Creating A Small Deer Bedding Area - Part 2

In a previous video we discussed how to begin the creation of a small bedding location to have more predictable deer movement on your hunting parcel. Now that you have laid the foundation for the deer bedding area on your property, it's time to work on the detail work within the interior of your bedding area. In this video we will go over the steps we take to ensure our new bedding area gets used by deer for years to come.
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[@MyVisualRomance]

Probably the best video I’ve seen thus far on creating bedding areas. A lot of folks just talk about it but provide very little in actual footage. This was excellent!

[@whitetailevolution]

Glad it helped!

[@mikeanderson1757]

You doing some of your work with your little kids reminds me of me on my property with my 5 year old son in tow haha, great to get them started on things early!

[@whitetailevolution]

It's so much fun having the kids out there helping. Might take a little (a lot) longer but it's worth it. They have a blast and they're getting involved in the outdoors. Part of me can't until the season ends so we can get back out there and start exploring and creating more whitetail habitat! Good luck this offseason with your son!!

[@weslovell815]

Been doing this on 30ac for 20yrs ... I call it deer common sense...this video best I've seen...clean looking down, thick looking across. Multiple exits, bare ground, maintenance...it has taken me from zero population to a constant population....clip stems for woody brouse...think like the deer, not the hunter...the latter will take care of itself

[@whitetailevolution]

Right on! Give the deer what they want! Cover but also free movement within.

[@txivyawgchiyou7810]

One of the best deer bedding video advise, thank you for sharing your experience

[@whitetailevolution]

Very welcome!

[@scottclark1168]

Great video,I definitely think the log in the bed is the way to go,heck I'd lay there if I was lost in the woods,lol

[@whitetailevolution]

Ha. Looks pretty comfy right? I feel that the more attractive you can make each individual bed the greater the chances are that they’ll be used. Good luck with the habitat work Scott!

[@brianmiller5868]

Wow, your video production is getting really good!!!! Nice work!! I have 52 acres in Montcalm county and I think I’m doing EXACTLY the same tings you are. Lol Keep up the good work!!! 😅🦌🌱❤️

[@whitetailevolution]

Thanks Brian! I try to improve every week 😊 if you have any suggestions on what you’d like to see I’m all ears! Good luck in Montcalm! I drive through there every few weeks on the way to our Isabella county property.

[@whatsnextgarage]

awesome video. you have a lot of great information, its difficult to figure who's information to follow with all of the creators and different opinions. you tell what's worked for you without bashing anyone else or their ideas. I like what you have done with your bedding area and will be working to improve my bedding areas in a similar fashion. thanks again for your experience!

[@whitetailevolution]

Thanks and you’re very welcome! There are so many great creators out there and I try to take in as much as I can while paying attention to what the deer are telling me on the properties we hunt. Listen to as many people as you can and do what makes sense to you. There are plenty of right ways to get the job done from both a habitat and a hunting perspective. Good luck!

[@icehog2367]

Great video!

[@whitetailevolution]

Thanks Greg! Can’t wait to hunt the movement to and from the area in the fall!

[@figandcloverranch5871]

Really liked this video . Thanks 👨🏻👍🏼

[@whitetailevolution]

Very welcome! Glad you enjoyed it and I hope it helped!

[@northwoodswhitetailsfoodpl2663]

Great video

[@whitetailevolution]

Thanks John! Appreciate it! Love what you guys are doing with your channel lately. Keep up the great work!

[@xrpeacemaker6437]

Do piles of logs and/or brush deter deer, specifically mature bucks? Like if I have the option to remove, is that better, or does it not matter?

[@whitetailevolution]

No, not just random piles of brush as long as they can move around. Now if you have nothing but slash / debris all over then yes, that will deter deer. They want to be able to move around in the bedding area in almost every direction.

[@anthonyfiducia]

Thanks, trying to make a very small bedding area, great tips. Would you say deer bed on higher terrain?

[@whitetailevolution]

Great question and I would say deer prefer to be higher but as long as that area is safe. They need high stem count cover so if that cover is low, they will bed low. But if you can isolate a few higher areas and remove the canopy, that is where the deer will really prefer to bed. Even more so in lowland areas, they don't want to get wet so being able to find high spots will allow them to bed and stay dry.

[@larrydooley1472]

A couple of questions on the bedding Jake. I'm working on my first bedding area in a stand of conifer. Can I assume it is best to also leaf blow or rake up the fallen pine needles to expose that soil to get the thick growth started? Also, on the entrance/exit trails to the overall bedding area. Should those be wide like the main deer loop trails? I'm thinking 4ft wide to work through with a brush hog for maintenance or smaller that I would have to use a weed wacker for maint? Thanks! Got my son in town for 2 weeks, Having him do a lot of the "young man" work for me.

[@whitetailevolution]

Great questions Larry. For the first one, you don't "have" to rake the bedding areas to the dirt to start the new growth, most of that will start once the sunlight hits the floor. That being said, when I have time I do like to leaf blow the debris out and expose the soil to try to jumpstart the growing process. If you have time, I would do the same in your pine bedding areas. For the entry and exit paths, I normally just make those wide enough for me to walk through, nothing crazy. If you can get in and our of there with no problem, the deer will be just fine!

[@jacobroggie7121]

Hi, I seen your vid on cearal rye and I was wondering if I just weed Wacked an area then just threw down seed if it would grow for a last min thing? Thank you.

[@whitetailevolution]

It would depend on what you're cutting down. If you're seeding into mainly broadleaf weeds, you'd have a better catch. The rye would germinate and grow quicker than most of those weeds will respond. If you're seeding into grass you're going to have more issues. mowing won't kill the grass so your rye will have a lot of competition. It will likely germinate, but the success will depend greater on the amount of grass competition you have. Hope that makes sense.

[@jacobroggie7121]

@@whitetailevolution ok yup makes sense thanks for the help!!

[@jeffpepin5930]

Just curious why you had a mock scrape right next to the bedding area? You won’t be hunting that close to it will you? And I’m seriously just curious, I’m always trying to learn something

[@whitetailevolution]

If youre referring to the thumbnail, that's just a vine hanging down from a tree, not a mock scrape. But we do place mock scrapes on trails near bedding areas. These are great places to hunt during the pre rut / rut

[@JP_BowHunter]

Great videos. Question: What about areas with pines? What is your process for them?

[@whitetailevolution]

Heavy select cut, still need sunlight to the ground. Dont hinge them, cut the pines. Then block up / Take the trees out of there because the deer need space to move around. Hopefully with the sunlight you will get desirable forbs / new trees coming in.

[@Gregg-o3l]

What’s your success rate on hinge cutting hardware maple trees?

[@whitetailevolution]

THat's a great question. There are so many variables there but I think we get 60-70% of the maples to survive a few years. Some much longer than that. But some eventually die and that's ok. The initial benefit to a hinge cut is the immediate cover. After 3 years the area will be thick and some of the hinges are no longer needed.

[@neilwitkowski2521]

I know this was a year ago but what if you have 5 acres of red pine trees or toothpick trees how do I make bedding with that they are all in rows ugh ?

[@whitetailevolution]

Great question and the process would be different but concept is the same. You wouldn't be hinge cutting pines but instead dropping them in pockets, getting sunlight in. If possible drop them away from the middle of the bedding pocket to create an exterior screen. Once you have an open area in the middle, about the size to park a truck, then cut a few escape routes in and out. Idea is to have an open area for the deer to move around but also have the screening cover so they feel safe. with the new sunlight the area should also get thicker over time.