Buck Beds
The deer bed that we'll discuss in this article is the famous buck bed. Maybe the correct term is the mystical buck bed. This seems to be the way that many hunters view it. Yes, buck beds really do exist, but they aren't made by Serta or Tempurpedic. Buck beds can be natural locations or they can be man-made locations. Either way, they'll end up with the same characteristics and typically have a buck laying in them year after year.
Finding a natural bedding area on your property is the best case scenario. The only time I recommend walking through your property in search of these beds is right after your hunting season ends. Bucks will still be in patterns that are similar to hunting season and you won't risk spooking bucks out of the area by trampling through their core bedding area right before or during hunting season. Look for isolated pockets on your land that contain very thick cover, away from heavily used deer trails, and offer as much seclusion from everything else. Many times these are also located in an area that has at least one back-door escape route through a strip of heavy cover, stream crossing, or elevation change where a buck can sneak out and be gone.
Once you've located a natural bedding area, take pictures of it. Examine it's components. Most likely you'll find that the bed free from debris, on dry, elevated ground, and is near the base of a large tree or fallen log. Deer will typically bed facing away from the prevailing wind direction so that they can see everything downwind while smelling anything upwind. Good overhead cover is also a common factor which is comprised of branches, thick bushes, or additional fallen logs and limbs. The area facing their back should be extremely thick while the area in front of them should provide a better view as their nose can't help them sense danger in the downwind direction.
Making a buck bed should include all of the previously mentioned items. However, the one large benefit to creating your own buck bedding area is that you can integrate them on your property to fit as part of your whitetail habitat design. Of course, you can just plop a deer bed in any spot on your land and expect it to work. However, building your own buck bed can be a great aid in patterning a buck while also offering additional bedding areas for multiple bucks on your property. Keep in mind that bucks will bed by themselves in the fall, so don't build several beds next to one another. I've read of guys who've built several buck beds on the same specific area that encompasses a few acres if the cover is thick enough, although I've never personally seen multiple buck beds in such close proximity.
Hopefully, this overview has helped clear up any questions you had on locating or constructing a buck bed. There are many features that go into creating a buck bedding area that is used ever year and if you find or build the right one, then you can typically count on it holding a buck each year. This greatly helps in laying out your hunting property in a way that increases your chances of success. For other whitetail habitat design advice, please read through our other articles to learn how you can improve your hunting land.
Finding a natural bedding area on your property is the best case scenario. The only time I recommend walking through your property in search of these beds is right after your hunting season ends. Bucks will still be in patterns that are similar to hunting season and you won't risk spooking bucks out of the area by trampling through their core bedding area right before or during hunting season. Look for isolated pockets on your land that contain very thick cover, away from heavily used deer trails, and offer as much seclusion from everything else. Many times these are also located in an area that has at least one back-door escape route through a strip of heavy cover, stream crossing, or elevation change where a buck can sneak out and be gone.
Once you've located a natural bedding area, take pictures of it. Examine it's components. Most likely you'll find that the bed free from debris, on dry, elevated ground, and is near the base of a large tree or fallen log. Deer will typically bed facing away from the prevailing wind direction so that they can see everything downwind while smelling anything upwind. Good overhead cover is also a common factor which is comprised of branches, thick bushes, or additional fallen logs and limbs. The area facing their back should be extremely thick while the area in front of them should provide a better view as their nose can't help them sense danger in the downwind direction.
Making a buck bed should include all of the previously mentioned items. However, the one large benefit to creating your own buck bedding area is that you can integrate them on your property to fit as part of your whitetail habitat design. Of course, you can just plop a deer bed in any spot on your land and expect it to work. However, building your own buck bed can be a great aid in patterning a buck while also offering additional bedding areas for multiple bucks on your property. Keep in mind that bucks will bed by themselves in the fall, so don't build several beds next to one another. I've read of guys who've built several buck beds on the same specific area that encompasses a few acres if the cover is thick enough, although I've never personally seen multiple buck beds in such close proximity.
Hopefully, this overview has helped clear up any questions you had on locating or constructing a buck bed. There are many features that go into creating a buck bedding area that is used ever year and if you find or build the right one, then you can typically count on it holding a buck each year. This greatly helps in laying out your hunting property in a way that increases your chances of success. For other whitetail habitat design advice, please read through our other articles to learn how you can improve your hunting land.
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