So brief description and scenario, I would really like your professional opinions..! The square is my area to hunt. it is 160 acres. Since I started mineral sight at the star location, the farmer has moved cattle in. The brown is the pasture, and obviously the green is bush/heavy timber.. Since the cattle moved in, the deer have nearly vanished, and my grain and mineral as well (eaten by the cattle) I can walk in to the black circle area, and it is mild timber, and I don't believe the cattle can make it in there.. Should I start a whole new set up in the heavier timber? OR the land owner said I can rope/fence off the entrance paths to the old sight ( the star) as those trails are only 10-20 feet wide, and should be easy to do.. but not until September as he wants to graze the cattle in the clear cut.. which is a solid 50 yards wide by 100 yards long.. Typically I don't get much activity until night fall, except for the rut of coarse.. Should I move into the heavy area and completely start over, perhaps being heavier timber, I may get more daylight opportunities, however I really don't know how to tell what is bedding vs feeding.. I have attached a wide view of the area, and a closer view.
I love these types of posts! To answer your questions directly...it has to be pretty darn thick to be too thick for deer, usually something like a bush honeysuckle or Asian olive infestation. In cattle pasture, the thickest spots mean they are too rough or nasty for the cows to be there. that's where the deer will be. On the other hand, cattle prefer the clear cut areas and open timber shade. That's where you won't see a lot of deer activity. And yes, 1 cow is 10 too many. I hate cows. I would definitely move into the thick timber. You will find where the deer are hanging out. One of the absolute best big buck farms I have ever set foot on is a cattle farm with lots of big timber. The center of the timber is very isolated, steep, nasty, thick country. Not a cow track anywhere in the far interior, and that's where all the deer live.
Thank you for the input.. I really appreciate it, how or what does someone look for to identify bedding?
Really depends on the terrain. A topo map would help. Honestly it boils down to where bucks feel the safest.
Nope. The deer will come right back. They are used to chainsaws, tractors, atvs, etc if they are on a cattle farm.
do you find clearings or meadows in timbered areas need to be a maximum size.. For example, the previous location I hunted was a meadow which had access roads/trails cut through the timber. the entire area was nearly 50-60 yards wide by at least 100 yards long.. some info I have read suggests large mature bucks will stay away from spaces like this? (obviously the rut changes things)
A lot depends on hunter pressure but by and large, your reading is correct: old big bucks like small openings in tight areas with escape routes and food and the opposite sex in close proximity. Look for areas to hunt where two or more different changes in habitat or geography converge at its tightest points. Hunt those spots. What state are you in?
I would get in there and scout. Look for sign and hang a couple cameras if you have any. If the deer were there before then they didn’t go too far I would bet. They just don’t like to hang close to cattle so are probably just far enough away. I also hunt a public area that has a huge state ran cattle farm on it. It’s loaded with deer
