.270Shooter

Hey guys, new to the board and glad to be here! Here in deep East Texas, a friend has given me access to his land to hunt. It's a small patch (33 acres) that runs long and narrow. It starts near a road and a hundred yards later are some fences and a stock tank that the does really seem to love, with as many as dozen at a time sighted in the early and late hours.

From there, the land slopes downhill and then opens up into a long narrow meadow, with many deer trails crossing and running along the fence line. It then begins to get thick briefly, then opens up to a another, smaller clearing, then get into a hundred yards or so of some thick woodsy, marshy bottom land, with creeks and brush and tracks running all over the place. I plan on sneaking in well before daylight next weekend - should I try to creep back into the deep stuff at the risk of spooking them, or wait in the treeline by the meadow for first light?

My feeling is that the bucks are in the deep stuff, but I don't know far back I can go without moving them somewhere else. Any thoughts?

timbercruiser

The thick stuff may be the bedding area. Have you been able to pick out the preferred food sources at this time of year? You probably need to set up somewhere in between the two. If the does are hanging around one area, soon as the rut hits the bucks will be there also. Really you should have scouted the area a couple of months ago.

Codydawg

You really need to take into consideration the surrounding land whether you can hunt it or not. Where will the deer movement be? Where is feeding area, bedding area, hunting pressure? Try and find an aerial photo. Feeding and bedding areas should be fairly easy to get a grip on, hunting pressure may not be. If it is any consolation, by this time next week, you will know where you should have been!!

.270Shooter

Thanks for the quick response. The surrounding land is a no go, unfortunately, which complicates things, since the land I'm on is only a couple hundred yards wide (that will encourage careful shot placement, no?) There is a feeder at the edge of the thick brush, but other than that they seem to be coming to minerals put out for the cattle up on the hill.

As for hunting pressure, there doesn't seem to be any from the surrounding lands, although I can see a feeder on the property next to it. Was out there from afternoon until dark opening day and didn't hear a shot.

Since the does are seen so frequently near the pool close to the front gate, I'll probably set up in between as y'all suggested. Got a blind set up in a small treeline that will let me cover the woods and the meadow both. Thanks for the advice.