Mountain vs. Farmland Bucks
#1
Mountain vs. Farmland Bucks
Which are harder to hunt? Why? What are the advantages of hunting farmland vs the mountains and the opposite. This seems to bea good discussion topic.
Personally, I feel that if you were to sit me down in 500 acres of farmland the knowledge I have learned trying to hunt these mountain bucks would double my success rate. Reason being- the mountains are extremely hard to hunt. Take our property for example.
We have a long, rectangular 265+ acres that essentially runs parallel to a ridge top and creek branch. For one, it is extremely hard to pattern a certain buck as they have so many topographical features to use at their advantage. Our property is gashed with steep ravines, gullies, finger ridges and an extremely steep "trench" which the creek branch flows through. I have been hunting this property since I was 6 (13 years) and been seriously scouting (pre-season, in season, shed hunting, etc.) for about4 now and I have not succesfully patterned a mature buck yet. I'm not saying it is impossible, but is extremely difficult. In fact I am just now beginning to predict different does family patterns daily succesfully. Also I have learned that the extreme lay of the land, if you will, makes it awfully hard to hunt the wind. I know the wind is going to shift during a hunt, however, it will stay steady on flat land for the most part.
On the contrary, I work a 4000+ acre farm during the summer and patterned two bucks that would both go 140"+. Granted this was during the summer when there were hundred acres of soybeans, corn and alfalfa so it was much easier. Still, over looking topo maps of the farm I know of certain pinch points, funnells and fall food sources that would allow me to score on a buck during the season.
I know that's pretty vague information there but it's gettting late and I got school tomorrow. But I have been thinking about this a lot the last couple days and wanted to know what everyone thinks. Farmland vs. Mountains. Pros, cons, which is easier? You get the idea.
Personally, I feel that if you were to sit me down in 500 acres of farmland the knowledge I have learned trying to hunt these mountain bucks would double my success rate. Reason being- the mountains are extremely hard to hunt. Take our property for example.
We have a long, rectangular 265+ acres that essentially runs parallel to a ridge top and creek branch. For one, it is extremely hard to pattern a certain buck as they have so many topographical features to use at their advantage. Our property is gashed with steep ravines, gullies, finger ridges and an extremely steep "trench" which the creek branch flows through. I have been hunting this property since I was 6 (13 years) and been seriously scouting (pre-season, in season, shed hunting, etc.) for about4 now and I have not succesfully patterned a mature buck yet. I'm not saying it is impossible, but is extremely difficult. In fact I am just now beginning to predict different does family patterns daily succesfully. Also I have learned that the extreme lay of the land, if you will, makes it awfully hard to hunt the wind. I know the wind is going to shift during a hunt, however, it will stay steady on flat land for the most part.
On the contrary, I work a 4000+ acre farm during the summer and patterned two bucks that would both go 140"+. Granted this was during the summer when there were hundred acres of soybeans, corn and alfalfa so it was much easier. Still, over looking topo maps of the farm I know of certain pinch points, funnells and fall food sources that would allow me to score on a buck during the season.
I know that's pretty vague information there but it's gettting late and I got school tomorrow. But I have been thinking about this a lot the last couple days and wanted to know what everyone thinks. Farmland vs. Mountains. Pros, cons, which is easier? You get the idea.
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
RE: Mountain vs. Farmland Bucks
Having hunted Ky/WV most of my life and then hunting MD farmland, without a doubt, mountain hunting is much harder but less predictable. Let me explain. Here in MD, bucks don't seem to have a pattern of moving. ON flat land, they will move anywhere. During rut, they seem to travel on the edges of fields. But in WV/Ky mountains, they seem to travel ledges mostly. Like me, they don't want to travel straight up all the time.
#6
RE: Mountain vs. Farmland Bucks
ORIGINAL: bigcountry
Having hunted Ky/WV most of my life and then hunting MD farmland, without a doubt, mountain hunting is much harder but less predictable. Let me explain. Here in MD, bucks don't seem to have a pattern of moving. ON flat land, they will move anywhere. During rut, they seem to travel on the edges of fields. But in WV/Ky mountains, they seem to travel ledges mostly. Like me, they don't want to travel straight up all the time.
Having hunted Ky/WV most of my life and then hunting MD farmland, without a doubt, mountain hunting is much harder but less predictable. Let me explain. Here in MD, bucks don't seem to have a pattern of moving. ON flat land, they will move anywhere. During rut, they seem to travel on the edges of fields. But in WV/Ky mountains, they seem to travel ledges mostly. Like me, they don't want to travel straight up all the time.
So what does everyone hunt, mountains or farmland? Like I said we have 265 acres of land. The closest agriculture around is a rotated corn and bean field 300 yards off our property. We have roughly 12 acres of fields and the rest is thick timber. Makes for some tough hunting.
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: NOVA
Posts: 780
RE: Mountain vs. Farmland Bucks
Mountains by far are way tougher. And i understand your statement about being a bit more rewarding. One buck i shot a couple years back i walked for two hours up a mountain in the dark to an area i scouted in the summer, i shot a good deer with my bow mid day and was thrilled. Ill be the first to admit it was 20% location and 80% luck, that part of the forest was 500,000 acres of nothing but timber. Not that hunting my farm is any less rewarding its just a bit different. My hat is always off to the guys who score in the mountains.
#8
RE: Mountain vs. Farmland Bucks
ORIGINAL: RockinChair
Like I said we have 265 acres of land. The closest agriculture around is a rotated corn and bean field 300 yards off our property. We have roughly 12 acres of fields and the rest is thick timber. Makes for some tough hunting.
Like I said we have 265 acres of land. The closest agriculture around is a rotated corn and bean field 300 yards off our property. We have roughly 12 acres of fields and the rest is thick timber. Makes for some tough hunting.
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