I love being around water when I hunt. I also love to hunt off the beaten path. I have killed some deer around lakes before but never really studied or have tried to understand their "pattern" as they move around lake edges. From your experiences, how common do you think it is to find deer around the areas marked "2", "15" and "16" on the map below, considering that these areas had no direct vehicle traffic? The map below is not a place I actually hunt, just used for representation. Thanks all for any advice or tips.

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Droptine, I really appreciate you taking the time to post that reply. It certainly gives mealot of ideas. Thank you.

There must be a lake blue print out there,..... It looks just like my lake

Oh yeah, I hunt over there in the stuff on the north east side...(south wind)

I would be more inclined to hunt the outside corners not the inside corners

Good point magic....while I was turkey hunting this spring I found an outside corner to hunt and had 5 deer walk within 40 yards of me. Was a cool sight with the lake in the background. I am gonna do some scouting tomorrow and Saturday to look at some spots on the map around one of the lakes I hunt.

I read up alot on deer and water. It appears they are great swimmers, and will not hesitate swimming miles to cross lakes. I have hunted Lake Anna andthe two rivers that flow into Louisa where my land is.

I have noticed that deer will bed down close by the creeks, tributaries, and of course as close between ag fields and the water as they can. It is a sound I love to hear when a whiteail jumps in a creek and swims, walks, or simply cools off in the streams.

If its in their environment, certainly look for figers, funnels, creek crossing, and bedding areas close by their well used trails. I read one place where a deer was spotted 5 miles from sight of land, so we know they will cross a lake and join up with herds on the other side.

I was fishing in the James River, 30 ft deep and the current was moving pretty well. I noticed two heads in the water, paddled the canoe over to them and could reach out to touch them so we know the are not at all againstcrossing large bodies of water.

When you come down, the two rivers we hunt near are the North and South Anna rivers. You will be suprised at the trails that go to one shore, dissappear and end up on the other shore a good 40 yrds just to get to food.

Cool Hoyt, thanks for the info. I am a creek bottom hunter at heart. I love to be next to water when I hunt. I am gonna get back in deep on at least one lake I hunt around here in the next few days. Start formulating a game plan just in case I find what I am looking for in terms of food source.

I look forward to meeting up with you next weekend Hoyt. My wife/kids might come down and meet a friend of hers in Chesterfield while I am hanging out swinging machetes with you! Then she can just pick me up later when I am a puddle of sweat.

Brett

I forgot to tell you guys. I have seen many deer walk out into the middle of ponds and put their heads underwater to eat something growing in the pond. I can't for the life of me figure out what they are eating. The guys at the deer check on the base never believe me when I tell them this each year.

Wait a minute, I have a 4 yr old that always wants to know who Im going with. Not sure how old yours are, but my family would love to feed you, maybe steaks on the grill later on after our day in the woods. How old are the kids?