Edge feathering - Bedding

[BDS05]

For the gist of this convo.;
Edge feathering: creating a safe feeling transitional line producing browse between woods and plots.
How do you prevent this area from becoming bedding, long and short term?
Any personal experience 1+ years later from this forum? If anything what have you done to maintain this area and what are your future plans, if any? Ex.: trim back or let it grow...
Hinge cut or kill?
All trees or only less desirable?

I want to attempt it but my main concern is
A: creating a future thicket around plots and
B: unintentionally creating bedding around plots.

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[MickThompson]

I think depth of cover is important. Deeper/wider cover, more likely to be bedding. Not sure where the break over point is- I'd say that has a lot to do with what else is available. Also brushy, taller cover more likely to bed against than grassy/weedy. I also generally see beds relating more to terrain than cover- the roll of the hill is just as good as a thicket and it often has wind visibility advantages.

I'd lean towards planting strips of cover (switchgrass for example) to break up the visibility of the plot itself. That should minimize bidding in it. I'd also provide bedding areas in strategic locations.

 

[DeerCamp]

Out of curiousity - what the is the concern about creating bedding areas near food plots? Feathering isn't likely to create bedding, but bedding near food can be a good things.

My opinion is it makes the deer more predictable, and lets you adjust your setup accordingly.

Also helps create an "inside out" property where the deer you are hunting are on your property, rather than waiting for them to come to you from outside properties.

Just a thought.

 

[BDS05]

The main area (plot) I want to focus on first is surrounded by two ridges. In front of the stand is an Eastern facing ridge. For now, I'm not concerned of the ridge behind me. Creating bedding in front of this stand on a ridge joining the plot would make it IMPOSSIBLE to enter the current stand setup it seems. Im not against creating beds further up the ridge, say 100 yards. That actually has my wheels spinning but not 20- 50 yards. The only other way to make it work here is move the stand, creating 200-300 yard shots. For my current situation and people hunting it, this is not the logical answer this year or even next.
Again, my concern is this being an overgrown mess in a few years. That's not what I'm looking for.
What makes you think this process wouldnt create beds if you don't mind me asking?

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[Boll Weevil]

Here's a few pics from an edge feathering project completed several years ago. Alot of this work could be characterized as simply battling encroachment as the woods try to grow into openings. In my experience it'll only last a few years at most until everything breaks down and decomposes. After that I just keep it grassy and forby vs. woody by mowing once a year.

My guess is it would take a pretty wide buffer to really create any sort of meaningful bedding; like 10, 20, 30 yards or more. Sunlight becomes the issue even on big fields as the timber overhanging your feathering effort will limit how wooly it'll become. It's good for little critters like quail, rabbits, turkey nesting and songbirds but not so much for deer. It'd need be much wider and allowed grow much taller.

 

[DeerCamp]

The main area (plot) I want to focus on first is surrounded by two ridges. In front of the stand is an Eastern facing ridge. For now, I'm not concerned of the ridge behind me. Creating bedding in front of this stand on a ridge joining the plot would make it IMPOSSIBLE to enter the current stand setup it seems. Im not against creating beds further up the ridge, say 100 yards. That actually has my wheels spinning but not 20- 50 yards. The only other way to make it work here is move the stand, creating 200-300 yard shots. For my current situation and people hunting it, this is not the logical answer this year or even next.
Again, my concern is this being an overgrown mess in a few years. That's not what I'm looking for.
What makes you think this process wouldnt create beds if you don't mind me asking?

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Of course it is really hard to predict, but I don't know that edge feathering would create enough depth to really become permanent bedding. Who knows though.

I'd figure if they did bed there, and got bumped a few times, they'd adjust bedding areas.

 

[BDS05]

Here's a few pics from an edge feathering project completed several years ago. Alot of this work could be characterized as simply battling encroachment as the woods try to grow into openings. In my experience it'll only last a few years at most until everything breaks down and decomposes. After that I just keep it grassy and forby vs. woody by mowing once a year.

My guess is it would take a pretty wide buffer to really create any sort of meaningful bedding; like 10, 20, 30 yards or more. Sunlight becomes the issue even on big fields as the timber overhanging your feathering effort will limit how wooly it'll become. It's good for little critters like quail, rabbits, turkey nesting and songbirds but not so much for deer. It'd need be much wider and allowed grow much taller.

Would you do it again?

I assume you havent planted anything but instead let only natives grow back?

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[Boll Weevil]

Yes and in a way edge feathering can be a perpetual exercise as the timber constantly attempts to encroach. Once the initial decomposes I keep up with a mower so generally don't have to feather again. It just stays grassy and forby...honeysuckle, Greenbriar, partridge pea, pokeweed and the like. Critters definitely like it.