I hunt a property that borders a river and it is highly travelled by big bucks during the rut. Its like a highway for them.
new property
- Thread starter FireManBowHNTR
- Start date
I hunt a property that borders a river and it is highly travelled by big bucks during the rut. Its like a highway for them.
Agreed. I also like the corners of the fields near the pond. Same idea, hunt on a S wind with the pond at your back. I also like the area along the gas/electric line RW if it is grown up. If that right of way is grown up, you can bet deer will walk that edge.
Most of the pinch points and travel corridors have been mentioned. I would also walk that river bottom and see if there is any significant crossings. That may give another place to set depending on your ability to enter and exit. This will give you an idea of how they may travel that river bottom.
X2
I have always wanted a spot I could access via canoe. Pretty much zero impact nine times out of ten
Boarhead made an excellent point. Don't wait until spring. Snow helps to find bedding areas. Snow or post snow (Feb-March pre-greenup) is an amazing time to learn in the woods. The main deer trails will look like absolute cow paths. With the woods naked and the grasses in the fields beaten down after winter. . . . Unbelievable time to learn in the woods.
Lundy
Member
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Is this for hunting with a gun or bow?
Any natural obstruction that funnels deer traveling through a reduced area, like the west end of the pond to the creek. That is only a little over 100 yds
I would determine where the deer cross the creek, can they cross anywhere or are there only a couple of crossing locations?
You have a lot of woods to the NW. Where do they cross to enter the woods around the pond?
Food source in the fields?
Prominent wind direction?
These are some of the first things I would look at if the property was mine. There is no substitute however to walking the property and seeing everything that a google earth picture can never show
Any natural obstruction that funnels deer traveling through a reduced area, like the west end of the pond to the creek. That is only a little over 100 yds
I would determine where the deer cross the creek, can they cross anywhere or are there only a couple of crossing locations?
You have a lot of woods to the NW. Where do they cross to enter the woods around the pond?
Food source in the fields?
Prominent wind direction?
These are some of the first things I would look at if the property was mine. There is no substitute however to walking the property and seeing everything that a google earth picture can never show
Thank you guys so much for the help. I'm going to hunt it tomorrow. I'm not 100% sure where they enter n exit. Calling for 5 mo winds outa the N
motorbreaker
*Supporting Member I*
Looks like a nice piece of property to me. plenty of spots to hang a stand. I like to scout while shed hunting in late winter-early spring. Good luck.
I saw 3 doe at 4 pm. came walking right down the trail I was hunting off of. Already got a doe in Oct, so really looking for head gear. So frustrating. Ive been bow hunting 7 years and have not taken a buck with my bow. Ive passed on what seems like 2 dozen hat racks. oh well Im gonna keep at it. The property shouldnt be gun hunted so Ill let it rest until a few days after gun, and hope to get back out there. But In the mean time grabbing my blaze orange, and headed to Noble county
I'd hunt that property all weekend then stay out during gun week. Its going to warm up next week, might be tough to get on one with a bow because of the temps.
welp, i put two cameras out there, and i dumped a but load of corn out there over one of my cameras. I have 8 bucks feeding in it. one being a nice 9pt. Id have to say mid 130's. hes a main frame 8 with what from I can tell decent brows. Hes in the pile every night around midnight, and again around 5 am just about every day. I dont think he will be showing himself until a good cold front moves in. The rest of the bucks are hat racks, and one thats really wide but is like a 4 or 6. I am not to educated on aging deer. Im going to continue to keep it baited good and '' attepmt to hunt him smart". any advise on late leason hunting over bait on a nocternal deer.
If he is hitting it regularly, try to pin down where he is bedding. Maybe move the trail cameras a bit to see if you can figure out where he is entering the corn? Or. . . snag a stand location in a safe area, down wind of the deer. I have some stands which are nothing more than observation stands. I know the chances of shooting a deer in bow range is slim, but I can see a long way and help get a better idea of where I need to be set up.
Hortontoter
Senior Member
IMO the corn will make the bigger bucks more nocturnal. A heavy snow may drive them to the corn in daylight, but still not likely. I bought a feeder six years ago thinking it would make taking bucks a cinch. I was SO WRONG. I haven't had corn in this feeder for four years. All it did was make hunting harder due to the bucks only visiting during darkness. I've since then found the best pinch points on my property and concentrate my hunting there.
That's the feeders fault. Not corn. Feeders and mature bucks don't mix in daylight.