Good questions man. I'm far from an expert but will try to explain where I'm at with my approach.
The week before gun season, i addead a new cam/corn location to this property. There where multiple reasons for this. Number one was to help hold the deer on this property, specifically my target buck. I wanted to up my odds of having him survive the orange army invasion. Mission Accomplished!
Another reason for adding the second food source/bait pile, was geared towards late season strategy. I put alot alot of thought into placement. I looked at the same map for way to many hours, but kept plotting things differently(mainly deer trails, stand locations, how to access stands, using terrain to my advantage, etc.) until I found the most favorable spot. The way I'm going to get a crack at this buck is going to be when he is on his way to the food. Intercept him on the way to the food from his bedding area, once the weather is cold enough to get him on his feet during day light.
Another reason for the new food location was to divide the deer up a little bit, if that makes sense.
Since the end of gun season ive been doing alot more glassing/observing then I have hunting. Extremely low pressure from a long ways away. Been doing that at minimum 4 times a week for the last hour of light. Ive been taking all the info from observing and platting it back to my map. I will say, this whole process of observing is something ive never focused on, but I'm learning quickly it is invaluable.
Well it turns out I was right on about 75% of the trails I had platted that the deer would be using to hit the food source. I have stands set accordingly to hunt the trails coming and going. From the info ive gathered glassing, Their great stands for 'deer' in general, but not for the target buck.
To up my odds at getting a crack at him come the next cold front, the changes need to be made. Whenever I say I 'hang' a new set, it consists of me just setting up a way to get up the tree. Whether its screw in tree steps/20ft climbing sticks/ my muddy sticks, all depends on the tree. I'll also usually have a millenium bracket with me to put on top the tree. In and out fairly quickly. I know alot of guys would say to just go 'totally mobile' with the climbing sticks. When I hit the base of my tree, I want to be up it and settled in asap.
For scent control in doing so, I always wear something that has been smoked up with my hunting clothes, and my rubber boots.
I think in the past not making adjustments hurt me. That and hunting a set when the conditions weren't perfect, and just 'over hunting' a location in general.
Then again I still have my buck tag this year so maybe it has hurt me?!?!? I gotta stay confident at this point!
With this warm weather, I'm not sure i'll get another hunt in until after christmas, so any damage done will have time to reverse its self.
Just wrapped up the adjustment. Have two new tree's ready to access and hunt out of. Took about 45 minutes, and I'm feeling good about it!
Even with these warm temps I'm sure i'll be out at said property glassing or hunting one of these evenings before xmas.
I'll have more answers come february 3rd if I went about things the right way or not this season! Hopefully before then!
