Bedding areas

[nchunter1989]

So next week kicks off our '18 improvements & habitat work. One thing I realized this past year is a need for improving & creating new bedding. Trying to make our little patch as enticing as possible. Landowner is planning to burn possibly at least the north side before spring, but if that doesn't happen I want to still have some improvements. The other bedding threads have made me think-

Threw together this little mockup- So 90ac, looking at 5-8 bedding areas around 1/4-1/2 acre openings. Go larger with some or stay around the same size? These are based on the topo.All are roughly 100yrds apart, give or take.

Southeast section has north,east & south slopes.

The orange is a 4.5 "bowl" that some may have read about in the property tour. Ties into the 20ac wetlands- Possibly clear an area on the slopes around the "bowl"?

North side I know they are bedding in the pine thicket to the west. With our new 15-20ft firebreak around that side, trying not to get too close to the access points.

Thoughts & criticisms welcomed.

 

[nchunter1989]

Thoughts anyone??


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[Chainsaw]

Because properties are so, so different it is difficult to constructively critique your bedding plan and bedding is only one piece of what needs to be complimentary to the other pieces of a plan. I have some random thoughts regarding how I have been approaching mine. First the woods off the south west corner of the green field is screaming hunt here so just as you have done--no bedding spot right there. I can't make them bed where I want to so I keep track of where I have ever seen them bed or seen signs of bedding and I then fix up those spots hoping they will use them more. Following that logic, I try to line up the chosen bed spots so the buck will when going from one to another in search of does will walk by the stand I have chosen like the woods off the south west corner of the field, pretty much as you have done except maybe the south bed could be a bit west so he doesn't shortcut across the neighbors field when heading to the second bedding area. And naturally you would make a path connecting the bedding areas for them to follow that leads by your stand. Thus that suggested stand would then have two great reasons for a buck to walk by it, ie; sneaking around the opening and following your path from one bedding area to another. More reasons would be great(more pieces of your plan).

Knew some of this but really got the message in reading Steve Bartylla's latest book a couple of years ago.

On bedding sizes a tenth to a half an acre is common but I also have one that is about eight or ten acres and it holds a lot of deer. So size is extremely variable. Our property has a bowl as you mentioned you do; the rim is a natural bedding draw for bucks here. I've seen bachelor groups on it quite often over the years. Likely its' location determines does or bucks. If it were fifty yards off a food plot I would expect the does would use it more. By the way I didn't understand what the yellow lines are; thinking they were fire breaks?

Wish I could be more help.

 

[nchunter1989]

I understand this is something that can be very subjective based on the property & area. Just trying to pick some brains, i know that bedding can be a very personalizedtopic- deer canopy vs perimeter cover, ect ect..

From reading some of Jeff’s articles it seems he preaches perimeter cover with an open actual bedding area. Which is very similar to the habitat on this property- mature forest with side cover & then a mix of cutover too thick to walk through.

I may actually do fewer bedding areas but increase the size. The North stand in the corner was actually disappointing, plan this year is to feather the edge & try to blockade travel except maybe 3 points : on the corners & 1 gap in the middle.

There’s currently around 1/4 ac of small pines & broomstraw there by the neighbors field that is used for bedding. I want to shift it because unfortunately the fire break cut right through there.

On the southern side the SW is 3-4 acres that I can create bedding & same for the SE that slopes down.


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[nchunter1989]

Getting there..... gotta get out some traps, found 3 dens of some type.. 1 looks like a yote..


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[Mennoniteman]

This is the perfect time of year for that kind of work, and the pictures look good. It looks like you know how to hinge, directing the tops to fall on top of each other (middle picture) don't forget to keep your hinge cuts above a deer's line of sight. You said you have some slopes? A buck likes to bed on the crest of a knob, with escape routes in two directions. Doe groups will often bed on the side of a slope with cover and a view. The reason that you didn't get a lot of response on this is because creating bedding areas is an extremely variable and unpredictable process that's hard to quantify. But you can never go wrong in creating thick cover for your deer.

 

[nchunter1989]

Yeah last week when we were out we found 10-15 beds in that 3 ac patch. There are several small ridges & then drops into bottom land. With bedding & several good oaks I’m feeling better about the 2018 season.


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[nchunter1989]

Was out at the land today planting some beans, & eased down into the area we cut back in Jan/Feb..

Looks like I still need to drop some junk trees to open the canopy.

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