OK guys (you know who you are)....I've GREATLY appreciated the help in the last few days RE: the topo of the land I acquired....and the strategies you've helped me form.
I've got a forecast NE wind, this afternoon.....and I'm wondering if what I've come up with looks like a SMART approach.
I think they're bedding in the pink areas. White spot is where I set up, Saturday night on a SW wind. That worked great....as I saw ALL bucks. Turquoise line is a gulch to the S. Yellow line is the trail the bucks took, Saturday. Wind is shown for this afternoon.
Can I go into the red dot spot today....without messing anything up for the future?
Thanks a lot for your input (all).
If nothing else....it would give me a chance to do some observing....and it would also allow me to map (glow tacks) a trail into that spot for a future AM hunt. I've also never been in this part of the woodlot....so it would act as a scouting mission while allowing me to hunt at the same time (might as well....while I'm in there, right?).
I know I"™m not the best at picking out all but the most obvious map spots, but your plan sounds like a good one to me.
I"™ll keep an eye on what others say too.
__________________
Just a regular guy who likes to hunt
Id enter and exit, as shown.....so as not to disturb anything to the E.
That turquoise line gulch is actually REALLY thick. The only thing that scares me is....they could be using this as a travel route....and my scent would be blowing in that direction. Hopefully....the thermals would keep my scent above them.....but I won't know until I get in there with a puffer.
How far from the red dot to the gulch and how deep is the gulch? I think that I'd be tempted to set up closer to the gulch and see if they are not using that as a travel route to the little finger field to the SW...with the 770 elevation mark.
__________________
Being in my treestand puts me 15 feet closer to God
How far from the red dot to the gulch and how deep is the gulch? I think that I'd be tempted to set up closer to the gulch and see if they are not using that as a travel route to the little finger field to the SW...with the 770 elevation mark.
Ditto, if you can get in early enough, I'd walk 75yrd SSE from your red dot to just were the light blue turns and angles SW. You might get bucks scent checking the bedding areas and gulch, the will walk E to W...
__________________
Hoyt VTEC 28" @ 74# 283 ft/s
GTProHunters 5575 wraped and Blazed
100 Grn Rcky Mtn Snypers & Stinger 4 Blade
STS, QAD Ultra Rest Pro
I was gonna guess 100yds....then I looked at the scale. That's about right.
But if they come down that gulch....and I'm to the N....I'm hosed!
Not necessarily... And for 2 reasons, number one, thermals aren't going to carry your scent that far or shouldn't unless they have pretty significant wind helping them, and if they are down in that deep gulch, there's a good likelihood, there may be and updraft moving north through it as I get in a lot of the ravines around her, regardless of what the prevailing wind is doing. Also, you can use that wind in your favor and let it carry a little attractant/curiosity scent towards the deer, maybe increasing your chances of an encounter. No going back to the map, I'm going with my original spot I said I would've gone, only maybe a little further south of it if you really are concerned about the wind.
Jeff I don't hunt the wind anymore, and I see a lot of deer when I'm out on the places I've scouted well. If you bathe in a low-odor or scent killing soap, and use a scent free detergent on ALL of your clothes, you can get away with more than you think. I'm actually glad to have a little wind blow from me TO where the deer are, because then I can mist a little scent their direction that my put them in my lap. The things I've found that make the BIGGEST difference, are wearing a facemask, and keeping my gear separate from where it can get dog hair/dander or whatever on it. Mainly I mean my boots, since everything else goes back into a duffle bag unless it's wet when it comes off, then they hang to dry and back in the bag they go. I also am thoroughly impressed with the Silver Ion Antimicrobial base layers as they have also made a bit of a difference for me IMHO. If you don't chew, don't worry about it, but I've also noted that on at least half a dozen occasions, deer licking up my spit puddle beneath my stand, which I don't consider a "reason to chew (loose leaf, not snuff/dip))," but I don't worry about it at all either.
Id enter and exit, as shown.....so as not to disturb anything to the E.
That turquoise line gulch is actually REALLY thick. The only thing that scares me is....they could be using this as a travel route....and my scent would be blowing in that direction. Hopefully....the thermals would keep my scent above them.....but I won't know until I get in there with a puffer.
But if you're set on hunting that spot, don't enter all the way up there, walk down the road and enter where you intend on exiting, I think you'll be less likely to bump something that you may have had an opportunity at otherwise.
OH thanks....and I do all the scent control things you do.....but I'm still gonna play the wind, there. Call me a new "believer". I'm just not willing to chance it.
You're likely right on the entrance, too....and it's really a lot easier to go in, there. Makes sense.
I'm gonna go in and look around....and find the spot that just "looks" like it's THE spot. it worked the other day...and I think I know what to look for, now. I keep thinking about something Duke told me a while back...."Hang to kill". I had thought cautiously, originally, but if I'm going "in"....I'm gonna hang in the best spot the wind will allow me to get to....be that on that ridge or nearer to that gulley. Like I said....I hope I know it when I see it.
More topo strategy...
)....I've GREATLY appreciated the help in the last few days RE: the topo of the land I acquired....and the strategies you've helped me form.
