Deer like to bed down with their backs against something secure; that could include anything from a fence, downed tree or brushpile to even old pieces of farm equipment.
Bucks commonly set up their beds on ridge points and benches halfway up ridges, so that they can both see danger approaching visually and smell it long before it arrives at their doorstep.
Topographical Maps
There are various approaches to reading topographical maps and understanding what each contour line represents is key to reading them effectively and quickly identifying deer bedding areas, thus streamlining your scouting efforts.
As an example, when looking at your map and seeing a ditch or drainage system, this could indicate an area in which does and fawns will likely bed down for the night. Also, saddles between higher points on a ridge typically experience high deer activity during rutting season.
Pinch points or funnels can also help identify possible buck bedding areas on topographic maps by looking for these narrow spaces, which start out wider but narrow down over time. Pinch points tend to have dense green mass and provide excellent opportunities to locate deer sign as they’re less accessible by predators or hunters.
Other locations that are known for being used as bedding areas by bucks include benches, CRP areas, swamps, thickets, overlooked pockets of early successional growth pockets, oxbows, leeward ridges and peninsulas. Deer often favor these locations because they provide winding advantages while offering plenty of cover and food sources.
Not all bedding areas are created equal; bucks tend to be picky about where they bed down and prefer locations with scent, sight and sound advantages such as ravines, gulleys, avalanche ridges or the sides of cliffs for optimal sleep.
Attractive bedding spots for bucks include rocky outcrops or points that rise above their surrounding terrain, offering excellent views of potential prey while offering security from predators.
Finding deer bedding areas on a map requires finding their most secure and convenient spots; thus requiring multiple features to find one quickly and effortlessly. Practice makes perfect, though!
To maximize your scouting efforts, it is vital that you utilize all available free online resources as possible. From topographical maps and heat maps to GPS coordinates and GPS coordinates, these resources can help pinpoint the ideal buck bedding areas without ever setting foot on them. Using them together allows you to develop an effective strategy for hunting buck bedding areas this season without accidentally crossing over someone else’s hunting territory! So don’t wait any longer; take advantage of your resources now and start scouting today.
Satellite Maps
Many hunters utilize satellite maps to scout their hunting areas for potential buck bedding sites. When using this technique, it is important to remember the factors related to bedding such as Scent, Security and Sight (SS&S). Mature bucks prefer areas downwind of potential predators but still providing good cover. Furthermore, these spots should also be close to food and water sources while remaining hidden from other hunters.
To locate these buck bedding spots, it’s best to start with a topographical map before switching over to satellite imagery. A topographical map displays ridges and contour lines which may indicate possible areas suitable for deer bedding, while zooming in can provide more of an overview of the landscape and reveal whether the ridges have sufficient coverage as well as ample signs of deer activity.
Another crucial element of success when hunting mature bucks is to consider wind. They thrive in places with swirling winds that help them detect approaching threats more easily; look for a ridge or hilltop with wind blowing in from your direction of hunting. Also keep sun exposure in mind; southern-facing slopes offer warmth as well as direct sunlight.
On a satellite map, look for depressions in the landscape that might serve as bedding areas for bucks. These depressions could have many causes ranging from natural sources like natural depressions or human-made structures such as logging roads. When exploring such areas be quiet and careful not to disturb any bedding bucks nearby. Also pay attention to browse in the area – heavy amounts like forb tips being nibbled can indicate there could be bedding areas nearby.
Other features to look out for when looking for deer include oxbows – horseshoe-shaped bends in rivers with slower moving water that provide deer with food and water sources as well as safe havens to bed down at night – saddles or ridges as vantage points provide deer with an ideal platform to observe their environment.
Satellite and topographical maps can also help hunters identify hunting areas which won’t attract too much deer pressure, like public land ridges with cover for deer sign and bedding sites tucked away among bushes or hills that provide ample cover and access for mature bucks. By doing this, hunters increase their odds of shooting one.
Bottom Line
Mature bucks typically select bedding areas based on three factors: scent, security and proximity to food and water sources. They’re also mindful of wind patterns and thermals to stay comfortable, as they need an escape route in case predators come charging.
Deer often choose the edges of dense cover for visibility purposes, so search out transitional zones where dense cover meets open habitat – for instance field borders, ditches/drainages and clear cuts are great locations where the deer are likely to congregate. When possible try and locate these edges areas with either a north or south facing slope so as to provide shelter from wind while still enjoying ample sunlight.
Points and ridge tops make ideal big buck bedding areas because they provide excellent protection. Bucks sleeping here can see predators approaching from far away and get in position before being detected by predators.
Other good buck bedding spots include isolated islands of cover, swales in fields, overlooked pockets of early successional growth, leeward ridges, peninsulas and oxbows (horseshoe-shaped bends in rivers that have been cut off from their main channel). Check your topographical map to locate these features for potential bedding areas.
Apps offering satellite imagery can also prove helpful when looking for bedding areas for bucks. By showing you contours of the land and features such as ridges or swales that may provide shelter, these tools increase your odds of finding excellent places for bedding buck.
As you explore possible bedding areas, keep in mind that each will experience its own peak use window. For instance, an area littered with rubs may see heavy use during rut season; to capitalize on this fact you should prioritize finding such sites during late summer and early autumn scouting missions.
Public land buck bedding areas may be difficult to locate due to hunting pressure; therefore, preseason scouting is vitally important for success on public lands.
Search bedding areas strewn with sign in both spring and fall, especially near mast crops like acorns or other mast plants, for evidence of young and mature bucks. Such spots will likely prove particularly fruitful come late fall.