Thanks TRF.
In the fall and winter it does seem to be the preferred bedding. In the summer time, I notice the deer coming out of my trees in the evenings. So during the summer it is used mostly for travel cover and browsing the forbs, but in fall and winter when the leaves come off, it quickly changes.
Last week I saw something pretty cool. I was driving up to my gate and caught a big doe crossing my neighbor's open field. I stopped the truck and for a second she just froze. She had a choice of turning around and going back toward the neighbors woods or going ahead to my switchgrass field. I wondered what she would do.
Suddenly she took off like a racehorse and headed for the switchgrass. When she got to it, instead of running straight into the grass, she leaped high like clearing a hurdle and when she came down, just disappeared for good.
I've seen that same thing happen a few times over the last three years. When they want to get hid fast, it seems they head for the tall grass. Makes sense to me, because it hides them quickly and there is less of a chance of getting an eye poked out by a limb.
The tall grass is also a preferred spot for the does during the chase phase of the rut. I've seen some great chases over the last few years.
