#1 Big Buck Bedding Strategy For Small Parcels

This could be, the #1 buck bedding strategy for small parcels. if your land is 800-1000 acres or less, than you need to actively manage specific deer bedding areas. When your land plummets to 100 acres or less, then you simply can not afford to ignore these bedding concepts of at all possible, on your deer hunting land. Buck movement scientific studies for buck bedding do not apply to parcel sizes below 800-1000 acres and as parcel sizes decrease, the more you have to install small parcel buck bedding and buck movement techniques. Here is likely the #1 buck bedding strategy that I have experienced so far, that can assist the small parcel landowner for creating the best herd and hunt possible on your land.

[@scotthart7307]

You know you're good when your whiteboard marker makes a deer grunt lol (At 50 sec).

[@davefletcher3878]

This is the perfect strategy for my 40 this year! Thank you!

[@normyoder2622]

I hunt exclusively southern oh. Puplic land but I'm impressed with the thought process and knowledge you have of how deer (think) go about there daily lives It'll help me understand them better even though I hunt puplic Thanks wHS

[@timgore1487]

Just bought 40 love this and great advice

[@dswish1730]

Great ideas for my land.Have to change up some small things.But not much.Thanks Jeff.Awesome as always.My pup and I hit a mile stone..He found his 10th shed.And we broke 50😏😉😃

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Thanks D and 50!!! Wow that's awesome. Congrats for the pup too 😁

[@dswish1730]

@@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751 Its a group effort.He puts on more miles than me.And it gives me something to laugh at.

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

So awesome...and healthy exercise!

[@stephendoseck9709]

I've been watching and implementing tactics from your videos for two years now with great success! Thank you so much for the free no bs content. This video in particular fits my property perfectly. Im going to design my property like you have stated after get out of my cauv contract. Thank you Jeff!!!

[@randyh.6019]

Ive often wondered if this concept would work. I basically have a logging road in the timber that leads to my 1 acre food plot. think I will dig it up this summer and plant it 12 to 15 ft. wide x100 to 150 yards long. good info Jeff keep it coming and stay healthy!!!

[@jkb1603]

Being from NYC. Don’t have a lot of hunting friends you could say. So when I go to PA or upstate for the season. Your videos taught me so much. Would love to send you what I caught and what your videos taught me. Shot placement and everything. Now people think I’m a master hunter and I just soak it up 😂😂

[@shawnb789]

Jeff, again, the drawing it out on the board has become a very helpful tool with less confusion. Thanks for another good video bud. We've got a lot to get done here, but the weather just hasn't cooperated. Was hoping to get some done while schedules are freed up some with this Corona virus going on but just too wet to get much done.

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Thanks a lot Shawn, I love to hear that! Man I hope that it dries out, I need to get some work accomplished this weekend on my own hunting lands... Good luck and stay healthy buddy!

[@randlerichardson5826]

If this comin winter we don’t get snow like we used to here I’m moving. I love walking in the snow ❄️ still hunting I meant in the snow ❄️. Great video as always be safe out there and GOD BLESS you and your family and crew brother Amen 🙏.

[@stevestarkey6183]

working on this in ohio jeff.great info. love your system.really helped me with layout.im seeing alot more bucks already just from the little I've got done.thanks again.

[@MrMblakec]

I started setting my food plots up for next season almost identical to this. I'm excited to see how much it pays off. Thanks for all the great info.

[@robertltessier5601]

Great video Jeff. You have given me ideas for our 106 acre wood lot. We have installed an access road about 8 to 12 foot wide in a meandering pathway through the parcel. This year we're going to try your no-till method on that access road. In the process we'll essentially convert this road to a long narrow food plot offering many bedding areas and access points. I just finished your book on food plots and highly recommend to other food plotters.

[@johnbills1842]

This is such a great idea!! This will be my first year putting out a food plot. I’m trying out your no till/ buckwheat idea. Really excited about it. Trying to apply your knowledge to my small parcel. Thanks.

[@Grizzlife]

Jeff I've implemented many of your tactics. You are spot on with how to set up success. My new property has been altered to reflect your proven methods. I just ordered 100 whips of Red Ozier dogwood which I learned from you to add even more diversity for the deer. Great info thanks , Grizz

[@jackbuys3711]

Looks very close to what I am setting my 40 up! Dropping some big pines south (on the left side of your square) of the food plots to bring that sunlight in and opening pockets in the NW of the property for buck bedding. Food plots will turn, paralleling the corners of the property

[@markmeyer2757]

Good Morning Jeff, Love this advice, did some of this last year, really extends food plots and gets the deer apart!

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Thanks Mark, aw some to hear...you can really make a small parcel highly effecient in this way 👍

[@ericstevens8660]

@@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751 are ypu open to questions ?

[@matthewtester3006]

"She's a peach, but sometimes when I'm an idiot, she's not." Great video!

[@billquinlan726]

Great concept and very applicable for myself. I am going to apply this to my land and my first ever food plots this year. Thanks!!

[@DavidGonzalez-ek3zh]

Outstanding presentation!

[@donaldbowling8620]

Lol. I can relate to the doe stress.......in the house. Being a father of 3 daughters. 😂🤣 With all the added stress of the current flu BS I love relaxing and watching your videos. Ty Jeff. 👍🏻🇺🇸👍🏻🇺🇸

[@stevedenoyer5956]

Love this concept, I have the ability to implement on my property. Going to start this spring. I had similar in mind with paralleling the borders, I appreciate the timeliness of this video. Hoping I can get the deer to follow like you mention.

[@davidbass7593]

Good info...i have a 40 acre crp in oak hardwoods for 20 years i have a groundblind and tree stand on one half and i never enter the other half i leave that area for deer only.... because their are bedding areas there ...deer need theyre own space to be undisturbed

[@stanleybuck4195]

Excellent idea to have linear food plots. Thank you.

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Thanks Stanley!

[@juantovar4861]

Thank you for the video.

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

You are welcome Juan!

[@studentoftheoutdoors3348]

Can not wait to watch this as soon as i can! WHS in the morning!

[@studentoftheoutdoors3348]

Bedding area placement! like social distancing for deer?!

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Awesome ☺️ I really hope that you like it...it is a good one (I think anyways, ha)

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Lol, so true, do true...I like that 👍 a lot!

[@marcusbuckslayer3280]

@@studentoftheoutdoors3348 Good one...😷

[@dennis7470]

OK, I have one for you--- n. Mich sandy, scrub pine, cherry, lots of maple , beach, and berries, and ferns. Have spent 10 yrs. plus improving the 80, 3 sides meet state land mostly planted pine, 1 mi. to roads. Now that we can't bait, the "locals" have decided to use me as a bait pile because my improvements that include pond, 3 food plots and various bushes for all game is starting to hold deer. SO they line up on my property line and I don't see anything but hunter orange! The only thing that has worked a little is to bow hunt, get there before they do. thoughts-------

[@kelvin0689]

Dennis, I think Jeff would say you need to make that an "inside-out" property where you have enough bedding depth to hold daylight bucks and unpressured food-plots for the late afternoon feed. Then they can leave after dark when it's safe. The hunting pressure will only help keep those bucks in your "safety zone". If it's an "outside-in" property where deer enter to feed in the last hour of daylight, those hunters will pick them off.

[@jeremywilson9479]

A lot like the plan, I have in place for my main 80 acre parcel. I have evergreen screening backed by switchgrass up against my southern and west property borders, planning on doing a food plot this spring. Current plan includes a 1 mile long plot at 35ft in width covering approx. 4.25 acres. Snaking around those southern and western boarders with lost of bends, turns, elevation changes and diversity. Allows for me to have over 9 acres of switchgrass right up against the food with diversity pockets throughout it. (For hopefully the does to bed), than 44 acres of timber I plan on a TSI project with. That gives me at my closet point from northern side of doe bedding areas to north western property boarder around 317 yards of depth and the farthest is over 600 yards of depth to Northern property boarder. For hopefully bucks to bed. With a a dozier access around around the whole property perimeter. To my southeast 300-500 yards away just depending on exactly where I’m standing I have 17 acres of creek bottom AG fields I’m going to prob plant in soybeans for summer months. Harvest in the fall. That butts right up against 63 acres of wetlands restoration projects started 3 or 4 years ago now. I’m just trying to figure out what to plant in my 4.25 acre “snake”food plot because here in SE Kentucky clover is everywhere anyways. I’m thinking just doing soybeans in the spring and summer, in that 4.25 acre plot n leave them standing for fall n winter n broadcasting fall n winter greens like brassicas and more through it in August.

[@chrisburton4860]

I have one of your books and watch every video you put out. Even downloaded Huntwise cause of you. Just wish I could afford to get your video courses. Keep up the good information on Whitetail hunting. Also, good luck on the move to Minnesota and the rest of your season Jeff.

[@bobwiese6128]

Love it! Thanks Jeff. Peace Brother.

[@davidhickenbottom6574]

That's exactly what I have on my property. Thanks to the loggers I just cleaned up the skid road and planted clover and some orchard grass. I have regenerative poplars deer love them. I live right next to town no hunters. Time to kill a monster.

[@brandonbarker3337]

Could use some help with this I have 5 to 10 acres I can hunt holds good bucks would love to get a one on one about how to make it more suitable thanks for all you share it’s really helpful.. West Virginia 💪

[@jarrodlambert3914]

Great info

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Thank you very much!

[@andrewgabrielson3199]

Great Advice love watching your videos, I havnt seen anything from you on river bottoms. I've got a property me and the wife bought 3 years ago. Its slowly becoming a very diverse property. Lots of hard work! But how and wat can I do to the low areas running along the river. There very open lots of dead fall thats just rotting away no browse at all. But during summer it can be wet. The trees in there are cotton wood, silver maple and boxelder. But u can see for 100 yards. Very open at floor.

[@normyoder2622]

Damn Jeff I'm at work and can't watch for another hr. I'm excited to get to it in about an HR ,you sure know how to put the hurting on on guy😢

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Hope you got to watch it norm ☺️

[@dylanlane9405]

Is planting a new food plot on the edge of the woods next to a field a good idea? Also when would be the best time of year to start a new food plot? Love the videos! You've really got me interested in investing time into the skill of the hunt and not just waiting.

[@ericstevens8660]

Do you need help and ideas ?

[@randlerichardson5826]

Hey brother sorry I’ve been busy just now getting to watch videos my shoulder surgery is going to be April the 7th if nothing happens GOD forbid but getting ready for turkey hunting not this weekend but next it’s juvenile turkey and April the 4th is regular season I’ll get 3 days to hunt

[@Creedbunman65]

Where I hunt it's almost all thick enough for bedding. The hard part is being able to see 50 yards.

[@huntwarbukz4117]

🏹.....🦌🥩Great info Jeff did some work on a new travel cooridoor at camp last weekend ... with advice form your last vid ..👍👍thx brother

[@kmmichigan2782]

Doe bedding.... It is very important

[@alfonsomedina7013]

Thank you for your info it really helps me

[@genehalteman882]

Makes perfect sense

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Thanks Gene I hope that it helps!

[@gregggibson3109]

I own 60 acres in northwest Texas. Food plots, unfortunately, are not an option due the unpredictable nature of Fall/Winter rainfall. So, we’re left with the use of feeders to provide an attractant to our property. I’m wondering why the strategy laid down in this video wouldn’t work using a linear chain of feeders separated sufficiently enough to provide adequate bedding/food areas for doe family groups along the perimeters of my acreage backed up by a lot of area for buck bedding…hummm?

[@marcusbuckslayer3280]

More good info! Thanks!

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

You are very welcome Marcus...thanks a lot for watching!

[@aaronshorter864]

Could you mix the linear strips with pockets of food too?

[@markschaub8846]

Jeff, Thanks for all the great info!!! If i was to create a food plot trail about 550' long and 60' wide (I plan to plant corn 30' wide of it) would you recommend switch grass on both sides of it. Its existing crop field I'm converting into bedding and browse. Thanks again.

[@ericstevens8660]

YES WITH THE SWITCHGRASS 👍

[@marklehman1119]

I love all the videos. I think I have seen most of them. Do you have any advice for guy that have limited ability to access stands from edges due to habitat issues? If I travel one edge of the property it is wet and loud. The other side is very thick and I would have to cut a walking trail close to bedding. I have a situation where deer want to travel the same trail I walk in and out on...

[@benmicheau6046]

Hey Jeff, in the beginning of the video you talked about the no cover areas or a house, how close would you be comfortable putting a plot to a cabin?

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Pretty close...as long as the deer can't see you and you never establish a pattern of deer hearing you exit the cabin and then spooking them off of the plot.

[@armymutt25A]

I have a great linear area to plant for food - about 350x20 yards, but a large portion of it has a ditch on the uphill side. It's my range. Would the ditch be a barrier to does?

[@ericstevens8660]

Absolutely not

[@kalebgarrison5252]

great strategy but i’m not sure what to do i have more hardwoods than openings i have water and 2 food plots and i’m not still not moving deer the way i want too

[@Jeo3-4142]

Thanks Jeff. Your insight is great and much appreciated. Heading out Thursday to add two food plots. This is changing my approach. One question though - should I run a 60-80’ wide plot a certain direction? And would it be good to zig-zag the plot?

[@scienceaddict77]

How close to buildings can the food plots be, if you are never accessing the plot side of those buildings during the hunting season?

[@LenaVideos1000]

Do you have a video that addresses this topic but also takes into account a large creek/small river that divides the land into 2-large acre parcals? Thanks.

[@tyressy01]

Start using parcel maps!! It give better picture than the drawing

[@Tryingyourbestatwhateveryoudo]

If you read this please tell me what I do if I have a 100 acres that has giant trees,just beautiful woods and hasn't been hunted in over 15 years and there is a gulf all around the property. Literally they are over 150 class bucks in the area. My question is why are there no buck sign. They are there for sure because I have seen them during bow season but just a little to far to take a shot. If you would please answer my question it would be greatly appreciated

[@87pdavis]

I’m curious about buck bedding in small patch woods like central indiana. The ground around me mainly consist of fence rows and small patch woods 3-10 acres max. Do you have any videos on this? Thank you

[@saltytech8380]

Great video Jeff! A few weeks back you gave me Diane's number and mentioned you could likely squeeze me into your schedule. I haven't been able to get in touch with her. Any chance you could squeeze me in this spring in Southeastern MN? I have a 46 acre parcel and a 70 acre parcel I'd like some help with. Thanks!

[@brianwiese7122]

Doing this on a new parcel!

[@dawsonnate1815]

Could you put a travel corridor in this and where would it be placed?

[@myronlaidler8034]

Jeff i'm thinking that deer like people need their own space like people do, does have a seperate "house" away from bucks. Bucks have a house too,but have their own special room they like to spend most of their time in.Food is the kitchen they all want to eat in but they still need that seperation. Fair analagy?

[@whitetailhabitatsolutions9751]

Awesome analogy Tex! I often use the house analogy with clients. That means there needs to be good flow too...kitchen to the side, living room...then bedrooms. Den is usually off to the side. Living room is like a staging area. You don't have kitchen, bedrooms then staging area 😉 In a well designed home...

[@MJ74NC]

So how wide do you make the access trails around the property? Just large enough to move around or really clear them out like roads?

[@josephbennett4442]

I have a 2 acer field that is shaped like an L , it goes 100 yards long and then turns a right and goes another 100 , and it’s about 40 yards wide , there is also a super thick area with bamboo in it also that deer use during the rut and they rub the trees all in there and make scrapes and chase in it, it runs along the side of the field and it’s the same size as the field itself , besides it’s only 30 yards wide , it also separates that field from another huge field but I can’t hunt the bigger field , do you think the field that makes a L shape is a good food plot location with it being right by a creek and thick cover running through it around the edge

[@kevinb9867]

Are linear food plots applicable with an L Shaped property?

[@adkbowhunter5140]

Nice video... would you put food plots or bedding closer to residential housing? Thanks

[@clapdemcheekz731]

I have 16 acres and a whole slough of does only a few good bucks. Is there any one thing you would do to hold more bucks?

[@supermanutube123]

Man am I soaking up the sauce!...but...What if your land is a patchwork of rectangular parcels that form an odd shape? I have (4) 7 acre lots that form an L shape with adjacent 40 acre regrowth and a 25 acre old growth that I do not own.

[@gunsrodsoutdoors64]

Hey jeff. I have 3 plots in a linear design. But I dont have a designated doe bedding area. I want to make a couple on the north side of the plots but the doe would have to move with the wind at the back of their heads for the 50-75 yards to get to the plots. Is this an okay idea? Anything helps I have 200 acres to work with but it's also our sugar woods for maple syrup. Thanks for all the great videos!

[@ericstevens8660]

Planting clumps of cedar makes great bedding for does and buck's

[@ukjw2]

Ever do any long and narrow properties. 150 yards by 800?

[@nickrx1175]

Does a plan like this work on a property that’s on the side of hill, with a constant change in elevation thru the property? that elevation change is a 500 foot elevation Increase over the course of a third of a mile ??

[@huntermatty33]

Good Morning Jeff, Love this idea. What is the optimum width of the linear food source?

[@supermanutube123]

12:00 10:1 length to width

[@Tryingyourbestatwhateveryoudo]

So if you have 10 does to each buck then I should take at least 5 to 7 out of the heard. Am I right

[@tomlongacre1384]

The cabin is cool😂

[@familyfletchingstv7619]

what if that parcel was rectangular instead of square and say only 100 yards wide and less than 40 acres?

[@duesing6]

Wouldn't the prevailing wind have a lot to do with setting this up?

[@kabbak]

Long linear plots on contour don't still work?

[@garrettweston767]

Where I hunt it’s mostly ag with blocks and strips of timber. Would this work in somewhat the same way if I plant plots on the edges of the big ag fields.

[@dougbarber3400]

Jeff have you every put a plot on a hill side ? If so did the plot take well ?

[@johnyanan8184]

Jeff, I know your schedule maybe booked up for the year. But what do you charge for a consult? I have about 200 acers that backs up to state game land in Northeast Pennsylvania.

[@mitchvaughn5977]

What about a prescribe burn?

[@jasonparker92]

How close to road do you think mature bucks will bed?

[@jamesabel3677]

What strategy would you suggest for swampy areas?

[@micahvenable92]

what do i do if i only have 6 acres?

[@kmmichigan2782]

560 acres has a little room for error

[@randlerichardson5826]

Same here on the wife thing brother I’d take a bullet for my wife but if she’s not happy nobody is happy lollllllllllllllllll