Let's Play It Again...Pick Me a Spot.
10-30-2008, 07:35 AM
#1
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cogan Station, PA
Posts: 2,298
Let's Play It Again...Pick Me a Spot.
Ok, this constant NNW/W wind and my recent observations of the deer in my area all coupled with the upcoming rut and ZERO signs of it occurring on my property at this point as me a bit perplexed. So I'm reaching out for some opinions (I suppose you could say I'm losing a little confidence). Tonight, winds will be out of the W and NW 8-15mph. Here is a map of my property:
The map is oriented with N/W/S/E as up, left, down, and right respectively. The white is my property line. The yellow dots are my hang-on locations. I have a climber I'm using to keep protable, and will probably take out tonight if I don't hit one of those spots. The food plot is getting hit hard. I've not hunted it one time this season and not seen a deer. Last night I had 5 come in again. The problem with this, is I never know where they will enter. The orange lines surrounding it are their various entrances as of this season. The last two sits there, however, they've come in to the east (off the property), with a West wind. Luckily I wasn't busted, but I'm continually hunting this stand in hopes of a buck EVENTUALLY tagging along, but the yearlings were still hanging around last night, so I'm not sure.
The red areas are known areas for bedding, although not consistant. The orange lines to the north of the map, are areas I've seen deer traveling when hunting that end (which is rare that I do). The blue circle to the north was where my dad spotted a buck last night (about 7:20pm, though). The deer really aren't entering those fields much in the legal times, so I've avoided much of it for this season, but I need to move out of the SE part of the property some (I think) to lessen the pressure. That NW corner that's across the road is small (we only own a couple of acres over there looks promising as no one has ever hunted there ever, but it's too close to the road I think (it is a low traffic road).
The spot in the center far western edge of the map in between the two bedding areas produced my doe last season, and has only been hunted once this season (saw nothing), but I'm considering it tonight. The problem is there are bedding areas (or possible ones) on both sides, so the wind can be tricky.
Basically, I KNOW where the does are at (almost every night they are in that food plot and the pasture just north of it), but I'm seeing ZERO signs of bucks (even 1.5yr olds). Should I be patience and continue hunting the SE part of the property or spread out?
The map is oriented with N/W/S/E as up, left, down, and right respectively. The white is my property line. The yellow dots are my hang-on locations. I have a climber I'm using to keep protable, and will probably take out tonight if I don't hit one of those spots. The food plot is getting hit hard. I've not hunted it one time this season and not seen a deer. Last night I had 5 come in again. The problem with this, is I never know where they will enter. The orange lines surrounding it are their various entrances as of this season. The last two sits there, however, they've come in to the east (off the property), with a West wind. Luckily I wasn't busted, but I'm continually hunting this stand in hopes of a buck EVENTUALLY tagging along, but the yearlings were still hanging around last night, so I'm not sure.
The red areas are known areas for bedding, although not consistant. The orange lines to the north of the map, are areas I've seen deer traveling when hunting that end (which is rare that I do). The blue circle to the north was where my dad spotted a buck last night (about 7:20pm, though). The deer really aren't entering those fields much in the legal times, so I've avoided much of it for this season, but I need to move out of the SE part of the property some (I think) to lessen the pressure. That NW corner that's across the road is small (we only own a couple of acres over there looks promising as no one has ever hunted there ever, but it's too close to the road I think (it is a low traffic road).
The spot in the center far western edge of the map in between the two bedding areas produced my doe last season, and has only been hunted once this season (saw nothing), but I'm considering it tonight. The problem is there are bedding areas (or possible ones) on both sides, so the wind can be tricky.
Basically, I KNOW where the does are at (almost every night they are in that food plot and the pasture just north of it), but I'm seeing ZERO signs of bucks (even 1.5yr olds). Should I be patience and continue hunting the SE part of the property or spread out?
10-30-2008, 07:51 AM
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 9,445
RE: Let's Play It Again...Pick Me a Spot.
Hard for me to say MGH but I see a few areas that might Interest me some. The yellow dot where you have a stand up already, the northern part of the property, the east central part of the property. One question for you, how are you walking In to your stand set ups?
Look for the red circles.
Look for the red circles.
10-30-2008, 08:04 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cogan Station, PA
Posts: 2,298
RE: Let's Play It Again...Pick Me a Spot.
ORIGINAL: Schultzy
Hard for me to say MGH but I see a few areas that might Interest me some. The yellow dot where you have a stand up already, the northern part of the property, the east central part of the property. One question for you, how are you walking In to your stand set ups?
Look for the red circles.
Hard for me to say MGH but I see a few areas that might Interest me some. The yellow dot where you have a stand up already, the northern part of the property, the east central part of the property. One question for you, how are you walking In to your stand set ups?
Look for the red circles.
The stand in the NE corner of the food plot I come in along the tract road that runs to the north of the food plot parallel to the property line that leads to a road near that circle you made which then heads west then down through that pasture to my uncle's house where I park.
The stand SW of the food plot I come up a four wheeler trailer to the south of it from my house to the SW (this stand is very close to my house.).
10-30-2008, 10:02 AM
#4
Nontypical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Cogan Station, PA
Posts: 2,298
RE: Let's Play It Again...Pick Me a Spot.
Alright, here's an idea I've thought about trying. Let's look at a closeup of the property just south of the food plot:
It doesn't show it on the map, but the area in red in the center was timbered back 6 years ago. It has since grown up into a tangle of briars, young hardwoods, and other shrubbery
. It's so thick in there at spots, it's hard to walk.
Last post-season, I found a well used trail (indicated in orange) that ran right along the fringe of that cover. To the east of that trail (marked in red) is more thick growth that's off our property where I think deer are bedding as well. The blue dots are two very good sized rubs I found in the area. I hunted at the bottom of this slope once this season (below the bottom edge of the map), and I saw one lone deer moving just north of this trail just inside the edge of the thick stuff. It was heading east. The white arrows indicate the wind direction today. Thinking about giving it a shot...thoughts? The ONLY issue it getting out...I would have to walk down the slope (south) to eventually reach my driveway, but sometimes deer congregate in the SE bottom of this slope to eat grab apples. Hmmm...what to do?
It doesn't show it on the map, but the area in red in the center was timbered back 6 years ago. It has since grown up into a tangle of briars, young hardwoods, and other shrubbery
. It's so thick in there at spots, it's hard to walk.Last post-season, I found a well used trail (indicated in orange) that ran right along the fringe of that cover. To the east of that trail (marked in red) is more thick growth that's off our property where I think deer are bedding as well. The blue dots are two very good sized rubs I found in the area. I hunted at the bottom of this slope once this season (below the bottom edge of the map), and I saw one lone deer moving just north of this trail just inside the edge of the thick stuff. It was heading east. The white arrows indicate the wind direction today. Thinking about giving it a shot...thoughts? The ONLY issue it getting out...I would have to walk down the slope (south) to eventually reach my driveway, but sometimes deer congregate in the SE bottom of this slope to eat grab apples. Hmmm...what to do?
