When does a saddle become useful to a buck?

[Shedder]

When does a saddle become useful to a buck?

How much elevation drop does it need?

In the example above, the NE running brook has cover and acts as a minor cover funnel but is the saddle significant enough to matter?

I don't know if it is used. I haven't checked it. The blue top right is a 40 acre alder swamp. There are wild apples near there, too.

The contours are metric but they equal 15 feet.

 

[Bill]

I think the pic link broke.

 

[Shedder]

Per http://www.hillmap.com/

The arrows point to roughly the same spot.

 

[wiscwhip]

That area looks like it could be a major funnel. Definitely worth a closer look IMO. I personally scout it out for trails and other signs of use.

 

[Bill]

Looks like east of the saddle had a select timber harvest. If its thickening up it would be good bedding.
Do They have a reason to head west through the saddle? Like food.

 

[Shedder]

Looks like east of the saddle had a select timber harvest. If its thickening up it would be good bedding.
Do They have a reason to head west through the saddle? Like food.

Not a lot of defined food sources in the area. Ag is old hayfields. This is fringe or wilderness deer country. There are wild apples east of the road. There used to be great grouse cover where a house is now near the road.

 

[Shedder]

Looks like east of the saddle had a select timber harvest. If its thickening up it would be good bedding.

Cover is unlimited here. Everything is cut with lots of regen in cuts, etc. East of the road it is likely old fields filling in that you see.West of the road east of the saddle has been select cut per winter photos.

 

[Shedder]

more detail.

The elevation is in meters here. 3.2 X meters for feet.

 

[wiscwhip]

If you have the ability to set up a trail camera(or 2) in this area, I think it would be worthwhile just to see if the area is being used. By the info you have provided, it sure seems like it would be used.

 

[Shedder]

ESPECIALLY SINCE, I FOUND THIS TRACK AFTER THE SEASON.

 

[j-bird]

Just suffered from a DA attack! I thought I had responded to this.....I was about to flip out because my post didn't take.....I did respond......it was on the other site. This 2 sites thing sucks, but what's a deer habitat junkie to do?

 

[Shedder]

Given the feedback here I am going to put this spot in the top ten to scout out of the 100's I have. I will report when I do. I don't have huge hopes for it as I have been burned on most spots I have that look good on paper. You scout and see no sign, you hunt on faith and see nothing. The only funnels I trust now are water ones but good ones are scarce and even those don't show a lot.

I will admit this one looks good though, especially on the lidar. Lidar is deceptive because it shows more than you can see on the ground but this looks good. Also, on a wider scale it looks like the terrain may funnel a mile or more of woods to this funnel.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

My experience with saddles is that they are ALL worth a look. Deer travel corridors here in Pa. and in Maine. Deer are lazy just like us. They'll take the easiest way to travel - unless pushed hard. I'd be looking there carefully.

 

[Tap]

My experience with saddles is that they are ALL worth a look. Deer travel corridors here in Pa. and in Maine. Deer are lazy just like us. They'll take the easiest way to travel - unless pushed hard. I'd be looking there carefully.

I like to think of it as more a product of evolution rather than laziness.
These animals need to make the most of their calories and eons of survival has molded how they travel. Saddles are usually the path of least resistance.
Some of these saddles are mostly used by bucks during the phase of the rut when they are traveling big miles. A few weeks either side of that time period, and for most of the rest of the year, a particular saddle may see little use because deer may not need to actually get across the ridge.

 

[Bill]

Just suffered from a DA attack! I thought I had responded to this.....I was about to flip out because my post didn't take.....I did respond......it was on the other site. This 2 sites thing sucks, but what's a deer habitat junkie to do?

We were here first. Just sayin :D
No ill will, I wish them the best. Some good guys I've known for years over there.

 

[j-bird]

We were here first. Just sayin :D
No ill will, I wish them the best. Some good guys I've known for years over there.

I am aware - I was here well before the other place started up.....I just try to stay in touch with as many smart & experienced habitat folks as I can and sometimes in the shuffle I get turned around! It's all good.

 

[Bowsnbucks]

Tap, post #17 - Yep. I agree. It's to save energy and calories. I just said lazy to kind of " equate " it to human behavior. Take the path of least resistance.

 

[Shedder]

Some of these saddles are mostly used by bucks during the phase of the rut when they are traveling big miles. A few weeks either side of that time period, and for most of the rest of the year, a particular saddle may see little use because deer may not need to actually get across the ridge.

Correct, hence my dilemma. With 5 dpsm, it can be a long wait in some of these places if you pick wrong.

 

[wiscwhip]

^^^ You need to let trail cameras do that ^^^ work for you.

 

[Shedder]

I did a drive by of the saddle brook road crossing today. Perfect day for picking up new tracks but not even any old ones. The pix I took were poor and there was not much to take from the road anyway. The pic above is of the brook gully.There was not a lot of cover to the sides of it.

It is a nondescript spot that doesn't reveal any potential from the road, if there is any.

It is a non descript spot