Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me.
09-21-2004, 09:14 AM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 65
Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me.
Here is my area to hunt. The Park area is where I leave my vehicle. The wind normally blows from the bottom of the picture to the top. I approach on the entry path listed. The area where my writing is is all CRP grass. There are trails through this, but not any major ones. The Tree line on the right seems to have the best trail in that area. I spooked a deer before daylight at the spot that saws saw deer. Question. I have scouted the area a lot and it seems like the major travel is through the middle of the wooded area from Top Left to Middle Right. I did not see any deer on Sunday, but it was hot. Should I sit the tree line coming from the right, between the woods and where it ends? There is about 25 yards between the 2, so I would have a decent shot if deer were moving along the tree line to get to the woods.
09-21-2004, 09:37 AM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: I was born in a tree...
Posts: 446
RE: Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me.
see if there isd any sign near or around that creek that intersects with the tree line... i woudl say they woudl walk thru there or when they cross it take a drink possibly. on the northern side of that creek might be a primo spot to set up a stand if the wind goes the way you says it does.
09-21-2004, 11:35 AM
#3
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,704
RE: Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me.
Daystalker said kinda what I was thinking.
Look at the ditch where the deer are crossing and figure out where they are going when the leave the woods. How far is food? If you can set up correctly at that crossing then you should have several shot opportunities.
There looks like a dirt road that crosses the water at the far left side and either agriculture or bedding in the small rectangle lower left. Having never been there its hard to say, but thats where I would concentrate especially if you are seeing them move from upper left to middle right.
Look at the ditch where the deer are crossing and figure out where they are going when the leave the woods. How far is food? If you can set up correctly at that crossing then you should have several shot opportunities.
There looks like a dirt road that crosses the water at the far left side and either agriculture or bedding in the small rectangle lower left. Having never been there its hard to say, but thats where I would concentrate especially if you are seeing them move from upper left to middle right.
09-21-2004, 12:38 PM
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 65
RE: Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me.
Thanks for the replies. It sure is nice to get someone else's views and see what I might be missing. I will get around the corner past my stand next time and scout there more. The area just below the water crossings in the purple border is land I have no access to, but I can hunt all the rest within the purple borders. With a wind coming in from the south I should be able to get pretty close. If the wind comes in the other way, I should be able to approach from the bottom. The creek is dried up, but I have seen plenty of tracks in it. Must be the travel route from one end to the other. All the surrounding fields are long grass (CRP). Is there a good chance the deer are bedding in that stuff? It is 4-5 feet tall all the way around..
09-21-2004, 02:00 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: Oklahoma
Posts: 1,598
RE: Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me.
It's pretty likely that the deer are bedding in the CRP. I like to hunt edges of fields especially just inside the woodline in the corner of the field. This can act as a funnel area at times. The deer will stay in the wooded area and out of the field most of the time. Also there looks like a couple of peninsulas of trees sticking out into the CRP. Check these areas for staging areas. Sometimes deer will stage up in these places before heading out into the fields at night. Also, as mentioned before, check for crossing areas in the creek. Even if it's almost dry, the deer will use crossing areas. Find one and you'll see deer. Good luck!
09-25-2004, 12:35 PM
#7
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,704
RE: Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me.
CRP is just high grass and scrub brush that doesn't get cut - usually funded by the government to be planted and left untouched for habitat and erosion control. Any large area of high grass could be considered CRP though, funded or not.
Quote from http://www.fsa.usda.gov/dafp/cepd/crp.htm
Conservation Reserve Program
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program for agricultural landowners. Through CRP, you can receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource conserving covers on eligible farmland.
The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) makes annual rental payments based on the agriculture rental value of the land, and it provides cost-share assistance for up to 50 percent of the participant’s costs in establishing approved conservation practices. Participants enroll in CRP contracts for 10 to 15 years.
The program is administered by the CCC through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and program support is provided by Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cooperative State Research and Education Extension Service, state forestry agencies, and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
The Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) is a voluntary program for agricultural landowners. Through CRP, you can receive annual rental payments and cost-share assistance to establish long-term, resource conserving covers on eligible farmland.
The Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) makes annual rental payments based on the agriculture rental value of the land, and it provides cost-share assistance for up to 50 percent of the participant’s costs in establishing approved conservation practices. Participants enroll in CRP contracts for 10 to 15 years.
The program is administered by the CCC through the Farm Service Agency (FSA), and program support is provided by Natural Resources Conservation Service, Cooperative State Research and Education Extension Service, state forestry agencies, and local Soil and Water Conservation Districts.
09-25-2004, 08:59 PM
#8
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Boardman, Ohio
Posts: 1,184
RE: Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me.
I am a big fan of hunting where the deer cross over low areas in creeks. I have killed more deer who are going to cross a creek than most other spots. They tend to find these areas as out of the way places. They seem to be more relaxed and used these cross overs a detectless places. I would agree with most of the replies but I am a huge fan of water. Find the set up that makes you feel the most comfortable and see what is out there and good luck!
09-27-2004, 10:15 AM
#9
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location:
Posts: 65
RE: Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me. UPDATE!!
Sunday AM, I sat at the end of the tree line coming in from the right just inside the woods. About 7 AM, a spike buck walked up behind me. He came from behind a pine tree, so I did not see him until he was 10 yards away. I won that stare-down, but when I was grabbing my bow while he was behind the pine tree he caught my movement and ran off. WOuld have been a good deer for my 1st with a bow. Oh well, at least I was in the right spot. 10 yards away. Saw a Doe and a fawn later too, so overall it was a good day. I seem to have found a good spot, now to wait until next week to get my shot....
09-27-2004, 01:00 PM
#10
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Central Illinois
Posts: 154
RE: Does it look like I am doing this right? Any ideas to help me.
Get a stand right next to that dried up creek. Deer will probably use this for travel more that anything as long as it is still navigatable. Use it you your advantage while you can!