New 500 acres to hunt
09-02-2003 | 10:22 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 898
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From: Paoli PA
New 500 acres to hunt
recently i got permission to hunt a 500 acre farm. i have never hunted it and i was wondering if anyone would give me some help on what to look for. i have bow hunted for about 5 years now and taken a couple animals. at my last place, i wasn' t very good at what to look for when i was scouting. this place has been rifled hunted for many years but they said that they hardly bow hunt it. i think only my roommate and i have permission to bow hunt it for deer. most of the ground is corn fields and grass on the flat which backs up into a mountain with a large amount of woods. can anyone give me pointers on what to look for? we walked on a trail real quick and saw a big fawn and another doe. other than that we are blank. thanks!
09-02-2003 | 11:01 AM
#2
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,457
Likes: 0
From: East Yapank NY USA
RE: New 500 acres to hunt
You have to develope a gameplan - at first you need to use the lay of the land and your previous experiences create a reasonable picture of what the deer are doing.
The first time hunting a woods you will need to make assumptions - because time is short and and you can' t scout the way you need to.
Just by your description I would assume the deer are using the field to feed at night - and are bedding up the mountain in the woods. I think this would be a good plan to persue.
Now you have something to look for. Travel routes down the mountain into the field and visaversa. Look for thicker areas up the mountain that may be daytime bedding areas and setup inbetween them and the field.
Take into account people trails and dirt roads that will give you the best access into any stands you pick. Keeping in mind the normal wind direction, and the direction your deer may come from.
I normally hunt in very thick areas with limited vision - but at times when pressed for time and in a new area I will place stands that allow me to see a much greater distance. This allows me a better chance of seing deer - and getting a better grip on how and when they move in that area. Then I can adjust accordingly.
The first time hunting a woods you will need to make assumptions - because time is short and and you can' t scout the way you need to.
Just by your description I would assume the deer are using the field to feed at night - and are bedding up the mountain in the woods. I think this would be a good plan to persue.
Now you have something to look for. Travel routes down the mountain into the field and visaversa. Look for thicker areas up the mountain that may be daytime bedding areas and setup inbetween them and the field.
Take into account people trails and dirt roads that will give you the best access into any stands you pick. Keeping in mind the normal wind direction, and the direction your deer may come from.
I normally hunt in very thick areas with limited vision - but at times when pressed for time and in a new area I will place stands that allow me to see a much greater distance. This allows me a better chance of seing deer - and getting a better grip on how and when they move in that area. Then I can adjust accordingly.
09-02-2003 | 11:53 AM
#4
Typical Buck
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 586
Likes: 0
From: Fort Collins, Colorado
RE: New 500 acres to hunt
I went through tthe same thing last year. I could only get up there on weekends. I did' nt get permission until 4 weeks before season. I had only 3 weeks to scout. Your best bet is to take a long time out and look for trails, and beds. Find out where they are feeding. How are they getting from the beds to the feeding areas? Look for trails, droppings, foot prints. Check out any barbed wire fences for hair. Deer will commonly leave hair on the fence were the hop over.
I would recomend going out at night and getting up in a tree. Find out what is there, and where they are moving. You have a lot of work to do in a very short time. Next year I would recommend getting permission again very early in the season. Give yourself more time. I did it this year, I believe it will pay off. I also bought a tree camera which is helping me out very much.
good luck
J
I would recomend going out at night and getting up in a tree. Find out what is there, and where they are moving. You have a lot of work to do in a very short time. Next year I would recommend getting permission again very early in the season. Give yourself more time. I did it this year, I believe it will pay off. I also bought a tree camera which is helping me out very much.
good luck
J
09-02-2003 | 06:09 PM
#6
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 273
Likes: 0
From: Vincennes, IN
RE: New 500 acres to hunt
Congrats
You' ve gotten some good information so far. I agree with what others have said. See if you can find tracks near the corn field which should give you an idea of where they are entering the field to feed. Also look for trails and bedding areas. Caution though with your scent. Don' t walk on deer or game trails any more than you have to. No amount of advice will beat time in the area checking out sign. Good luck.
You' ve gotten some good information so far. I agree with what others have said. See if you can find tracks near the corn field which should give you an idea of where they are entering the field to feed. Also look for trails and bedding areas. Caution though with your scent. Don' t walk on deer or game trails any more than you have to. No amount of advice will beat time in the area checking out sign. Good luck.
