You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

Lets say you have 10 good spots to hunt based on a lot of information. You then try and determine which spots are better for the pre-rut and which are better for the rut. Since the pre-rut transitions into the rut through a period of days or weeks, then some stands are better suited for that transitional period while others are just to be used strictly during the pre-rut and others strictly during the full blown rut.

I was thinking of trying this out this year in attempts to keep a rotation of what places I will hunt based on my experience with the areas and just some overall feelings I have toward hunting in general. I am not trying to be robotic, just trying to tip the odds in my favor on each hunt by being a little more systematic. I am not claiming to know the breakdown of the rut dates, just using the below dates as an example....any suggestions guys? Any advice or experience based strategies are greatly welcomed!

For example:

P=Pre-rut
T=Transitional period
R=Rut

October 31st--Stand 1 P
Nov 1st--Stand 2 P
2nd---Stand 3 P
3rd -No hunting Sunday
4th -- Stand 1 P
5th--Stand 2 P
6th--Stand 3 P
7th--Stand 4 T
8th--Stand 5 T
9th--Stand 6 T
10th -No hunting Sunday
11th--Stand 4 T
12th---Stand 5 T
13th--Stand 6 T
14th--Stand 7 R
15th--Stand 8 R
16th--Stand 9 R
17th -No hunting Sunday
18th--Stand 10 R
19th--Stand 7 R
20th--Stand 8 R
21st--Stand 9 R
22nd--Stand 10 R

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

I wish I had that many options, but even if I did I don't know that I could script anything out with that kind of certainty without alternates due to weather and wind considerations.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

I don't have that many options....One large military base with a lot of land. Not great spots with a lot of deer/bucks...just my best options relative to everything else.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

Do you have backups plans though for if the wind is dead wrong for a stand you planned on sitting?

For example, say you have November 6th--Stand 3P and it is good for anything but a west wind and that is what you've got on the 6th. Would you then hunt say Stand 2?

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

Yes HB,--Any of the other places such as stands 1-3 are interchangeable based on them being labelled "P". And some of the places I call "stands" are really just small areas, not a specific stand sight per say..areas that I can adjust my climber based on the wind. And some of my "stands" are just that, very specific spots...gives me some flexiblity.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

I actually creat Excel spreadsheets by stand number, best wind, second best, PM, or AM. Takes a ton of time, but when you know the wind, you can just look at the list and pic a stand!

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

WKP--thanks for the tip. I might just do that to occupy my time for the next 2.5 weeks.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

I’ll script properties but not so much stand sites. There are a few stands that will get hit that first week of November regardless of wind, but other than that, hot sign and wind directs my actual stand choices.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

Yes i do, it's all based on food, beding, family groups and the lay of the land, wich changes from year to year.It's all stored in my head.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

gri22----so you just kind of put it all together and select a stand sight on a day to day basis or do you analyze a few days at a time?

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

1.I kind of put it all togither. I hunt scrapes between doe beding and feeding, prerut.

2.Funles, sadales, benches, and crows feet in transitonl period.

3. The thickest stuff I can find for the rut, if I can find all 3, I've hit pay dirt.

I know were this spot's are in my woods and they slowly change from year to year.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

gri22---Those three points you made is kind of how I am going about selecting my stand placement each day. I think the toughest time for me would be #3--the rut. I can't seem to place my stand correctly once the rut blows up..its like I am one step behind. Based on a lot of things I have read and discussed this year....I am going in deep and thick during the rut, being aggressive.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

What are you defining as transition?

I view things as erly pre-rut. Still in a mostly feeding stage, with some minor scraping, sparring, rubbing going on.

Late pre-rut starts the seek/chase phase. Bucks are up on their feet & cruising. Bumping the does that may or may not want any part of them. An early hot doe can make for some crazy action.

This seek/chase phase to me blends right into the full on rut where the bucks are locked up with the does and bucks are scrambling to get their action.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

I am defining the transition as being when the woods are beginning to shift from seeking/chasing to a complete lockdown on the does....kind of a toss up as to what is going on.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

Brett, take your topo's and find were the rub's and scrapsshow upyear after year. Compear that to the lay of the land, doe beding and primery food for that given time of the year. I have found scraps that have been worked, year after yearfor 20 years now, in the same spot.When I put it all togither, I was enlightened.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

gri22--you come highly recommended as very knowledgeable...I really appreciate you working with me. I scouted my rear off this year and found massive rubs and scrapes that seemed to ebb and flow through certain terrain features over probably 600 yards or so. They all led to a large pine bedding area on top of a steep hil...and this was almost a mile from any entrance point another hunter might use. That is just one example of a place I would like to hunt systematically. I do not want to move in to soon, but I want to move in and hunt it at the right time....some of the large rubs and scrapes occur in narrow drainage ditches. I probably found 4-5 scrapes half the size of the hood of my truck in January and February that led to large rubs about 30-40 yards off that one particular bedding area. I am just rambling now...again, thank you very much for helping me formulate a game plan so to speak.

And gri22--I used my GPS this year and marked all the relevant spots....then lined them up on a topo map---my goodness it gave me a real eye opener as to what I think is going on....that will be determined this year if all of the hard work scouting and learning topo maps pays off.

Brett

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

I havent tried it but sounds like a good plan ;)

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

Anyone else do anything similar?

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

AHhhhhhhhhhhhh... NO! I actually have a life and can think on my feet. I know after scouting where I want tobe and why. If the wind is wrong I know where I want to be and why. After I've hunted a spot I know I want to move and where and why. Somedays I'm a little brain dead and may just change my mind half way there. You can script all you want but around here the wind will screw up your plan about half way through the first day. No way in hell am I planning on where to sit 20 days out. You call it Scripting.... I call it wasted time and maybe even a tad anal.

RE: You guys ever "script" your hunts?
 

Ok. Like I said earlier, it is a general plan with a lot of room for flexibility. I have always been able to think on my feet and adapt, that is how I have always killed deer. I don't believe it is wasted time figuring out what spots are best when and then planning your hunting locations around a certain time frame. In fact, I think it is just the opposite of wasted time.

"AHhhhhhhhhhhhh... NO! I actually have a life and can think on my feet. I know after scouting where I want tobe and why. If the wind is wrong I know where I want to be and why. After I've hunted a spot I know I want to move and where and why."

I forgot David, you walk on water to and from your hunting spots and kill deer every other time out in the field.