I have land to hunt this year that I've never hunted. I've got a couple spots I'd like to scout in the mornings.....but I don't have a good vantage point that I don't feel like I wouldn't get busted from if I was on the ground.

So.....I just bought myself a new climber......wanna test it out....and have 3 weeks to go before the season begins.

Would you feel "OK" going into an area (going in clean) to simply sit a morning?.......no weapon (of course)

Anyone do this?

Jeff, I have done this before for the same reasons as you. To get up high to glass several different fields. I was in a stand that i most likely wouldnt have deer coming by too close so it was fine. I wouldnt go close to the area you plan hunting, but i think that if you are going to stay back and just glass it would definately be a good idea...

Kill two birds with one stone, learning about your new climber and scouting at the same time!

Personally Jeff no with the season being this close. I am only going to watch from a distance.

I have done this in the past but I wouldn't do it again unless I was a good distance from the areas I fully intend on sitting in season.

Jeff...i sat last nite...our season opens spet 13... it felt good to sit again and i'm not worried about educationg the deer....they will get an education later this season (lol)....but i have a different outlook on 'staying away' from potential sites than most....

I think it depends on the area. I hunt public land that sits on the edge of the WI River, so there is constantly fisherman (myself included) stomping through the woods all the time and at all times of day/night. I wouldn't think twice about sitting in stand for a little while to do some scouting.

Here's the spot I wanna go into.....and here's "why".

1. I have never set foot on this little corner of woods. I'd like to know if there's anything moving through...and HOW they're moving through. I know there's deer, here....but their travel pattern on this little block is a mystery to me. Gri22 has helped me a LOT (Duke, too.....thanks, guys) with this parcel....but this area is a mystery.

2. I can glass the grass field from here and see the movements in the woodlot to the north....I think.

3. It's 7-800yds from where I wanna be opening day evening.....and probably over a mile from where i'll likely be opening morning.

The green dot on the lower SE side of the aerial is the spot I wanna climb into.

Would ya?

If it's the LW that was discussed earlier, I'll be interested in your test results.

Jeff...your not even close to your other stands...If it were me..i would go in....you will not hurt anything concerning your other sites.

is that a creek just north/ northwest or a fenceline??

Edit....

Going by the scale....it's nearly a mile from the spot I wanna be opening day evening.....andcloser to 2miles from where I'll be opening day morning.

I'm thinking this is a fair distance.