GeoffM24

Well I froze my butt off in the stand today. There is a huge buck and does passing by my stand, just not while I' m there.

The good news is I talked to the landowner and he said he is seeing a real good sized buck come out of a specific piece of land and cut across the open fields, cross the street to a different piece of property. The buck is moving through at first light every day.

I' m heading out there tomorrow to find out exactly where he is coming out and hang my stand (no Sun hunting here).

Could you guys give me some info on where to set up? On the edge? 20 yards in? Lay down some scent?

He also told me the general area of the thickets near a golf course where they are bedding.

He also told me he has not given ANY gun hunters persmission to hunt which is AWESOME and that there property has become a deer haven because most of the surrounding land is being hunted.

MDManiac

I Say put it about 10 yards off the trail, with the wind at your face, good luck

JeramyK

I agree. Play the wind first. Then find a spot that' s not right on top of the trail. I' d also place some scent in the area to help move the deer into your shooting lanes.

Stump_MN_Hunter

I agree with both posters to setup off any main trail being used and make sure your playing the wind correctly. One thing that I would suggest is to make sure that your careful not to leave a lot of your scent around the area when setting up. The way it sounds, you will have plenty of time to shoot this buck because of the lack of pressure on your land and the amount of pressure around you. Good luck. Let us know what happens.

Solax

If you do find him in a pretty regular pattern do what the other guys say. Set up just inside the woods so you can see him coming across the field and have time to prepare for the shot. Make sure you're well camoed so he doesn't make you out before he gets to you.

One thing though, if you find him going to a regular spot why use scent???? I've found that a lot of times scents will spook deer, and if he's already going there why use it. You'd kick yourself if he was coming across the field as planned, got to your scent and then spooked.

Hey, you're the lacrosse player right? When's your season start?

Antler Eater

Unless your a real expert with laying out scent I would stay away from it. Why put the buck on alert of any kind. You may have a hard enough time setting a stand up where you won't get noticed going to and from.

Were not talking rocket science here so it is obvious that a person must use the wind and whatever cover is available to set up a shot. Wherever you decide to set up you will have to make sure you have enough light to be legal and able to identify the buck.

Good luck and keep us posted.

davidmil

AS far as where to place the stand... you got to find a tree some cover and let it be 10-30, whatever it takes. At this time of year staying hidden and undetected is of utmost importance. You also want to beable to get to it without walking his trails etc. You have to hunt the wind above all else.

I agree with Antler Eater completely. Don't go trying to make something magical and unnatural happen. AVOID the scents. Stinky free and hunting the wind are the way to go. Avoid cutting if at all possible. If you have to make sure you wear some rubber gloves and try not to stomp all over the place.

selway

setup by the street 20 yards in. if wind is right. he will probaly hang up before crossing giving you plenty of time to nail him.you won't have a scent trail walking around that he will find.

Jeff K

I say the first 2 posters are correct, but the scent trail either works or it doesn't, I don't think it will put any deer on a hightened state of a alert, they might not be interested, but they also might like it, I would say go for it! The thing with going in too far, that means there are too many ways for the deer to bypass you, you want to have the stand so he has not other way to go! My land that I got permission to hunt this year is very similar to yours, mine has forest preserve in the back, and other private land to the sides, people hunt that pushing the deer my way, and they have not been hunted on that property before! I use a scent trail a lot, I have not had the deer spook or anything!! Tonight I had a huge 10 point come in just 5 yds short of my shooting lane, he was at 35yds and I would have taken him if he would have come out, but I had laid a scent trail but he did not want it!

davidmil

OR.... he smelled your boots or didn't like the smell of it and therefore went back.