Opinions on hunting a funnel.....?
 

Here' s what I have: main trail runs north and south from out of heavy scrub and splits east and west just before a grassy clearing. Deer travel to feeding from bedding heading south to north. Here' s the problem - the N/S trail before the split runs just on the inside a line of tall open hardwoods and scrub. The only place to set a stand is on the upwind side of this trail. Where the trail splits, the nearest tree would be too far away (40+ yards) to the split. On the eastbound trail after the split, there are no good trees to get into until the deer are almost at the edge of the woods, (where I have a stand - problem is, they show up here right at the end of shooting light). I do have another stand on the west bound trail 150 yards after the split, but this is also up wind. Both stands allow me to play the wind but the hot action is at the split. Is there a good way to hunt this situation at the funnel without being busted and not being on the ground? Think my scent would go over the deer if I were in a tree 15-20 yards on the west side of a trail? Thanks.

RE: Opinions on hunting a funnel.....?
 

Well bob,
Sounds like you have a dilemma. I think you have little choice. There' s little point in setting up at 40 yards unless you think you can pull them in. I think if it were me I' d rather be high in a tree upwind than out of range. Probably the most important thing is to be as scent free as possible.

RE: Opinions on hunting a funnel.....?
 

Why can' t you wait for the wind to blow in the right direction so you can hunt the downwind side of the N/S part of ther funnel? It sounds to me like and east or west wind would work, depending on which side of the trail you can sit on. If hunting a south wind, deer would be fine until they continued along the trail past you. Then they might wind you once they get downwind.
It' s hard to say without being there, but it doesn' t sound that bad to me. The hot section of the funnel sounds huntable with an east or west wind.

If that' s not possible, you might be okay sitting on the west side of the trail with a west wind. If you' re 15 yards from the trail, sitting 20 feet high(I don' t think I' d sit much lower in this case), your scent might blow over the top of the deer. If you' re careful about washing your clothes, and not getting hot and sweaty when entering the woods you might be able to pull it off. That situation isn' t ideal, but I' ve had deer downwind and fairly close not smell me before, and I don' t use special clothes. I just make sure everything is clean and non scented.
Good luck, it sounds like a good spot if you can fool their noses.

peashooter

RE: Opinions on hunting a funnel.....?
 

set up a ground blind where you have the best oppurtunuty.

RE: Opinions on hunting a funnel.....?
 

I was wondering the same thing, does the wind always blow from the same direction where you live????? Put a stand up in the best location, and wait for the right wind direction. Unless you have a unique situation, your always going to be giving up part of the woods to wind direction, the key is to set up in the best location and have the wind right for the funnel.