Worlds worst deer bed hunter needs help...

I cannot find or locate a deer bed to save my life. I am not kidding. I have been out for 2, 3 hour scouts since the season ended last Sunday. I plan going out to scout again either tomorrow or Wednesday. As I have been scouting I have tried to locate deer beds, but have found zip. This is typical of my hunting for deer beds over the past two years...I suck. Any tips gentlemen?

For example, I walked a bunch the other day. I saw many deer tracks in the snow, and deer crap....but no beds at all. I must be doing or not doing something fundamentally wrong in my attempts to find deer/buck beds. I MUST find the buck beds to be succesful where I hunt, consistently. I just know it. Here is a little map of where I walked the other day on my scouting trip. Any glaring mistakes of where I should have looked? I don't need specific spots marked on the map, I just need to know your general methods of finding deer beds? How can you tell if it is a single buck bed as compared to a group of does.....

Thank you gentlemen!

 

I'm not good at finding beds either, but according to the info I got off of the blood bro video, they say to look follow a line about 1/3 of the way down from the top of a hill. At that 1/3 line, looke for points that they can bed on that would allow them to see at least 180 degrees around them. Also look for a area with a bit of cover. Another thing they say is that they will sit on the down wind side of the hill. This means that the prevailing winds will be blowing across the top of the hill and than down to their backs as they bed on the backside of the hill. This allows them to smell anyone coming up from behind them, and can see anything below them. Also when the air heats up in the mornings, the air rises from the bottom of the valley causing thermals which also carry scent up to where the deer is bedded. I hope this makes sence.

 

Here ya go, I found these on top of a ridge Sunday in my woods on the way to my blind. These were not 1/3 of the way down, they were right on top. So much for that thoery.

 

Wow you have some nice terrain features there. Can you hunt the whole area on the map? Also, an aireal photo would help alot. Post an aireal photo and I'll tell you where I would look and even hunt.

Jason

 

Jay--I watched those BB videos and learned a ton.

John--man I really appreciate those pics. We are supposed to get a tiny bit of snow tonight and I hope I can make out some deer beds in the snow. Thank you very much.

Matthews--yes I can hunt that whole area. Much of where I primarily hunt have those types of terrain features. Big rolling hardwoods. I hunt all over that topo map I showed in my first post.

 

The winter beds can also be different than where they will bed early season or during the rut. But they should be helpfull for late season.

 

most of the beds we find around here are either in one of two places:
in the middle of the thickest, nastiest patches within cutovers, or thickets within grown pines.

we dont find an abundant amount of beds within hardwoods.

 

Brett- Are you walking the Southern facing slopes near food sources?

 

Nope, most likely a group of does and fawns.

 

I tend to find most beds on high points. The best being the end of ridges or small offshoots in which the deer can see & escape downward on at least 3 sides similar to what the video reference above said). I rarely find a bed in a flat and never in low lying areas. Most beds I find are suprisingly open for the big timber I'm in...rarely in the real thick stuff...

Just my .02

 

That makes some sense though. I think that most deer would preffer to be able to see things coming at them, not just relying on their sences to warn them.

 

In my experience based on the beds I find a deer usually beds where they have a good look down wind from them. I can't count the times I've found beds just over a ridge on the down wind side, looking down wind into an open field, etc.

As RWK stated this time of year southern slopes are a good place to look also. Deer are just like us they like to stay Comfy! :-)

Dan

 

Downwind side could be (WILL BE) different places on different days. Kinda like the old adage that deer walk with their noses into the wind. If we got a long stretch of westerly winds, all our deer would wind up in our mountains.

I think they'll bed in a spot that gives them the most advantages......most of the time. Why you're not seeing them, Brett....is baffling (esp. in the snow).

 

Yep, The Deer here do bed in different spots depending on different factors everyday. Although they will prefer certain areas. If they didn't it would be a gimme to wait at their bedroom and whack one ;-) I've seen enough fresh beds over the years to feel pretty confident I have a pretty good idea where to find them during a certain time of year and on a particular day depending on several factors, including wind direction. ;-)

Dan

 

Thank you guys for the information and discussion. I am heading out to scout again today on another part of the place I hunt. We have snow here and there in the woods right now as it has not all melted from the big snow we had 3 weeks ago. I will be bringing my camera, so if I find any of those elusive deer beds, I am cracking a pic. The one good thing is that I am seeing some beautiful land in the process of looking for the beds.

 

Good luck! I'll be looking for the pics!

Dan

 

Here's an arial of Breckenridge:


I haven't hunted there in quite a few years but I'd like to join you. We could do some squirrel hunting as we go.

 

Va Bowbender---that could be some fun. I just bought some small game points for my arrows. I have never hunted small game with my bow before, but would like to try it out.

I am off many days of the week due to my work schedule. If you have some times that are good for you to be in the woods, just PM me and we will work it out. Take care.

Brett

 

Brett, You will have a Blast! I cut my eye teeth hunting cottontails.

Dan

 

How about today after 12:00. See PM