Questions on stand placement for a rookie bow hunter

[CarpetBagger]

Ok guys and gals, this had probaly been beaten to death on here, but the search on the site never works so ill just ask again.

Im new to bow hunting. We primarily hunt a private farm during gun season and mainly harvest does cause we see a ton of them. Thisyear we have setup a few stands for archery. YesterdayI spent 8 hours in a tree on a property where we have not seen alot of big bucks, but have seen alot of evidence of them (rubs, scrapes, ect). I had a doe move in on me at first light, and did not see another deer all day.

I guess i probaly need to do some more scouting, and maybe set up a camera on a few trails.

The farm we hunt is pretty much surrounded by corn fields (they are cutting them all now so that willchange by mid month) There is a center field where they have livestock that graze daily (sheep) Between the corn and the livestock grazing area there is a good strip of woods where we have positioned the tree stands in the center of the area...

We have treestands set up in the strip of woodedarea between the corn and the livestock area...

I have included a pic i just made of the area...would like to see your opinion on our stand placement and maybe some ideas of where else to consider....

[Spearchucker]

Any additional Info, like trails leading out into the Corn feilds? If you have hunted it before, any scrape lines from previous years suggesting established scrape lines/travel corridors?

there is no substitue for feild time when it comes to hanging a stand. Find well used trails, get a trail cam out there to check places you suspect they are travelling. If you only have one cam, move it every 4-5 days, to try and scout new places. At this point your only using it to try and confirm your stand location, and not pattern a big buck (but hey if you get one on cam bonus!)

The Stand labelled Jeff's stand, I would consider moving it a little West, in the middle of that strip of bush between the 2 fields. walk it, and see if you can find any game trails, and set it in a place where you can see fairly well.

That's really my only suggestion without knowing how the deer travel on this peice of land. In 2-3 weeks when the deer start hitting the cut fields, you might want to spend a day glassing it, and find out where they are coming into the field and set up 50yrds back on the trail in.

[CarpetBagger]

We have the stands off the deer trails...pretty much set up for a shot on them....

Jeff's Stand, thats my stand. I think i probaly am going to move that on up towards the corn. While hunting yesterday they were running the combine up in the corn field...

Any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

I think im gonna goout on sunday next week and check out the area again and do a good look over of the area by the corn fields...

[CarpetBagger]

im gonna bump this in hopes for more info and opinions

[RockinChair]

What kinda hardwoods are you hunting?

[CarpetBagger]

Its mostly maples and others...i have some rubs in the area, but i think I am hunting too far back from the fields....

[tmontgo1]

What ya need to do is some scouting and see how the deer move between the fields. In early season does and bucks dont nesecarily take the same trails like they do in the hard rut. Do some scouting and see what ya see.

[RockinChair]

ORIGINAL: CarpetBagger

Its mostly maples and others...i have some rubs in the area, but i think I am hunting too far back from the fields....

I'd actually think it would be the opposite. Being this early in the season the bucks would be coming into the fields right at dusk. So hunting deeper in the woods should increase your chances of getting him in between his bed and the field. But you are hunting it, not I. My best advice would be to set up some trail cams and see when and where they are moving the best during the day.

[brown_boy09]

Did you get that topo view off of the internet somewhere? I can never find a very good site with a clear image.