Where to put the stand?
 

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?

RE: Where to put the stand?
 

I would look for white oak acorns and buck sign, like hookings and scrapes, if that thick area is bordering the creek bottom you might be able to find a buck travel route, if you could get lucky enough to be able to set a stand covering acorns(food source), buck sign, and still see the thicker area for bucks traveling through, that would be a good start! Even better would be if you could tell where they are laying up at, like hookings coming out of a cutover or thicket, but with only 33 acres to work with I don't know......Is there a bedding thicket nearby? I live in Louisiana, so our terrain is probably somewhat similar, hope I was able to help a little bit.

RE: Where to put the stand?
 

I like the thick area. Ithink you can get in in the dark and not disturb them to much. i havre found that in the dark they don't spook as easy or go as far when they do. read "A Story For You" a page back wher I almost player a tin drum in the dark and had a 10 point watch me at 40 yards. Yes I wacked him with the light!!

RE: Where to put the stand?
 

i would set up my stand by the fence lines becouse u said that there was alot of trail that is being used dailyif there is does then there is a buck not to far behind

RE: Where to put the stand?
 

If you have more than one or two days to hunt, I would start by hunting the fence areas. Keep a sharpe eye out for the dear and try an pattern them, then slowly (move your stand) work your way further in. This way you will not bust your area if you have selected the wrong stand to begin with! Hope this helps.

RE: Where to put the stand?
 

Nothing beats preseason scouting. I live in OK and the deer at this time are changing rapidly. Try to go out and observe the deer from a distant vantage point a few days before season. Learn what deer are in the area and how they are moving then set your stand accordingly remember that you have to get there with as little disturbance as possible. Sometimes you may want to mow a path to the stand through grass so you are not loud in approaching.

Try to figure out what they are doing right now. Where are they bedding or feeding? When? Are they moving morning, evening, midday?

Don't sweat going to the stand carry extra clothes.