Is this a funnel?
 

I'm am horrible at finding funnels. I look at all kinds of ariel and topo maps of my hunting area and just cant seem to locate any. Maybe there just isnt any were i hunt. But i was looking over this one ariel photo and i think i might have located one. It is right here http://terraserver.microsoft.com/ima...11541&z=17&w=1 Right in the middle of that picture you can see were two groups of thick cover come together and then there is a little space of not so thick cover between the two...is this possibly a funnel? Also if you see any more funnels there i would be glad to here them. Thanks

RE: Is this a funnel?
 

A funnel is anywhere deer congregate and travel into and through. A topo can help you, but you also have to get out there and scout and look for sign in order to tell for sure. You just have to find an area where deer constantly travel through and that would be a funnel.

RE: Is this a funnel?
 

It's really hard to tell by your link but you sound like you have the right idea. Like Millertime10 mentioned, a funnel is anything that causes deer to narrow their travel routes. It could be anything from a hedgerow joining two woodlots, to a narrow spot in a creek or river, a ridge that is less steep than the rest, a bench, a low spot in a creek bed, a broken fence...anything that cause deer to pass that area while traveling. When you find one, you have a great place to hang a stand.

RE: Is this a funnel?
 

Those narrow thick sections of woods are funnels unto themselves. Deer like to travel through an area with cover. The narrow woods are a funnel, natural deer magnet.

RE: Is this a funnel?
 

The best funnel I ever hunted the PA DCNR made for me. They fenced in a clear cut and a tree fell on the fence. Every deer in the area was using that 10 foot section to get into the clear cut to feed and bed, then came out to my apple tree every night. I dont think I will ever see that many deer during an archery season again. If you can get them narrowed down you have it made, that looks like a funnel to me in your photo. That should narrow the deer movement to that small section of woods.

RE: Is this a funnel?
 

You've got the aerial photo and now I'll give you the topo

http://terraserver.microsoft.com/ima...=5770&z=17&w=1

I zoomed out 1 click and then requested the topo so it's a bit bigger then you photo. The dark dense woods appear to border the stream and it has steep banks. If I were to go out on foot to scout this I'd head just to the right of the "S" in Stoney. See how the slope is much gentler then the rest of the "ravine". I also suggest getting the hip boots of and walking the stream. Crossing should be quite visiable if you were to walk a good length of it. The prefered crossings will stand out from the rest.

RE: Is this a funnel?
 

Just picture an hour glass in your head.............okay now look at the smallest part or thinnest part of the hour glass(the wast of it) Now that is a funnel fella'.


This field that i am in, is not a funnel, but the deer come there to dig up some food left over from the winter.Straight ahead of this field is a funnel the deer take to stay in the cover.

RE: Is this a funnel?
 

You have a 270foot drop then 270 foot rise in less than a quarter mile with water and woods in the middle. Looks like a great spot. If the trees are big enough to hang a stand I'd do it by the S. If not, then set up 100feet(elevation) higher than the S in Stoney.

RE: Is this a funnel?
 

It's really hard to say from the topo. It is 11 or 12 years old and alot of things could have changed since then. If it is relatively the same, then it looks to me like that is a long windy draw or creek bottom. Like you mentioned it has steep elevation change on either side of it. This alone will tend to keep the deer narrowed down. If it is a draw with a creek running through it, look for fingers that fall off into the creek bottom where the deer can move up and down without having to travel up the steeper areas. Deer are like us, they want to use the easiest route available. On your elevation map, it looks like the area between the Stony and oil wells has a more gentle elevation change than the rest of the draw does. I would check to see if there was any sign of a major trail in that area. Also look for crossing points on the creek, I've had good luck in years past hunting creek crossings. Anyway, that's my 2 cents, good luck and let us know how it goes.

RE: Is this a funnel?
 

Upon more thorough evaluation:

If you have access to the hilltop to the east of that area then I would sit up there and glass the area below.
You have found a good topographic funnel, now you need to find the smaller site specific funnels in that area.