Stone Branch, build it, they will come.

[BenAllgood]

That's a good question, and it looks like George's drone observations further reinforce what most research has always shown; that the average whitetail's preferred bedding and usage area (in areas of rolling terrain) is on the "military crest" of a hill (see below).

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I've looked for scientific research about preferred bedding in areas with topography, but never could find it. I see it all the time on YT or magazine articles, forums, etc. I definitely see the military crests being used as bedding, but I also see bucks using the very bottom of my ravines as bedding. These beds can be 50 yards from each other, and used within the same month. I come from flat land bedding, and there it was all about cover. In Kentucky, I thought I could count on military crests, leeward sides, etc. I'm starting to think it's about cover no matter the topography.

 

[Mennoniteman]

I've looked for scientific research about preferred bedding in areas with topography, but never could find it. I see it all the time on YT or magazine articles, forums, etc. I definitely see the military crests being used as bedding, but I also see bucks using the very bottom of my ravines as bedding. These beds can be 50 yards from each other, and used within the same month. I come from flat land bedding, and there it was all about cover. In Kentucky, I thought I could count on military crests, leeward sides, etc. I'm starting to think it's about cover no matter the topography.

You are correct, thick bedding cover rules when it comes to where deer will be found. And along with the "thick bedding cover" principle, the area being totally undisturbed by dogs and humans also determines a lot for where deer will be found, as in, if there's a very thick area and a local dog works though it regularly there won't be any deer bedding there.
Having said this longwinded spiel, what I've found is that the "military crest" deer bedding location only becomes obvious (extremely obvious) when all else is equal.

 

[George]

I've looked for scientific research about preferred bedding in areas with topography, but never could find it. I see it all the time on YT or magazine articles, forums, etc. I definitely see the military crests being used as bedding, but I also see bucks using the very bottom of my ravines as bedding. These beds can be 50 yards from each other, and used within the same month. I come from flat land bedding, and there it was all about cover. In Kentucky, I thought I could count on military crests, leeward sides, etc. I'm starting to think it's about cover no matter the topography.

I have long term bedding just off the very bottoms of the tops of my back ditches, also very thick in those spots.

G

 

[Mennoniteman]

I have long term bedding just off the very bottoms of the tops of my back ditches, also very thick in those spots.

G

George, you haven't posted anything in 10 days. We've had this cold snap, and your hollers are probably 10 below and not getting any sun, so maybe you are hibernating and waiting for the spring thaw?

 

[George]

George, you haven't posted anything in 10 days. We've had this cold snap, and your hollers are probably 10 below and not getting any sun, so maybe you are hibernating and waiting for the spring thaw?

Hey Mennoniteman, thanks for checking on me. I had a week of work in my shop that coincided with the cold.
The cold isn't a deal breaker for me, I did a lot of hiking, looking, thinking, and planning. I did fetch some logs.







I'm ready to wreak havoc. Due to my season constraints on dropping trees, I'm looking to drop about 30 tulip poplars for my timber frame ideas.

G

 

[Mennoniteman]

Hey Mennoniteman, thanks for checking on me. I had a week of work in my shop that coincided with the cold.
The cold isn't a deal breaker for me, I did a lot of hiking, looking, thinking, and planning. I did fetch some logs.

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I'm ready to wreak havoc. Due to my season constraints on dropping trees, I'm looking to drop about 30 tulip poplars for my timber frame ideas.

G

Tulip poplars don't seem like a good choice for timber frames? Around here we get powderpost beetles into them and they are dust in 10 years...

 

[George]

Tulip poplars don't seem like a good choice for timber frames? Around here we get powderpost beetles into them and they are dust in 10 years...

I did see evidence of powder post beetle destruction in the tulip wood in the cabin.













G

 

[Mennoniteman]

I did see evidence of powder post beetle destruction in the tulip wood in the cabin.

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G

Spray some peremethrin, I'm not a fan of chemicals, but peremethrin is harmless to mammals, it gets into the thorax of insects and irritates it, making them suffocate, but humans don't have a thorax. Peremethrin lasts for a long time out of the weather, keeps the little buggers from getting started.

 

[George]

Spray some peremethrin, I'm not a fan of chemicals, but peremethrin is harmless to mammals, it gets into the thorax of insects and irritates it, making them suffocate, but humans don't have a thorax. Peremethrin lasts for a long time out of the weather, keeps the little buggers from getting started.

I have been spraying my oak floorboards with permethrin as I stack them with good result. If I don't it takes about 2 minutes for the beetles to start drilling.

G

 

[George]

This tulip was leaning uphill and I had a good landing spot for it. I got my saw out before it sat back on my back cut taking aim for my pear trees below. 2 straps and a chain and I talked it back over center.





What remains are some nice little oaks and red maples killed last year.



I showed mercy on a couple of big tulips.



In and out before the snow melt.



G

 

[Mennoniteman]

Great save on the pear trees! The first picture really resonates with me, it looks like the makings of future great deer habitat.
Looks like your access road is fairly well blocked until you get those poplars out of there...
Do you provide for deer trails by cutting paths later through those cuttings, or do you usually manage to keep the tops clumped enough to provide for future deer trail access as you drop them?

 

[George]

Great save on the pear trees! The first picture really resonates with me, it looks like the makings of future great deer habitat.
Looks like your access road is fairly well blocked until you get those poplars out of there...
Do you provide for deer trails by cutting paths later through those cuttings, or do you usually manage to keep the tops clumped enough to provide for future deer trail access as you drop them?

The whole area has been an eye sore to me, particularly the entrance way.



Yesterday I cut the remaining sticks and mulched the rest. I will manage this area as a pollinator garden with fire. The stump/tree is approximately 36 years old. Tulips don't have much of a crown, I will probably leave some tops scattered about and will mulch the rest down to the ground surrounding my little food plot.







G

 

[George]

sorting more sticks yesterday.













G

 

[George]

Bills big revelation

"We Cut 8,000 Trees - Disappointing Lesson from Deer Beds"​

Never too old to learn, I guess. Bill discovered that the deer bed down off of the ridge on the side slope where they can watch his approach.

G

 

[BenAllgood]

Bills big revelation

"We Cut 8,000 Trees - Disappointing Lesson from Deer Beds"​

Never too old to learn, I guess. Bill discovered that the deer bed down off of the ridge on the side slope where they can watch his approach.

G

I remember him talking last year in a video about how he didn't think they'd be able to see him coming in from the valley below. I was surprised to hear him say that because he's spent a good bit of time in hill country, and I'm sure he's seen deer bust off the side of a ridge before. They'll also bed to where they can look uphill for areas they're used to seeing danger come from above them. Flat ground bedding is easier to work your access around.

 

[Mennoniteman]

sorting more sticks yesterday.

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G

It looks like the one tire on your log hauling cart is low on air

 

[George]

It looks like the one tire on your log hauling cart is low on air

Thank you for pointing that out the other tire is low too.

I was pondering trees again today.



















G

 

[Mennoniteman]

Thank you for pointing that out the other tire is low too.

I was pondering trees again today.

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G

That's more than pondering, that's putting thought into action, a serious contribution to the cause. Or maybe you were pondering that barbed wire. That wire has the potential to turn your stihl into a toothless old man in a hurry.

 

[Mennoniteman]

That's more than pondering, that's putting thought into action, a serious contribution to the cause. Or maybe you were pondering that barbed wire. That wire has the potential to turn your stihl into a toothless old man in a hurry.

Thinking about that wire and all of the old stuff around there, your place looks like it would have a lot of stories to tell. Do you know any of those stories or anything about the people who lived there years ago? Their diary would surely be very interesting.

 

[George]

That's more than pondering, that's putting thought into action, a serious contribution to the cause. Or maybe you were pondering that barbed wire. That wire has the potential to turn your stihl into a toothless old man in a hurry.

I did catch a wire with 36" bar.

Thinking about that wire and all of the old stuff around there, your place looks like it would have a lot of stories to tell. Do you know any of those stories or anything about the people who lived there years ago? Their diary would surely be very interesting.

I do know that they kept pigs down in the fenced in area and had their corn field up above the pigs on the slope. The last guy to live here before I bought the place had an area up on the slope terraced for his specialty crop.

G