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-   -   BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ??? (https://www.huntingnet.com/forum/bowhunting/115449-big-bucks-thick-cover.html)

Sq2Hunter 10-04-2005 11:22 AM

BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 
After reading countless acticles on how big bucks will hide out in the heaviest of cover during most of the daylight hours, it only seems logical to hunt in the thickest cover i can find. I know that i have a really THICK piece of woods that is near a food source and Water source but the problem that i am having is:

1: Trying to get in there and hang a stand quietly
2: Having shooting lanes.

When i say thick, i mean on your hands and knees crawling to get through some of this crap. It dosent surprise me that there would be deer in there, im just looking for some ideas to make it easier.


hvyhitter19 10-04-2005 11:32 AM

RE: BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 
I love hunting the thick cover... But better then being in it, I sit on the edges... You won't be able to get in there without disturbing everything... So setup 20 yards from the edge of it, where trails come out into open woods, ect... And you'll have a Hot Spot especially for the Rut... I have killed MANY bucks using this approach...

davidmil 10-04-2005 11:53 AM

RE: BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 
Crawling on your hands and knees territory is too thick. You need to have low impact entrance and exits. If it's super thick but has some hole in it or small openings then they're great. You don't need a wide open woods to shoot. When people start talking about "Shooting lanes" I just kind of cringe. I hate cutting anything that attracts animals or people to my passing. I'd rather have 3 or 4 holes to shoot through and take my chances. I set up in many places where a deer can be 10 yards away but I couldn't get a bullet to him....but I will have some holes. You have to beable to get in quietly, stinky free etc. Crawling on your hands and knees, pushing back limbs, breaking trail etc do neither of these. Sometimes it may be necessary to wait for daylight to enter, but do it quietly and stinky free. If it's too thick, hunt the edges, always being mindful of where the deer will come from at the time of day you're hunting and where the wind is.

PABowhntr 10-04-2005 11:58 AM

RE: BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 

Crawling on your hands and knees territory is too thick.
I agree and think the rest of David's post is right on as well. You need to find a happy medium. Thick in that the deer would consider it safe but not too thick so that you cannot shoot in it without cutting down alot of limbs/twigs, etc... Like David I look for a thick area with plenty of small openings or clearings in it. These are my "honey holes" where I most often find deer and deer that relaxed.

RWK 10-04-2005 12:11 PM

RE: BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 
Sg2 open up some exit and shooting lanes now, you'll be set for next year,it's to late for this season.

livbucks 10-04-2005 02:19 PM

RE: BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 
Can be done.... cut an access trail to your stand but cut it very narrow and cut it in a winding pattern so you can't look down it very far. Put lots of turns or bends in the trail. Place your stand very high and somewhat close to suspected travel routes, say 10 yards or so, because it will be tough to shoot much further. You will need a fairly downward shot on the deer to avoid branches. Better practice shooting downward at close range before season too. I have hunted directly over trails when I had to and have looked at deer through the steel grating on my stand.Wait for a good shot. Talk about close encounters!

davidmil 10-04-2005 04:11 PM

RE: BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 

cut an access trail to your stand
There in is the trap you MUST avoid, having a place you call "Your
Stand". When we get one of these we hunt it too much, too nonshalant etc etc. You can put one in there and you could cut a trail, but you're alerting the world to the place and the deer to your presence. there isn't a deer that lives there that can't be taken some where else and not know it's coming.

livbucks 10-04-2005 06:08 PM

RE: BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 
When I say trail. I mean just barely enough to get you through and in a winding pattern so as to not be obvious. It should narrow enough so as to be still be somewhat difficult to travel. Just enough to get you there.

bigbuck15 10-04-2005 06:14 PM

RE: BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 
i say if the the big bucks in your area are in that really deep thick cover..hunt the edges of it..they gotta come out somtime..you put the time in andthe results will show..

livbucks 10-04-2005 06:17 PM

RE: BIG bucks in THICK cover ... ???
 

ORIGINAL: davidmil

There in is the trap you MUST avoid, having a place you call "Your
Stand". When we get one of these we hunt it too much, too nonshalant etc etc. You can put one in there and you could cut a trail, but you're alerting the world to the place and the deer to your presence. there isn't a deer that lives there that can't be taken some where else and not know it's coming.
We make it a policy to hunt aplaced stand only a day or two per week and then only if the wind is perfect that day. I know what you mean about having the deer in the area pattern YOU and ruining a good stand for the year. They do catch on rather quick. When rutting activity begins to pick up it can become easier because the bucks passing thru are traveling from other areas and sometimes not aware that the spot has been hunted recently, and sometimes they don't really care at that point.


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