Archer58
It looks to me David has your post covered pretty well..... If there is that much pressure on your hunting setups by small gamers and uplanders I would suggest hugging some of the thickest most reclusive areas you can find.
From mid October on should be the best time for your buck sightings. I would suggest to "look from the outside in" on your hunting grounds, what the pressure is and where it is coming from and relocate to an area where you can take advantage of the pressure.... Much like if you were gun hunting.
So you guys never relocate a stand during the season?
Where I hunt there are about 5 deer per square mile and if the group shifts to another area you pretty much have to find it and set up there. Some times I will check the amount of sign around my stands or check other areas and ponder moving a stand... maybe I should stop doing this
Jim
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I relocate and hunt different stands all the time.... I have a bunch of lock ons set up and use my climber frequently. When I go to a pre-hung stand or use my climber I use my best effort to be as low impact as possible in route to and from my setups.
My area fortunately has a higher deer density then your area does. Sorry I don't have any advice, as I do not want to speak of what I know not.