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Old 11-20-2012, 02:08 PM
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Schobs
Typical Buck
 
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Heaven, WI
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20 acres isn't really a lot of land, but there are some things you can do to up your chances. First thing is you need to scout the whole property. Figure out where they're bedding and where they're feeding. 20 acres might not be enough to have both a primary bedding area and a primary food source, so it might help to look at some aerial photos of the neighbors' property to figure out where each of these "zones" are. Once you do that, it's a matter of positioning yourself between the bedding area and the feeding area when the deer are moving, using the wind to your advantage. Set up a couple different stands if you can, one for one wind direction, and one for another. Also keep an eye out for natural funnels, thick stands of trees or solid ground between wet, marshy areas that the deer would naturally prefer to move through.

Hunting 20 acres is a double-edged sword. You should be able to study the whole property pretty well and get the deer figured out, but it's not a lot of land and what you find might be just a bedding or feeding area, or neither, and in that case you need to improvise. Trail cameras are a great tool for figuring out what kind of deer are in an area, but the constant setting and checking of cameras is just like a billboard to smart bucks telling them something's not right in the area and they might learn to avoid it. Be smart about how and when you scout, and put in plenty of time on the stand.

Most things I've read lately say the rut is already over, which means the bucks should now be looking to put on some weight. That means your best bet at catching a buck on its feet during shooting hours are first thing in the morning when a buck is sneaking back to his bed, in midday when they get up and move around and feed again while most hunters are in for lunch, or the last hour or two before dark when the bucks get out of their beds to feed again.

If I were you, my plan would be to hunt downwind of the entrance/exit to a bedding area in the morning and evening, and a primary food source midday. In another 3-4 weeks it would also pay to keep an eye on those bedding areas again, as the younger does and any other does not bred the first time around come into estrus again. Those bucks will spend time scent checking in and downwind of the does' bedding area.

Good luck.
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