This might be like feeding the sharks, butI'll do itanyway.I have hunted on the edge of this roughly 16-20 acre thicket (I've shown this pic several times before) 32 times this season. Thirty of those times were from the same stand site. Now, I realize the first thing someone's going to think/say is this guy's not a real smart hunter, and is overhunting that spotBIG TIME!
Now, let me explain a few things about this area. First of all it's public land, where folks are constantly walking/hiking, horseback riding, and obviously hunting. These deer see/smell humans on a daily basis. This large thicket has a 20ft wide, tallgrassy path that runs right down the middle of it. It was actually a farmers field a long time ago, and has since grown back to become the thicket that it is today.
There are only TWO ways to get to the back of it, due to the way this land is layed out.One is through the woods on the back side of it, which means you disturb the woodsmaking a lot of noise getting back there. Or go down the grassy path which allows for a totally silent approach, which is what I choose to do.
I almost always have the proper wind for hunting this area.Anywind is great for this spot except for a N orNE, which I won't hunt.I'm able to get into this spot litterally without making a sound. In fact, yesterday at 1:00PM, I no soonerclimbed with my LW, got set, was nocking an arrow and this doe was feeding right on the edge of the thicket! She obviously she didn't hear or scent me coming in. She didn't come the extra 10yrds that I needed for the shot.[&o]I have yet to get busted by a deer from this stand this entire year.
This is also the same stand where I let that 6pt & 8pt walk earlier in the season. I haven't been seeing very many deer this season at all, but I don't think for a moment it's because I'm over hunting this spot. All of the other hunters I've spoken to at the parking area haven't seenmany deer this year either, for whatever reason. All I'm getting at is if you hunt a given stand site with the right wind direction, and you can get in/out quietlywithout alerting deer, you're not overhunting it. JMHOHere's the doe from yesterday.