Should you hunt a bedding area?

Hunting a Buck's Core Area Can Be Highly Productive
Over the years, I have been fortunate to kill mature bucks by hunting food sources, rutting hotspots and bedding areas, and what I've learned is that a buck's bedding area — where he spends most of his time — is the best place to kill him.


Should you hunt deer bedding areas?

Why Are Bedding Areas Important During the Rut? Espey said, “We believe hunting near bedding areas [during the rut] is pretty important because that's where your bucks are going to go to look for the does. They're going to hit them in the mornings. They're going to hit them in the middle of the day.

When should you hunt deer bedding areas?

Deer generally don't use the same sites year-round. “[One] next to an oak flat is there because of the acorns,” Infalt says. “Early season is the time to hit that. If you have bedding areas torn up with rubs, you can bet that's going on during late October.


What time of day is best to hunt bedding areas?

McCoy said creating a hunt strategy around a bedding area is a highly effective tactic, especially when you're targeting mature bucks, as long as you do it strategically. Deer are crepuscular, which means they're most active at dawn and dusk, and they feed more at night than during the day.

How far do deer travel from their bedding area?

They have to get up to hydrate themselves, eat, and use the bathroom. However, once mature bucks feed when the sun is up, it is typically only within 100 to 150 yards from the bedding area.


WHEN To Hunt BUCK Bedding Areas



Do deer come back to the same bedding areas?

Deer are creatures of habit and may bed in the same location repeatedly. One exception is during periods of the rut when bucks are on the move searching for estrus does and defending their hierarchy.

Do deer sleep same place every night?

Do Deer Sleep In The Same Place Every Night? Deer do not sleep in a single location all year round. Most of them have a limited number of potential bedding sites within their home range.

Where do big bucks go during the day?

A core area is a central location where a buck is going to spend the majority of his time during daylight hours. This is a place where he feels secure and safe enough to bed down during the day while allowing him to detect predators before they know he's there.


Where do you aim on a bedded deer?

You have room to aim 4 or 5 inches back from the shoulder crease, which increases the margin-of-error on a broadside deer. A few inches forward, no biggie. A few inches back, and you'll clip the tail-end of the lungs or the liver, or both.

How do I find big buck bedding areas?

Finding Buck Beds

The most obvious sign to look for is the presence of oval depressions in the grass, brush, or dirt indicating where a deer laid down. Take note of how many beds you see clustered together in one area. If you see four or more beds in a circle, it's likely a doe bedding area.

What time do deer get up from bedding?

Creatures of the Night

Deer tend to sleep during the day, roughly between the hours of 12:00 pm and 4:00 pm. A night scope for AR15 will definitely come in handy during these hours. Deer are highly active during the hours just before dark. When they wake up between 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm, their first priority is food.


How long will a buck stay bedded down?

A typical sleeping bout for a deer includes 30 seconds to a few minutes of dozing, followed by a brief alert period, and then more dozing followed by an alert period. This cycle often lasts for about 30 minutes.

How far do bucks travel at night?

In wilderness, low deer density settings, I have actually known of mature bucks that would make nightly trecks of 2 miles or more, from their preferred daytime core bedding areas.

How far will a gut shot deer go before bedding down?

Most gut-shot deer will lie down within 100 yards. You're excited, and if you climb down right away you'll cause more commotion, possibly bumping the deer and reducing your chances. Try to wait at least a half hour. Then, as quietly as you can, look for your arrow.


Do deer prefer woods or fields?

Typically, you will see more deer in the woods traveling to secluded food sources and social hotspots rather than hanging out in fields. Plus, mature bucks tend to stay in the safety of the timber. Although, fields with plenty of food available will attract plenty of deer during non-breeding periods.

How far do deer bed from feeding area?

However, when mature deer do feed during the day, it's generally within 100 to 150 yards of their bedding area. So if you can find a good food source close to a thick bedding area, you'll be in the money for some action. Go here to learn about bedding habits of mature deer.

How big should a deer bedding area be?

Bedding areas of adult bucks, usually widely separated from bedding areas of does with young, are small, typically only 1–2 acres in size (sometimes as large as 10 acres).


What time do deer usually bed down?

For the most part, deer bed down during the day when the sun is out. Because of this fact, deer are considered nocturnal animals since they are active during the night. The average deer will sleep about 12 hours during the day. They often move their locations throughout the day, getting their rest in chunks.

Do bucks bed on ridges?

For example, bucks frequently bed at the end of a ridge on a point. Bedding on these points usually allows them to see, smell and hear danger before it gets close enough to kill them. Look for areas that give deer the upper hand where you hunt, and that's generally where they'll be during daylight hours.

What time of day are most big bucks killed?

Early Morning and Late Afternoon

No matter what the conditions, deer move best early of a morning and late of an afternoon. That's when they're wired to move most. It's when their eyesight is most effective. And there are few things that impact this movement, other than hunting pressure.


How far will bucks roam?

A home range is the entire area that a deer lives in. On average, these are generally about 650 acres or one square mile. But remember, the home ranges aren't square. As for the core area, this is the location that most the deer will spend the vast majority of their time.

Do Bucks travel the same route every day?

There are some bucks that are extremely tough to figure out; even after years of careful study! However the great thing about mature bucks in general is that although no two are alike, most of them do follow the same travel routes.

What does it mean when a deer stomps its foot?

Deer frequently stomp a front foot to alert other deer, or attempt to lure any intruder into exposing itself. Whenever an alarmed doe stomps her forefoot, this also lays invisible spots of interdigital scent.


How far do deer see overnight?

However, on a full moon night, a whitetails eye could very well allow detection from 150+ yards.

Do deer move in bed or down in rain?

Heavy rains or thunderstorms will cause deer to bed down in a sheltered area of some kind. Any high winds, rain or not, will also discourage their movement. Since light rain doesn't alter a deer's activity, this time can be very rewarding for you.