Bedding on ridges vs. lowland (swamps) - when?

[PaulFWI]

Hunting driftless Wisconsin this year, I'm wondering why I'm not encountering deer on ridges during the day (still-hunting into the wind into ridge points).

I read they bed on southern-facing ridges, and also in lowlands. When, for each? Is it a matter of hunting pressure, weather, etc.?

(I think the answer is "yes" but would love to hear wisdom from old-timers.)

 

[Native Hunter]

Hunting pressure will move mature buck bedding to where no humans are being encountered. Lack of encountering humans trumps terrain features and elevation in that case. The bedding may be high or low ground as long as humans are not being detected in the area.

As far as bedding on ridges, mature bucks will generally bed on the military crest of a ridge point. They will switch ridge points based on wind direction. As an example, if the wind is coming from the West, they will bed with their back to the wind facing East and looking downhill. Their noses alert them to danger coming from behind, and they can dash over the hill before the threat can see them.

The downhill slope to the sides and in front of them allow them to visually detect threats coming from those directions. If anything comes from the front or sides, they have an advantage over the threat, because they are uphill from it and see it in plenty of time to successfully react. The buck can quicky jump up and in a couple of leaps be running West on level ground while the threat is still at a disadvantage from having to run uphill.

But what the heck do I know about deer hunting........ Good luck.

 

[PaulFWI]

As far as bedding on ridges, mature bucks will generally bed on the military crest of a ridge point. They will switch ridge points based on wind direction. As an example, if the wind is coming from the West, they will bed with their back to the wind facing East and looking downhill. Their noses alert them to danger coming from behind, and they can dash over the hill before the threat can see them.

That's what I've read but I've also encountered bucks on ridge points hunting into the wind, during the day.

I think this only works well if the wind is strong enough to mask both all scent and a lot of sound too.

Anyway, lately, here in Kickapoo they're not there.

They must be in the swamps during the day. Pity those are so difficult to hunt unless you're doing drives.

 

[Native Hunter]

That's what I've read but I've also encountered bucks on ridge points hunting into the wind, during the day.

I think this only works well if the wind is strong enough to mask both all scent and a lot of sound too.

Anyway, lately, here in Kickapoo they're not there.

They must be in the swamps during the day. Pity those are so difficult to hunt unless you're doing drives.

Yes, not many humans willing and/or able to go into swamps. I personally have never hunted in a place with swamps, but it seems the logical place to go if you want to disappear from bullets.

 

[1100LT20]

Not sure what swamp looks like in WI, but here in Louisiana when the pressure is on the deer head for the swamp and will bed in ankle deep water. Jump them up in this mess all the time in December and January.

 

[yoderjac]

Ankle deep water may be a bit cooler in WI In Dec and Jan. I'm guessing they might be bedding ON ankle deep water rather than IN it.

 

[PaulFWI]

Fresh snowfall the morning of my last day out, there was no sign at all on ideal southern-facing ridges - no tracks, no beds, nothing.

Temps were about 30 the day before but 15 that morning.

Are the deer bedding in lowlands even when it's that cold?

I have to guess so.

I would guess that they shift their patterns drastically after opening weekend on this large parcel of public land with lots of hunting pressure.

 

[yoderjac]

I've seen mature bucks head quite some distance from heavily pressured land and, except for the rut, spend most of the season in small pockets of unhunted land.

 

[PaulFWI]

But how about those run-of-the-mill deer?

It's interesting to me that sooo much whitetail lore revolves around the "mature buck" mystique. I am probably like most guys out there - I just want to bag a deer!

 

[yoderjac]

But how about those run-of-the-mill deer?

It's interesting to me that sooo much whitetail lore revolves around the "mature buck" mystique. I am probably like most guys out there - I just want to bag a deer!

All deer react to pressure to some degree, some more than others. The environment also affects deer behavior. Deer in the suburbs that live with people act differently than deer in the big woods that gets invaded at one time of year by hunter. On heavy mast crop years, deer in our area are much more sensitive to pressure on food plots and often only use the plots after dark. In years with few acorns, fawns need quality food in the fall to put on enough weight to make it through winter. Does will be stay with fawn that are drawn to plots during daylight hours.

Keep in mind that when folks talk about deer behavior, or buck behavior, or doe behavior, we are talking about the middle of a bell shaped curve of behavior. Deer have personalities and behavior varies around the middle of that curve. One of two deer of the same sex and age may be much more curious and the other much more timid.

Much research as well as lore revolve around mature bucks. Outside the rut, they are the hardest deer to kill. One reason is their behavior and another is their rareness. Generally regulations of the past have favored shooting bucks over does to increase deer numbers in many locations. With many young bucks harvested, fewer lived to maturity. Regulations have been changing in recent years to a more balanced approach as deer numbers were burgeoning in many areas with regulations and the lack of predators. That has been changing as predator numbers have been rebounding.

If you just want to harvest a deer, I would consider favoring stand hunting in the swamp over still hunting the ridges.

 

[PaulFWI]

If you just want to harvest a deer, I would consider favoring stand hunting in the swamp over still hunting the ridges.

If you mean tree stands that's not really doable here.

Stand-hunting - standing - sort of is. But from any one spot you can generally only see a few yards.

High ground overlooking swamps, hoping for others to push deer, might be an option I explore next year!

 

[yoderjac]

If you mean tree stands that's not really doable here.

Stand-hunting - standing - sort of is. But from any one spot you can generally only see a few yards.

High ground overlooking swamps, hoping for others to push deer, might be an option I explore next year!

Every environment is different. By stand hunting I mean simply staying still in one place and letting deer move by you. There are all kinds of ways to do that. One can simply sit or stand leaning against a tree. There are ground blinds, elevated blinds, tree stands, tripod stands, and a large variety of each of these types.

In low pressure area, I'll look for places deer move naturally. In high pressure area, I take a different approach. I used to live in PA when it had a very compressed deer season and the blaze orange army was over a million. I would ignore food sources and focus on escape routes. I would offset my hunting hours and let guys push deer to me. I would typically sleep in and head out about 10:30 - 11:00 AM. Most hunters would head in before light. By noonish they would be cold and bored and start walking around. I was warm and ready to sit. Many would head back to the truck to warm up and eat and then head back out. They would unknowingly push deer all during this time.

Hunting strategies have to be tailored to your specific situation. You may have a unique situation where you can't find a good way to stand hunt.