Can you ruin a woods?
 

I just got a new place to hunt and know nothing about it. I know it is extremly thick and hard to get into. A buddy of mine says that it might be too close to the season to do much with. I could ruin the hunting by going in a wandering around disturbing things. Is this true? How else would you know where to put a stand without scouting it out some? How long would you wait to hunt once you have found a location, and hung a stand. Would this change their travel route to where I would have to repeat the process? If so, sounds like I could be running around all winter. Any help and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

What you need to do is what I call hit and run scouting, take your stand if you use a tree stand in with you when you scout, find the best place you can set a stand, set it, cut your lanes, determine you ways to and from your stand and get out!!!! This method will be far better than going in and scouting all day, then coming back another day to cut shooting lanes and hanging a stand when it is near the beginning of the season.

If you are in and out like I say it will only shake up the deer one time, they will go right back to their normal patterns in no time. How big is this piece of property?

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

Like Taz mentioned, give us an idea of size...it does matter ;)

No joking though, if it' s larger than 20-30 acreas get out the topo and aerial maps. That will help you locate water, possible funnels and ridges, all three good places to start.

If it' s as thick as you say and less than 30 acres, you can still look at an aerial. I' ve found topos hide too many funnels and saddles on small pieces, simply because on small pieces a saddle may be a 5 foot depression only 10 feet across.

An aerial might show you some small openings though, nice for hanging a stand.

S&R

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

I agree with Taz. Only thing I' d add would be after you hang your stand leave it for a week or so. Or hunt it immediately, then leave it a week or so. Also, don' t do a lot of trimming.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

The woods is approximately 15 acres.

Here is a link to the aerial map. I hope it works:

http://terraserver-usa.com/addressim...78468746299995

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

You may be able to set up 2 stands without messing things up, maybe 3. I would not set more than one a day though and give it at least 2-3 days before setting the next. Start at one end of the property and set a stand, wait 2-3 days and set one at the far end, then 2-3 more and set one in the middle area.

The lay of the land is important, you may only have one spot in the whole 15 acres that will be a good place to put a stand, you may have many more, it is all determined by the lay of the land.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

Sounds all like good advice, all I would add is go in while it is raining or right prior to when rain is forecasted, that is always a bonus to help wash things away. My wife always shakes her head when it' s pouring out and I tell her I' m heading in the woods!! :D

Yeah definitely don' t go in multiple times to scout/trim/hang stand. Do it all in one trip, try to keep it low impact if it' s close to the season, then get out and don' t come back till you decide to hunt it.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

That is a very good point. I try to do most of my trimming in the rain or just before.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

Good advice so far. Like it has been said - do your work in 1 day and then give it a week or so before you hunt it. Winter will be a great time to fine tune your spot. The snow will allow you to find trails, bedding areas and to better assess your deer population.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

Looking at the aerial shot you posted I would recommend hanging a stand on the down wind side of 1 of those small open fields that are east and west of the block. Depending on the wind you can pick the side that works, plus those tree lines are not attached to the main block of woods allowing you to get in there without being detected. Watching those 2 small fields should give you an idea of where the deer like to enter them allowing you to do either use a climber or hang a stand then sit it that afternoon.

Looks like a great setup .. and I agree with Phil about rain .. if it is raining it' s a great time to set up a stand.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

WOW!!!!! If those two small fields are part of the 15 acres you have a gold mine as far as setups go! I would not even enter the wooded/thick area, go and scout the corners only, there is nothing better than funnels and you have them on all 4 sides!!! The way it is layed out you could set a stand per corner and each hunt pick the stand that puts the wind totally in your favor!!! BTW if you fly me out there I will help you out!!!

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

Thanks for the advice guys. Taz, that island is part of mine also

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

I just noticed the link you provided for your spot, looks very nice indeed!!!

From the scale provided on the map, it looks like the woods are about 25-35 yards wide next to the pond, boy I LIKE that pinch point, as long as they don' t go swimming :) on you they are forced through that area, very nice!!!

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

Those deer around those fields have been bumped and pushed by farmers all summer and last. You can get away with a stroll around the edges looking for trails with no problem. Next you need to walk through it. You aren' t going to spook them away with a quick trip. If you hunt from climbers just select some spots as you walk quickly and stinky free as you can through. Just looking at the photo you have a likely spot in the upper left where the wider hedge row merges with the woods. I' d put another on the bottom opposite corner for an Easterly wind. I' d find a way in from both side for a morning hunt and a place somewhere in the interior to hunt. I' m not a trimmer. The less you cut the better you are. I firmly believe it' s better to trim nothing and pick your holes than cut LANES. They' re just asking for deer to be spooked. The stands near the edge are no problem to set when you can if you don' t stink the place up. I' d probably not hunt them in the AM unless I could come all the way through quietly from another side. What' s the water? Can it be waded. It' s going to funnel the deer. Can you approach from across it to get to the interior? Looks like there is a nice thick patch of woods East of the pond that will also attract some deer. There' s a good bottle neck leading to it from the field and hedge row to the north. I' d look there to.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

I' m with Phil on the pond deal. If it was me, I would use a climber and hunt on the fly. For that matter, that place is funnel city so you couldn' t go wrong with any of the pinch points. I would also do a minimum of trimming as David suggested. Keep it natural and minimize noise.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

Can you get into the middle of the bedding area:D:D Just Kidding;)

It really does look like some super funnels and a nice layout.

That north point on the piece of land between the ponds looks super to me[8D]

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

Being so small - surrounded by fields (I assume there is no cover in the fields) You' ll have a tough time driving them out of there - I mean where else can they go close by? Still I' d start on a corner or along the pond. the area is small enought that you may never have to get " inside" of it to hunt it.

RE: Can you ruin a woods?
 

all good advice. i would get in there before the season starts. once they know they are being hunted they will get smart. you still have a chance if your season didn' t start yet. GOOD LUCK !