# How to Find Food Sources and Deer Bedding Areas in Deep Woods



## pmsmith2032 (Jul 11, 2008)

Can anyone provide info/tips on locating food sources and bedding areas in deep woods areas? To me, locating these two areas seem to be key to hunting success. However, it is difficult to do in forested areas with no agricultural areas and food plots. Thanks in advance!


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## ST8 (Nov 1, 2005)

Food, water and bedding sources all are very important to the deer. When scouting everyone has their own ideas; an expert I am not but I know where all 3 sources are located where I hunt. You can go in the woods and just stand and listen for the acorns to fall...well there is your food source. If you know your trees look for the white or red oaks. Look on the ground for the acorns and where they are gathering. Deer will just about graze on anything. The fawns as the experts say and I have read; are pretty much weened off of mamas milk by bow season.

Watering holes are very important during the chasing phase of the rut and hot days of October. The deer will have to rehydrate after being chased all day and night. When wounded it is believed that they will head for water.

As for bedding I personally do not go anywhere near the bedding area; this is sacred ground and should be their safe spot. However, if you find the trails leading to and from the bedding areas, i would place a stand nearby. 

Good luck and good hunting!

ST8


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## Chuck (Sep 24, 2000)

I use satilite (from google earth or bing maps) and topo maps to loook for water sources first. I never hunt far from any water maybe a mile at the most. Look for thick areas for bedding areas and if they are close to water like a swamp or creek bottom the better. That usually helps narrow down an area for me.

Then do some walking and follow deer runs looking for oaks.


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## Sam22 (Jan 22, 2003)

In the open big woods of the UP, it can be tough! If your lucky enough to find oak trees you could start there. However I have witnessed deer basically ignoring the red oaks that exist in the UP. I look around recent clear cuts, river bed areas, that where I start. Anything that is a little different than the 567897656789765678 square miles of mature maples high and dry in the UP.


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## On Target (Jun 10, 2007)

I understand your situation. Big woods doesn't apply to all the ag. style situations that magazines and TV describe. I don't have a clue where the deer are bedding or feeding in my favorite spot. There are scattered thick areas everywhere and oak trees in every direction. I really don't pay attention to wind, because I've had deer come through from every possible direction. I'd suggest finding the hottest sign scrapes, rubs, runs etc... Hunt a few of these different areas morning and night to try to figure things out. I mainly like transition areas. Ideally I like to get on the corner of 3 styles of habitat i.e. clearcut/hardwood/field corners.


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## swoosh (Sep 29, 2006)

90% of the deer live in 10% of the habitat. Find food, water and cover and you will find deer anywhere where they live.

When I hunt big woods I take a section 400-600 acres and I try and "master" how the deer move through this section. If you break it down into smaller chunks it becomes less intimidating and easier to manage IMO.

Topo maps are key, learn how to hunt the terrain and you will be just fine.


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## yooperkenny (Jul 13, 2004)

All good advice above. To me the answer to your "How to?" question is mainly shoe leather and putting in your time. Find the trails and you'll likely find bedding areas in one direction and food sources in the other. Recently logged areas get slammed by deer browsing tops and then the new growth - I see this even in on the one acre our home sits on after we cut down all the old growth poplar. Trail cams are useful, and studying aerials and topos helps too. The absolute best scouting for me is when there's snow on the ground, especially in January as I prep for next season. It's a bonus to locate the migration trails 

I'm big on getting to know one section/area very well over a few years versus having many areas you know only a little about. I'm still learning new things about areas I've bowhunted for nearly 20 years...

Good Luck!


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

I agree, a lot of good advise. Swoosh gave a very important tip, the deer only regularly use 10% of the area in forested area, that's what makes it tough. I've hunted large tracts of it and sometimes it seems like it may not even be that much. You have to learn how they are using the land and terrain which can be easier said then done sometimes. Get a topo and/or aerial photo then put boots on the ground and a camera can help when you find areas to see what's there. I'm with Kenny on scouting when there's snow. Ideally early spring late winter. One are I found several years ago was this was and a trail that wasn't visible when there wasn't snow. I was the only one who saw antlers that year. There is a learning curve to hunting a new area but I like that challenge. A really good book on the subject is Greg Miller's Bowhunting Forests and Deep Woods. Hal Blood's Hunting Big Woods Bucks isn't bad either but I liked Miller's book better. Both give some decent information.


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## Dedge (Sep 22, 2004)

Boy, oh boy do I feel your pain there smitty. I am constantly baffled by the deer I hunt. All the time. My last scouting trip, we stumbled into a bunch of beds in a wild apple orchard right next to a creek. How the heck do you hunt those deer? They hardly have to move. I have long held the belief that most of the hunting articles and whatnot that you read in field and stream and outdoor life and other similar mags just don't apply.

Good thread,
Dan


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## pmsmith2032 (Jul 11, 2008)

Thanks for all the great info! It really is helpful. Part of my problem is that I think I find a good area and than don't see anthing. For example, two years ago I shot a buck and doe during the first week of gun season and saw over 15 deer. Last year, in the exact same spot, I didn't see a deer. And that's hunting from dusk to dawn for 4 days straight. It gets confusing and frustrating.


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## Chuck (Sep 24, 2000)

The thing to ask yourself is did you still see sign there? 

I have hunted areas that I have shot or seen deer in every year and there was always good sign. Then there will come a year or 2 that there is nothing. Now I dont even hunt an area unless I find the sign Im looking for.

My dad always told me if your not hunting deer sign your just sitting in the woods.


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## 2tundras (Jan 11, 2005)

Simple.

Get off the couch and walk. Then walk some more. Then walk a lot more. Then kinda give up cause big chunks of woods are just that. So at some point you just gotta stop. 

When you do stop and hang your stand you realize its a 1.3 mile drag back to the road throgh something resembling floating marsh and you know not a friend one will help you.

Welcome to the big woods-up! Love it. :corkysm55

Did I mention walking?


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## Dedge (Sep 22, 2004)

M1Garand said:


> I agree, a lot of good advise. Swoosh gave a very important tip, the deer only regularly use 10% of the area in forested area, that's what makes it tough. I've hunted large tracts of it and sometimes it seems like it may not even be that much. You have to learn how they are using the land and terrain which can be easier said then done sometimes. Get a topo and/or aerial photo then put boots on the ground and a camera can help when you find areas to see what's there. I'm with Kenny on scouting when there's snow. Ideally early spring late winter. One are I found several years ago was this was and a trail that wasn't visible when there wasn't snow. I was the only one who saw antlers that year. There is a learning curve to hunting a new area but I like that challenge. A really good book on the subject is Greg Miller's Bowhunting Forests and Deep Woods. Hal Blood's Hunting Big Woods Bucks isn't bad either but I liked Miller's book better. Both give some decent information.



For those of you interested I just bought Bowhunting Forests and Deep Woods for 7.85 on ebay, and there is like 7 left. Sounds like a good book, and you can't beat the price. Here is the link. And if it is junk we can all blame M1Garand.:lol: (seriously, though thanks for the tip.)


Dan


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## mso795 (Feb 24, 2006)

6 left now!


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## RippinLipp (Sep 12, 2008)

Hunting the BIG WOODS can be tough. Like everyone said. the main thing to find is a food and water source. Weather its acorn, Beech nuts , food plot, or whatever, food and water is the main thing to find. As far as bedding areas it can be the swamp or an overgrowen field, or the open woods its hard to say. The area I hunt is loaded with swamps and thats where most of the beddings done, but I have seen them bedded in the middle of the hard woods also.. I try to stay way from the bedding areas, I will try to sit the travel routes between the bedding areas and the food source. The only time I get close to the bedding area is when the rut is going on...


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## M1Garand (Apr 12, 2006)

Dedge said:


> For those of you interested I just bought Bowhunting Forests and Deep Woods for 7.85 on ebay, and there is like 7 left. Sounds like a good book, and you can't beat the price. Here is the link. And if it is junk we can all blame M1Garand.:lol: (seriously, though thanks for the tip.)
> 
> 
> Dan


 
I'll take the blame, hang up my boots and buy the beer then... I find him to be comparable to Eberharts books, I'm sure you will find some good info in there.


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## Scotty G (Oct 27, 2008)

four left!!


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## Dking(MI) (Feb 21, 2007)

I am not a pro hunter by any means, but will offer a little help. As said, hunting the big woods is probably one of the toughest hunting situations out there. 
Things that usually play a part in normal hunts, will leave you hanging wondering how to get by. Things like wind direction, approach to stand site. 
My own experience has me set up on a 120 acre woods, with the only access points on the west edge of the woods, with normal west prevailing wind. So unless an unusual wind comes from the east, chances are you are going to spook some deer. Also, just getting into the woods is a pain without taking the wind into consideration. Deer bed in every nook and cranny around the whole property. I mean every knoll, heavy covered area they find, and its a bunch. So again, spooking a few deer just getting into the stand site usually happens. 

Dont let these things deter you though. Continue to hunt these areas. I have seen some really, really good bucks way in the deep woods on a crisp November morning, chasin does and doggin. This is the time you really want to be in the deep woods stands. If you set up in the right place, (a smalll opening with multiple scrapes) you are in for action all morning long and throughout the day. 

I have found that the deer in my location feed on fields off the property all night, and return about 9 AM to my stand location in the middle of the property. That makes it just a little bit better to head to the stand in the early pre dawn hours.

Hope this helps, if I can think of anything else I will post more. 
Its a tough hunt no matter how you slice it, but the rewards are awesome.


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