Finding major sign at a little hot spot I hunt. I honestly am a little unsure as to where and what the big buck in my are is doing completely. What I do know is this little pinch point is a popular spot for him this past week.

The details are:

-It's at the inside corner of a standing corn feild (soon to be cut I am sure)
-the small ravine is steep and creates a nice pinch at the corner.
-I have found scrapes in the bush off the feild and one scrape whihc is huge and has been re-worked right in the corner infront of the stand.
-the rubs go in 2 distanct directions but only around this area. I could not find any more whihc showed me his further travel route.
-the public trail is very close and he sure ain't cruising near it anytime during the day on a regular basis
-wind is fairly regular but occasionally it gets a south/sw wind. Have never really seen any sort of east wind here




I have my thoughts on when and how I should hunt this stand and when I "want" to hunt it. Curious to hear some expert opinions. Ask away on any questions which you feel are relevant to your answer. I have a pretty thorough understanding of my property and I can only guess on the neighbours since I don't have access there.

I think i would hang a stand at that pinch point between the field corner and the ravine. When the rut gets going bucks will be using that funnel to get to the doe bedding areas, and you can use the corn field to get in undetected.

Nice diagram! You spent some time on that didn't you. I'd say according to your diagram, you're in the right spot, it's just a matter of being there at the right time. In my opinion, you should see more deer once the corn field has been cut. I'm sure they're traveling through the field now and won't be doing that (at least as much)during daylight hours after it's been cut. I don't know how you are entering the stand, but it looks like the easiest way would be from the public walking trail, but you need to make sure you've got the right wind before you hunt this stand or you may blow your chances completely. The first day you get a southerly wind, I'd be ready to hit this stand, untill you get that wind situation, stay clear of it. Let the deer get comfortable travelingyour property and let your neighbors pressure the deer. Good luck.

It actually is already. I didn't give scale but there is 30 yds to that pinch point from the stand. There is also a clear opening directly in front that 'forces' the deer to enter/exit the feild from this point (where the big scrape is). good tree that branches into 3 trunks and so it offers great cover to my outline.

The south wind comment is well taken. That was part of my thought as well. It's tough to sit and wait for a wind that happens only once in awhile versue the prevailing winds indicated.

I am marking where to get at it from the public trail as well.

At this time of year (pre-rut) what time of day are you sitting here?

Hunt high and stay clean. I would try a 10am to 2 pm approach after the does come through, I bet you would catch him working that scrape.

looks like you got the spot, hunt it when the wind is right when the bucks are crusing over to the doe bedding areas