Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

I learn a lot from these threads so I wanted to post one more. This is my buddies property (APAJaws) in central NY that I hunt VERY hard every year. The age structure of the bucks on this property is amazing for the northeast, wehad multiple encounters with5 seperatebucks @ 3.5 or better last year, and we know3 of them are still around and there were countless 2.5 year olds that should be still around.

It is a real joy hunting this place, this will be the 8th year of QDMA practiced on this property (except for 86 year old grandpa [8D]) and the results are amazing. There are only 3x of us that bowhunt this hard so there really isn't much pressure until gun season.

The red dots are stands, and the yellow spots are our foodplots. We hunt climbers from a LOT of other places as well all over this property as well, so don't be afraid to point something out that is out of the way.

Where would you hunt and why?

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

This is what you do;
Take a real deal hardcore hunter. Set him up in a thick spot early in the AM and tell him not to move until dark, because the big boy is coming. You go back to the truck and drive to his place where his hot wife is waiting for something to do and sad since being left alone. You then explain that if you were her man, you'd never go hunting, or do any other stupid "man stuff". Later that evening you pick up the hunter and take him back home like any good friend would. It also helps to leave some of your dirty laundry around the area that your buddy will be hunting since you don't really want to have to help him drag a deer around that night, since you'll probably be tired.
Good luck I hope it works out,
KP

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

looks like you guys have done a good job. all stands on the flats leading to food areas........depending on your guys season....and how far down the ridge the deer are bedding you may want to consider dropping some stands a little down the ridge from the first "bend" at w hills rd.. on the left side of the road....also again depening on your season....how are the herds closer to the water down the ridge????

but other then that that is looking very good IMO

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

RJ:

I'd hunt it..........Upon receipt of an invitation!!;):)

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

Hunt off of the road during traffic. check the "Would You" thread.

Seriously it looks likethe south endof the aerial photo, where the two roads cross. Right at your boundary where it makes a sharp bend and back. Heck man, check there.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

From looking at the setup, I believe a little to much emphasis is being put on the food sources. Early and late season these stands could produce but for the rut I think setting up more on the terrain features will bump up your odds.

Lot's of funnels on the southern portion of the map. That flat area to N NE and E of the swamp looks to be some good chasing grounds.

On the east side of the property just below your southern most food plot are those rows of pines that are planted?

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

I agree with Buckeye. You've also got a steep drop down toward the creek. I bet deer parallel thatcreek and there are some good crossings. Also, I see a nice choke point in the lower center portion of the aerial where there looks to be a couple of clearings separated by a strip of woods. Areas like this always seem to hold some traffic.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

Yes, planted pines aboutall 15-18" in diameter or so now.The stand just west of them on that hard edge where they break into hardwooeds and the elevation slopes offI had a pretty nice 110-115" buck walk by at 50 yards that I didn't want to chance a shot on.My half rack 3.5 year old I shot in rifle season came out of there too and one of the other guys had an encounter with the one we found dead there also.

Most of the mature buck sightings over the last 2-3 years have been in the terrain funnels on the south and west sides,mostly on the west side though. The three standsfurthest west produced 4 encounters with mature bucks within 50 yards this year including one real slammer in the 150+ range, however that area is void of deer untilseeking and chasing starts.

Haven't been up around the north/east side of that swamp much. That is really big woods in there with a lot of HUGE hemlocks. Going to have to get in there maybe and poke around to see what is in there. What would you be looking for in there? It's pretty open without many terrain features to funnel them around............there really isn't any pressure in there until rifle season.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

Is that swamp bedding territory?

The southern portion of that swamp looks like it gradually sweeps down to your food plot sites.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

I agree also.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

Sometimes you have to make a funnel. I hunt river bottom and it is pretty open also. Sometimes a down tree can help. I use them to guide the deer in my direction. Spot where I have shot some bucks the deer have to walk around the downtree. With the river behind me I have created a nice funnelwhere I did not have one before.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

Yes, you can't really see it well but there are actually 2x areas of the swamp. The "upper swamp" is what you see on that topo, and then just south of the stream that you see coming out of it on the topo is another stream that appears, that flat section north of the second stream, east of the roadis the "lower swamp". The lower swamp is used as bedding cover all year by does and small bucks that hammer those food plots and the upper swamp is typically used by bigger bucks as cover when the pressure is on. That mature hemlock stand north and northeast of the "upper swamp" is actually public property and when it is hit hard LOTS of big bucks go into that swamp. Dan's dad went 3 for 3 on mature bucks there about 10 years ago during rifle season including a 138" 11 point.

The big buck I sent you pics of dead was found in the stream coming south out of the "upper swamp" about 100 yards in from the road. They have certain crossings on that stream they use to cruise by the lower swamp, but the big boys don't hang out in the lower swamp.........just cruise by it seems.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

We can do that. Dan's (APAJaws) dad is planning on new siding and porch for the camp and wehave been dropping hemlocks this summer to mill the siding from. Maybe we can drop some of those hemlocks and use the tops and limbs to make a funnel. This is what we have been doing in the foodplots, lining the sides of the foodplots with tree tops to make them come in where we want them to.......;)

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

Would you guys hunt the food sources during early season? What would be the game plan early season?

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

One more thing RJ in MI our swamps will have some high ground in the middle of them. It really hard to get to, but if there is some high ground with some white oak trees it can be lights out(as long as there acorns) Those mature deer will feed there until dark then head out to the edges at night fall(your food plots). The trick is getting there undected, because he is within 150 yds of it;)

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

Good call, I have only been around the edges of the swamp in there because it is soooooooo wet in there. I have hit spots that went over the top of my alpha burlys. Looks like I am gonna get wet next trip down there to see whats in the middle. Great advice.......keep it coming.

I am going to share this with APAJaws, I have been trying to get him on here more because he really is a heck of a hunter......I think he would love to see what you guys are commenting on.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

I choose to not hunt over any fields myself as I feel I am missing all the action back in the timber...... For a food source I would want to find some oaks within one or two hundred yards of bedding cover. This produces morning and evening.

Although if you do like to hunt over the plots, I would say yes, but only in the evenings.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

Gotcha. Also as an FYI, these plots with the exception of the one that is furthest southeast are all 1/4-1/2 acre plots landlocked in woods. We don't hunt the plots in the mornings either but do hunt them early season in the evenings. My favorite early season morning stand is the one furthest south just off that corner of the planted pines. They pop in and out of those pines all day long feeding on the oaks that are between the pines and the field.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

RJ this is what I would call an Inside Edge where two different enity of the woods meets. The pines and the Oaks another good early season spot IMO.

I love hunting those "inside edges" in the woods. Like Buckeye I do not hunt field edges anymore.

RE: Another how would you hunt this land thread - Topo and Aerial
 

If i were hunting there i think the third red dot from the left is where i would hunt,assuming your winds are mainly moving from north to south.;)