New Hunting Property Help

[gpb1111]

Hello fellow hunters.

I've never posted on this site, but I've been staging for about 2 weeks. I used to post on Ohio Game fishing, but this sight is so much more informative.

The scenario:

I have been given permission to hunt a 100 acre property of mixed hardwoods, hay fields, & crop fields. There is one other person hunting the property and I have identified two treestands (in yellow). I didn't walk the whole property at this time of the year, so I'm unsure of other stands. The property has some topography (I'm used to nearly flat) along the creeks up into the fields. The property generally slopes uphill from the south. There is a large 200+ acre section of woods to the south and a 200+ acre section of woods leading north from the upper right section of the property on the other side of the road. Its farm country so there are crop fields all around, mainly to the east and west.

My son (7) and I will be hunting from the ground behind one of those camo sheets with posts that you just stick in the ground. I have multiple treestands I could put up. The yellow circle is a 50 yard radius or 100 yard diameter circle. That is the absolute max I would consider shooting my bow. My son is good to about 30 yards

My question: where would you suggest placing treestands and the ground blind for morning and evening hunts and what routes would you take to get there?

I put some red dots on the map and labeled them based on my thoughts.

I really look forward to all your wise input.

Jeff

 

[MK111]

Welcome to TOO. I really like that long strip of trees along the creek as it's a good looking pinch point travel route or should be. Place the stand so you can have a shoot on both sides of the creek if possible. That is if the wind is right to get in and out. Good luck.

 

[finelyshedded]

My best advice is this Jeff, BTW, welcome to TOO and good luck to you and your son!

Talk to the LO ask where they usually see the most deer feeding, biggest bucks moving across their fields and any other useful information. They live there or have tons of history you can use to cut to the chase.

Next, start sitting in observation stands or blind setups using binos and wind in your favor and scout and hunt a few days from a distance. When out walking the property look for old scarred over buck rubs as well as new ones and which side of the tree they are on. Usually they rub on the side they are coming from so use this sign to help determine where they are coming from and look for funnels in between those destinations like bedding and food or bedding to bedding.

Look for scat and tracks on your walks. Make mental notes where the best oak stands are in case we have banner acorn crops and buy a few cameras to help tell you what's moving around on your property you're hunting. It's something you and your son can do together also.

Basically get real familiar with this new property and soon you'll be zero'd into your best set ups and dragging out some nice deer! GOOD LUCK

 

[Hoytmania]

Looking at this I would start at the pinch point of the hour glass. Right where the corn field meets the bean field. Set up so you are between the pinch point and the creek. That way you can glass both fields in front of you and still observe the creek bottom and the third field behind you. It should also sit you within shooting range of three inside corners and the creek bottom. With the time of year it is that should be a high traffic area for bucks that are looking for a hot doe.

Best of luck and welcome to TOO!

 

[bowhunter1023]

My best advice is this Jeff, BTW, welcome to TOO and good luck to you and your son!

Talk to the LO ask where they usually see the most deer feeding, biggest bucks moving across their fields and any other useful information. They live there or have tons of history you can use to cut to the chase.

Next, start sitting in observation stands or blind setups using binos and wind in your favor and scout and hunt a few days from a distance. When out walking the property look for old scarred over buck rubs as well as new ones and which side of the tree they are on. Usually they rub on the side they are coming from so use this sign to help determine where they are coming from and look for funnels in between those destinations like bedding and food or bedding to bedding.

Look for scat and tracks on your walks. Make mental notes where the best oak stands are in case we have banner acorn crops and buy a few cameras to help tell you what's moving around on your property you're hunting. It's something you and your son can do together also.

Basically get real familiar with this new property and soon you'll be zero'd into your best set ups and dragging out some nice deer! GOOD LUCK

I'll dig a little deeper in to this tomorrow, but Ric has given you some sound advice to start with.

 

[hickslawns]

Ric (finelyshedded) has some great points. Hoytmania called out the first one which came to mind for me. Straight down from the wooded strip running N/S. Middle of the hourglass. I liked the description.

On the north end there is a secluded field. Surrounded by woods on all sides. I think I would check for sign in this area. The other thing I would do is see how deep the creek is. Can it be walked? Find your creek crossings. Most heavily used creek crossings will tell you something.

 

[Hoytmania]

Tried to add this picture to original post but it wouldn't let me add a pic from the edit feature. I put a little blue mark in the spot I was referring to. There is a lot of great looking habitat on this property.

 

[gpb1111]

Thanks for the advice so far guys.

Finelyshedded- I don't really know the LO and he hasnt hunted for 20 years. I just knocked on some doors and he was nice enough. Need more people like him.

Went out this afternoon after work. Didnt really scout the property to much because I didnt want to leave a bunch of scent, but I went down to point D and found a treestand already up in that location. I put the ground blind down with my son, but we got skunked. It was really warm so not too surprised. The elevation around the creek in that area is really deep. It is around 30 feet on the sides. Found a little rub line coming up into the soybean field. Learned a few things on the outing.

Hoytmania & Hickslawns- I really like that idea. Im going to that blue spot next time as long as the wind is right. Which way would you enter with a typical W to SW wind?

Hickslawns- are you talking about the soybean field by the road? You thinking at point F?

 

[hickslawns]

Secluded section of field north of power line, east of creek. Just a sliver of field. That could be a secluded spot they are comfortable feeding in during daylight.

 

[rgecko23]

Tried to add this picture to original post but it wouldn't let me add a pic from the edit feature. I put a little blue mark in the spot I was referring to. There is a lot of great looking habitat on this property.

View attachment 37963

I really like that spot too.

 

[gpb1111]

Tried to add this picture to original post but it wouldn't let me add a pic from the edit feature. I put a little blue mark in the spot I was referring to. There is a lot of great looking habitat on this property.

View attachment 37963

I'm in the pinch point as suggested. Seen 2 bucks, 2 does, and some turkey. Thanks for the suggestion!

 

[gpb1111]

 

[rsmith]

Now that looks like a kill spot if you ask me! Good luck man! Should be a great spot. Enter walking right along that creek/stream and maybe put a stand 20 yards to the East of the Y in the creek. I always love hunting close to creeks and that Y in the creek would cause deer to funnel one way or another and they would probally rather funnel to the south east bean field rather than the east field. Just how I look at it but walking right in along that creek would really help with breaking up and covering your scent on entrances as well. Or maybe put a stand on the north side of the Y in the creek so you can overlook both east and west of the creek and get a shot off both sides.

 

[gpb1111]

Now that looks like a kill spot if you ask me! Good luck man! Should be a great spot. Enter walking right along that creek/stream and maybe put a stand 20 yards to the East of the Y in the creek. I always love hunting close to creeks and that Y in the creek would cause deer to funnel one way or another and they would probally rather funnel to the south east bean field rather than the east field. Just how I look at it but walking right in along that creek would really help with breaking up and covering your scent on entrances as well. Or maybe put a stand on the north side of the Y in the creek so you can overlook both east and west of the creek and get a shot off both sides.

So you think I should walk in along the creek bed or not actually in the creek? I noticed the NE field is loaded with clover and saw multiple deer feeding in it at dusk. So Maybe walking the creek bottom before light for a morning hunt might be a good idea. Thoughts?

 

[rsmith]

So you think I should walk in along the creek bed or not actually in the creek? I noticed the NE field is loaded with clover and saw multiple deer feeding in it at dusk. So Maybe walking the creek bottom before light for a morning hunt might be a good idea. Thoughts?

Well it depends on how deep with water the creek is. If it's a couple inches deep and mostly small pebbles and easy to walk with a easy wall to climb to get out of than by all means walk in it. Would make it a little easier and quieter. But I think you would be fine walking along side it as well. And for hunting the NE field did you see where the entered or exited by chance? That would be a game changer for you if you did. But my thoughts would be maybe put a stand just a little north of the blue dot either in the small stretch of trees in between the bigger NE field and the small little field to the west of the large field. Just walk along the creek to about the middle of the field, than either hang a stand right there and so you can hunt the creek and also the smaller, more secluded field. Or if no deer are in the field and you're real sneaky sneak across the field and put a stand in the small section of trees running between the two. Only problem is you would only be able to hunt that stand on a south wind due to deer in the front and rear. So maybe just a stand where the creek runs closest to the smaller field and catch them crossing on either end. That's just what I would do though. Maybe someone else can chime in and maybe help out a little more