This is my first year hunting (I'm 20) and I have access to a huge chunk of land near my house back home. Well over a thousand acres, it is about half woods, half restored prairie and crops. But I only can only hunt it for five days, Oct. 16-20. I have scouted once back in July and saw an awesome bachelor group and plenty of other deer and sign and marked it on my aerial photo and topo map. I think I have a general idea of what to hunt during that weekbut I heard its kind of a dead time of deer hunting. Hear is what I have put together so far....What do you think? If the saddles don't produce much in the first two days I might try and hunt near the oak flat from the ground.

Looks like you have a plan.

Like Hannibal Smith said, "I love it when a plan comes together." Good luck.

Hunt that oak Flat, are they Red oaks or White Oaks??? if their white (ooh baby) look out!!!!!

Just plan on hunting the whole week. You can live on power bars!!!!!

Well I might have to travel back and forth everyday for college.....its hard to miss advanced classes then making yourself bomb the big exams. But we will see what happens!

Find a trail into the cornfield also. They tear the corn up!

You should take a look at the tree line between the corn and soybeans at the bottom of your map. One of the areas that I hunt has the same thing and it is just dotted with trails crossing between the two.

Is that a river along the right side of the map? If it is, your water holes might not be as good as they look. If it isn't, those stand sites look good.

Good luck!

I also just noticed the sanctuary. Try the tree line along the edge of the soybean field to the right of the sanctuary. If the deer have been hunted before, they know where it is safe and probably bed down over there. It looks like you will have easy access to it from the road.

the treeline that boarders the sanctuary, as well as the southern and eastern edges of my boundaries, are public bike/walking trails. ive seen deer on them or near them but i would like to stay somewhat away from them for the respect of those using them at the time. and yes that is a river down the eastern side of the map. anyone have any ideas for the thick woods to the north?