt this area SO where would one start.


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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby Andr3wxmma » Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:15 am

How deep is the river?

I have good luck speeding scouting the banks look at tracks in the mud. I setup a cell camera on the most used or the biggest tracks i find. Scent was a nightmare but i got a doe there and jumped a medium buck when gutting her heading down the same runway.
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby Andr3wxmma » Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:16 am

Andr3wxmma wrote:How deep is the river?

I have had good luck speeding scouting the banks look at tracks in the mud. I setup a cell camera on the most used or the biggest tracks i find. Scent was a nightmare but i got a doe there and jumped a medium buck when gutting her heading down the same runway.
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby Andr3wxmma » Tue Aug 09, 2022 7:16 am

accidently double posted
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby rs2893 » Tue Aug 09, 2022 8:15 am

The GOATs explain it pretty darn well in this video


https://youtu.be/GxVimUNKKMk
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby BrownBeard » Wed Aug 10, 2022 1:29 am

I'm also very interested in this. I have basically no experience hunting along rivers. But I did a bunch of scouting there this past spring. What time of year should I plan to hunt there?
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby Southern Buck » Wed Aug 10, 2022 2:26 pm

9F13EB84-4A9B-4FCF-99B4-85B42FB5ED81.jpeg


I hunt a lot of swamps and river bottoms. River bottoms tend to be open due to the mature timber which drowns out sunlight as well as the fact that they often flood at various times throughout the year keeping the understory thinned out.

When looking for bedding along rivers I always start with oxbows. Bedding (green) tends to be along the tip of the point as these areas tend to be thicker and more diverse habitat due to receiving a greater amount of sunlight. If you zoom in on the picture, you will be able to see the transition line where the mature timber stops and the high stem count area begins.

The yellow x’s are where I typically set up for three reasons.
1. The water tends to be swifter/deeper and the banks tend to be steeper at these points. If you do arrow a buck, he’s much less likely to try to escape by fleeing to and crossing the river at these points because of what I just mentioned.

The purple points are the opposite. The water is slower/shallower and the banks much more of a gradual slope which means there’s a greater chance the buck might try to cross the river to escape danger. This of course makes tracking much more of a PIA.

2. While the purple points may get you closer to bedding, it also reduces your margin for error with the wind which can oftentimes swirl in those river bends. However, in large oxbows (200-300yds long) it maybe necessary to hunt closer to the point (purple) as it is unlikely the buck will make it to you (yellow) before dark otherwise.

3. When I hunt river bottoms it’s usually during the rut. What I’ve found is that oftentimes a buck won’t actually go down into the oxbow to scent check for does, but rather will cut across the head of the oxbow (blue line) scent checking any trails leading into it. Mature bucks are all about efficiency. What’s the safest route I can take with the fewest amount of steps to find a hot doe.

Couple other things I’d like to add. I can’t tell you how many deer I’ve kicked up bedded behind random blowdowns and piles of drift wood. So if you see them, slow down and check them out as best you can before moving through. I don’t really focus on hunting these as it’s just so random and not nearly as predictable as bedding/cruising around those oxbows.

As I said, I’m usually hunting these during the rut, but if I were to hunt them early season I would focus on north pointing oxbows as they will provide more shade and cooler temps than their south facing counterparts. The opposite will be true in late season as deer will prefer the sunny southward facing oxbows to combat the winter cold.
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby ZanderBones » Tue Aug 30, 2022 5:24 pm

Andr3wxmma wrote:How deep is the river?

I have good luck speeding scouting the banks look at tracks in the mud. I setup a cell camera on the most used or the biggest tracks i find. Scent was a nightmare but i got a doe there and jumped a medium buck when gutting her heading down the same runway.


That's a good Idea, I could just go down and walk the river banks, crossings, etc. and look at bigger tracks and follow them back as close as I can to bedding. Thanks I appreciate the help and reply!
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby ZanderBones » Tue Aug 30, 2022 5:24 pm

Andr3wxmma wrote:How deep is the river?

I have good luck speeding scouting the banks look at tracks in the mud. I setup a cell camera on the most used or the biggest tracks i find. Scent was a nightmare but i got a doe there and jumped a medium buck when gutting her heading down the same runway.


That's a good Idea, I could just go down and walk the river banks, crossings, etc. and look at bigger tracks and follow them back as close as I can to bedding. Thanks I appreciate the help and reply!
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby ZanderBones » Tue Aug 30, 2022 5:28 pm

rs2893 wrote:The GOATs explain it pretty darn well in this video


https://youtu.be/GxVimUNKKMk



I've seen this video BUT I couldn't really remember it to well so I rewatched it and retained some new information. Definitely a lot of good pointers, gotta love the thp boys! thank you for the reply
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby ZanderBones » Tue Aug 30, 2022 5:33 pm

Southern Buck wrote:9F13EB84-4A9B-4FCF-99B4-85B42FB5ED81.jpeg

I hunt a lot of swamps and river bottoms. River bottoms tend to be open due to the mature timber which drowns out sunlight as well as the fact that they often flood at various times throughout the year keeping the understory thinned out.

When looking for bedding along rivers I always start with oxbows. Bedding (green) tends to be along the tip of the point as these areas tend to be thicker and more diverse habitat due to receiving a greater amount of sunlight. If you zoom in on the picture, you will be able to see the transition line where the mature timber stops and the high stem count area begins.

The yellow x’s are where I typically set up for three reasons.
1. The water tends to be swifter/deeper and the banks tend to be steeper at these points. If you do arrow a buck, he’s much less likely to try to escape by fleeing to and crossing the river at these points because of what I just mentioned.

The purple points are the opposite. The water is slower/shallower and the banks much more of a gradual slope which means there’s a greater chance the buck might try to cross the river to escape danger. This of course makes tracking much more of a PIA.

2. While the purple points may get you closer to bedding, it also reduces your margin for error with the wind which can oftentimes swirl in those river bends. However, in large oxbows (200-300yds long) it maybe necessary to hunt closer to the point (purple) as it is unlikely the buck will make it to you (yellow) before dark otherwise.

3. When I hunt river bottoms it’s usually during the rut. What I’ve found is that oftentimes a buck won’t actually go down into the oxbow to scent check for does, but rather will cut across the head of the oxbow (blue line) scent checking any trails leading into it. Mature bucks are all about efficiency. What’s the safest route I can take with the fewest amount of steps to find a hot doe.

Couple other things I’d like to add. I can’t tell you how many deer I’ve kicked up bedded behind random blowdowns and piles of drift wood. So if you see them, slow down and check them out as best you can before moving through. I don’t really focus on hunting these as it’s just so random and not nearly as predictable as bedding/cruising around those oxbows.

As I said, I’m usually hunting these during the rut, but if I were to hunt them early season I would focus on north pointing oxbows as they will provide more shade and cooler temps than their south facing counterparts. The opposite will be true in late season as deer will prefer the sunny southward facing oxbows to combat the winter cold.



Wow that's packed with good info, I'll use these tactics when it comes down to hunting oxbows. Sadly at my area its thousands of acres with no oxbows in the river and I believe the river is wide as well. I appreciate your reply and thank you, I'm gonna have to use that for Northern LP Michigan!
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby Groundhunter@1 » Tue Aug 30, 2022 11:45 pm

Some good information here. In the UP, drainages for me are the key, and they are a map, for how deer travel, in the big woods. I am not talking about big rivers here, mostly trout streams, and drainages, that flow, in and out of swamp, low areas. I have literally walked the streams with bow in hand, ,,,,,,, careful observation, shows me some top crossing areas, but remember these streams have a variety of food for the deer..... alot of areas here have no acorns, etc, but water source plants, are rich, with nutrients, which the deer crave. The river also gives them good cover, for bedding. I find that its a great area, for early October, in some of my spots.

I have blinds in the rivers. I have lucked out and found some blow downs etc. I stick an old wooden, rummage sale chair in there, and tuck in. Water not only helps keep your scent down, but the noise of the water, helps also. You got to really believe in your spot, though. I also have lucked out and found, good hides, below beaver dams, that are being used for crossings. Your actually shooting up, when the deer cross, but they have no idea your down there.......

Your entry and exit, is also via water. I have tried to cut across the woods, and have spooked the deer. For foot wear, I have heavy duty leather, wading shoes, designed for fishing. I then wear, Cabela/Herter hip boots, stocking feet, style. I wear a neoprene sock, so my feet do not get cold, or wet. I am not hunting deep water either, so this works well. If I was hunting deep water, it would only be on a float hunt, which I can not find anyone, that wants to do that anymore.

This year, in SW Wis, I found a spot that was ridiculous. I drove over a dirt road, that had Amish buggy traffic on 2 sides, leading to their farms. A V was formed in land, and it was about 100 yards wide. A small trout creek ran east and west, and there was a large culvert, that I drove over. that land, was open for hunting. I parked my truck, and dropped down into that creek, and walked east. There were so many fresh rubs in there and tracks, I could not believe it. I literally sat inside the culvert, back in the dark, saw deer, but no shots. This spring I went back there and really scouted it out. I picked a nice tree, on an oxbow, of that streams. There are apple trees in there,great cover, and thats where they water, coming out of the high hills. Sitting in my stand only 8 feet high, but cover, I watch the Amish go by, on their routines, knowing, the deer could care less here,,,,,,, I went up the road, about 1/2 mile, to find a place to park my truck,,,,,,, this spot could be really hot during the rut,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I like to hunt around water,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby G-Patt » Wed Aug 31, 2022 4:37 am

Groundhunter@1 wrote:I like to hunt around water,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,


I 100% agree. It's got to have water. Has everything deer need to survive that you mentioned above.
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Re: Drainages and River Bedding

Unread postby ZanderBones » Wed Aug 31, 2022 6:30 am

Groundhunter@1 wrote:Some good information here. In the UP, drainages for me are the key, and they are a map, for how deer travel, in the big woods. I am not talking about big rivers here, mostly trout streams, and drainages, that flow, in and out of swamp, low areas. I have literally walked the streams with bow in hand, ,,,,,,, careful observation, shows me some top crossing areas, but remember these streams have a variety of food for the deer..... alot of areas here have no acorns, etc, but water source plants, are rich, with nutrients, which the deer crave. The river also gives them good cover, for bedding. I find that its a great area, for early October, in some of my spots.

I have blinds in the rivers. I have lucked out and found some blow downs etc. I stick an old wooden, rummage sale chair in there, and tuck in. Water not only helps keep your scent down, but the noise of the water, helps also. You got to really believe in your spot, though. I also have lucked out and found, good hides, below beaver dams, that are being used for crossings. Your actually shooting up, when the deer cross, but they have no idea your down there.......

Your entry and exit, is also via water. I have tried to cut across the woods, and have spooked the deer. For foot wear, I have heavy duty leather, wading shoes, designed for fishing. I then wear, Cabela/Herter hip boots, stocking feet, style. I wear a neoprene sock, so my feet do not get cold, or wet. I am not hunting deep water either, so this works well. If I was hunting deep water, it would only be on a float hunt, which I can not find anyone, that wants to do that anymore.

This year, in SW Wis, I found a spot that was ridiculous. I drove over a dirt road, that had Amish buggy traffic on 2 sides, leading to their farms. A V was formed in land, and it was about 100 yards wide. A small trout creek ran east and west, and there was a large culvert, that I drove over. that land, was open for hunting. I parked my truck, and dropped down into that creek, and walked east. There were so many fresh rubs in there and tracks, I could not believe it. I literally sat inside the culvert, back in the dark, saw deer, but no shots. This spring I went back there and really scouted it out. I picked a nice tree, on an oxbow, of that streams. There are apple trees in there,great cover, and thats where they water, coming out of the high hills. Sitting in my stand only 8 feet high, but cover, I watch the Amish go by, on their routines, knowing, the deer could care less here,,,,,,, I went up the road, about 1/2 mile, to find a place to park my truck,,,,,,, this spot could be really hot during the rut,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

I like to hunt around water,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,



Man talk about a boat load of good information to think about/look into. The river here at this piece is pretty deep by the looks of cyber scouting but if not I will gladly use that as an entry/exit trail. I don't like coming from where other hunters park, just because I feel like that's what some of the deer are set up for. But I think i'm going to go in on opener and try to get into some of these streams that are in the drainage and follow them down and see if I can find me some good tracks or even some noticeable browsing. Thank you for the tips and knowledge I appreciate it! Good luck this season
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