hi. i got permission 2 hunt about 20 acres of woods down the road. i was wandering if ne1 had ne suggestions on where 2 put stands. i am thinking about putting at least 2 and maybe 3 bow stands. on my site there is a aerial photo and a topo map of the area outlined in red. there is a big creek that runs through the woods which i have painted a blue line. the green swirl is about 4 apple trees right on the edge of the woods where the guy said he has seen deer eating off of regularly. on the map u can see where the creek makes 2 sharper curves in the middle. i think that this is a bedding area but am not sure. we did not spend very much time down so i couldnt get a good look. there are numerous paths that are beat down to straight mud. on the right side of the map where the woods go right up 2 the drive, it is a small hill that goes down to the crick. i would guess about 60 yards until it flattens out. there are also very nice scrapes and huge rubs along the sides of the creek. do u have ne tips on where to put the stands. i will b going out this thursday 2 do some thorough scouting. thank you
the site is www.geocities.com/nhuntpage

at the bottom click on hunting maps
-Nick

That looks like a beautiful property. The first thing that I would do is to scout and make note of where the rubs are. I would specifically look for an area in which there is a cluster of rubs. This typically is the staging area of a major bedding area for the bucks. Next I would ascertain where the likely bedding area is off of that cluster. I would not be spending a lot of time in that area, just enough to figure out where it is. Next from the cluster of rubs I would try to get an idea of where the food sources are and the travel routes to them. In between the cluster rubs and the food sources, I would look for the scrapes. I would look for an area in which there will be a large breeding scrape and off of that, an area with multiple almost ramdom scrapes in a contained area. That is where I'd be hunting. I would think about how to get to those spots undetected and I would look for stand placement which would provide the best cover with adequate shooting lanes without requiring that much trimming, taking into account the most likely wind one would be facing in that stand.

ok. right at about where the 2 sharp turns in the creek is where i am almost positive they bed down. about 60 yards to the left is scrapes and rubs where the trails intersect. it is flat and very clear. also do u no if it is legal to plant some kind of mixture by ur stand like an antler growth or something similar? i also have 2 build one permanent stand since i only have one hang on. how big do u think i should make the permanent stand?

Its legal to plant clover and stuff like that but you can't put out mineral licks and such. I think you would have a heck of a time getting anything to grow inside the timber. I would go with what the others have said as far as locating bedding and rub lines. Once you find them stay away. Get out there and scout now while its still clear in the timber. Look for any remaining acorns, since that could be a hot spot come fall. Its hard to give you an idea of a definate good spot since there is no inside corners or fence rows. You'll have to get out there and find that out yourself. Where at in Central Ill. are your located?

i did not even think about acorn trees. thanx for that. as far as the fence goes. about where that red line is in the woods there was a fence. there isnt much left right now though. maybe 20 yards and then it goes down for about 40 yards and comes back up again. wat were u thinking if there was a fence that was up? i am from peoria county and live about 15 minutes from fulton county. how about u. thanx again for the help

I'm south of you in Montgomery county. I was going to say if there was a fence row running off of the timber possibly to another timber then that would be a good spot to stickin a ground blind. You can also look for persimmon or apple trees. There might be some around, doubtful but you never know. As far as a permanent stand I would make as big as you feel comfortable in. Espicially if you plan on hunting all day. You want to be comfortable. On the permanents that we make we always use rods or something in the four corners then use burlap or camo netting around it. Helps coneal movement and blend in. I would get it built ASAP. You don't want to be out there in the summer heat and you want the deer to get used to it before the season!

It's easy to sit here and point at a map or picture and pick a spot. That's exactly what I'd do. BUT, when I get on the ground I often find I'm dead wrong or off a bit. You just have to use some basic principles and go from there. It appears to be a great piece of property well situated. Surrounded by little fields and openings with lots of ridges and water. It's a great looking place. You can screw it up in a hurry if you aren't careful. Anything you find this time of year is what's going on now and what went on for the past couple months. Besides that with the deer in their winter range and modes you may have more or less at this time of years. The rubs will tell you what was there early last fall. Tracks will tell what's going on now. The summer glassing of fields at last light and first light will tell you what's going on then and give you clues to what to expect when the season opens...but no guarantees. I'd walk the creek and look for crossings. Some of the ridges appear pretty steep. Deer don't like climbing them anymore than you do unless they're forced. They'll take the easy climb over saddles and up the fingers. I'd plan entrances from 2 or 3 directions. Plan stands for different winds. Use the creek maybe to get to some secluded hard spot. Don't OVERHUNT. Make up your mind right now that NO MATTER what you saw yesterday, you aren't hunting that same stand today. Pick up a couple cheap hang ons if you can. Permanent stands are just that.... to dang permanent and unmoveable. Get up in the air. Stay OUT of the low spots. This place looks like "Whirling Swirling Windy City". You cheat... you'll get busted and every deer in your woods will be right on top of that big flat ridgetop just west of your line. As it is now, you have all the food to the West, the water on your side, a big flat ridge for them to bed down on about smack dap in the middle of your place. Looks like there probably is another just south of the map. It can be a dynamite place but you can push them out in a hurry. Do all the walking you want now. In the summer glass, ***** foot in the rain, hang some stands, mark some spots, have all scenerios covered so you can be totally flexible when the time comes. Your biggest enemy is the wind. Don't cheat. I've been watching people post pictures and maps of NEW little places they just got permission to hunt for about 3 or 4 years on these websites. This by far is the one I'd like to have most. It is a great little spot if not overrun by poachers etc.

when i went down the other day, i didnt see ne real sleep ridges. actually they appear 2 b less steep then where i shotgun hunt where we get deer every deer within 20 yards of our stands. and u may be surprised 2 hear this but the deer actually are crossing the crick on some of the nearly straight up and down 5-foot drop offs down to the crick. there is three food sources tho so that is a major plus. i think u may b right about the wind also. that is why i plan on putting 3 stands. and i already have 2 main entrances.

do u think it would b wise to put a stand by the crick if the wind is in my favor? thank you buck, title, and david!

if i am missing nething else let me no please

I didn't see the scale on the topo map on the bottom. I just saw lots of lines and assumed steep where they were close together. By the creek can be great if the wind is firm and constant. Get a few feet higher etc. Coming down out of those fields they'll get a drink and go to bed. They are creatures of habit. With the creek where it is they can get up anytime of day and quench their thirst.

i tried 2 copy the scales 2 put on the site with the maps just now but it only lets me copy the whole pic and still wont let me get the scale. if u no how to do this then please let me no. thank you

ohh and i dont think i will have 2 worry about poachers at all b/c nobody lets ppl hunt their property and the ppl who own the property to the left are setting up a rifle range so i doubt ne1 will want 2 come newhere close 2 them or getting on their property.