Hunting planted pines
 

hey guys just wondering how if any hunt planted pines? the ones i am talking about 20 ft high you can see good standing up but if you set in a blind you veiw is limited need some way to get up about 6 to 8 ft and be hid.trees are not big enough for regular ladder stand i tried that, just to much movement. some kind of tri pod or some home made stand anyhelp would be great.

RE: Hunting planted pines
 

I do not like hunting planted pines for the same reasons you are trying to
resolve. I would hunt the outer edges.

RE: Hunting planted pines
 

I know exactly what your going through I know ofa a mature buck that I have been hunting know for a while that is bed down in that kind of stuff probably right now as we speak and there is no way I could get a way with a ground blind and no way to hang a stand and a tripod I could not see anything from, only option hunt the edges setup on a funnel and possibly try to ambushhim on hisway to bed in the morning get there early before light evening probably won't pay off because he 's nocturnal.

RE: Hunting planted pines
 

Here in SC and through out the South East there is nothing, but planted pines left thanks to the timber industry. So we have had to adapt to hunting them. All of you guys are missing out on a lot by just hunting the outer edges. If these trees are 20ft tall then they are more than strong enough to support a small 10ft ladder and hunter. I have a small 10ft steel ladder stand that I bought years ago that works perfect to these places. The most important thing is keep your movement down and of course the wind.

One advantage that you have is pine straw. Its very quite to walk on, esp. when its wet or damp.

My biggest buck to date came out of an area just like you are describing. The only thing difference is that the stand I was hunting out of was on top of a hill so I could watch over another hill top which was more open and covered in tall grass that the deer liked to bed and sun in.

These areas don't look like much, but they hold deer. I would imagine that they would hold more deer up in your area than down here in the South b/c the pines would produce more warmth from the snow and wind.

Just get in there, you never know what you are missing.

RE: Hunting planted pines
 

Another option for late season gun hunting would be to do a "drive" or "push". Some hunters do not like this method though, it all depends on your preferance.

RE: Hunting planted pines
 

I would get a pole saw and start working on some shooting lanes around the edges also. Get an aerial and look for interior hardwood heads or maybe some isolated wetland areas that could be cleaned up also. Depending on the site prep done before the pines were planted, there may be some areas where the loging debris was pushed up that you might be able to run over with a dozier and create an interior shooting lane. Old roads can be trimmed up with a pole saw creating good shooting lanes also.

RE: Hunting planted pines
 

Scout. Look for trails, bedding areas etc. Do not get consumed with hunting a stand or blind. Find a good trail or funnel, be extremely cautious of your scent and wind and plant your butt on the ground. Be extremely still. Get in early. This is very similar to the type of hunting that I was first introduced to deer hunting in south Louisiana. It wasn't pines but very thick bushes. Longest shot was about 40 yards with most about 20 yards. Best hunting of my life. 18-20 years old, friends, harvesting whitetails, doesn't get any better than that.

RE: Hunting planted pines
 

I have two different places i hunt. Both places have areas of planted pines and usuallly hardwoods beside it. During the rut the bucks tear them up with scrapes and rubs. Also the bucks bed down in them. Find some trails that go from the bedding to feeding areas. During the rut you can catch some bucks that are leaving their bedding ares to go find does at the food sources. your missing alot if you dont hunt the interior of planted pines. ALso, if you have any ditches along the edges of the pines look for crossing and set up a ways from them (in shooting distance) and you would be suprised at the deer you will see.

RE: Hunting planted pines
 

I would either hunt an edge, or as you suggested a nice tripod would work out as well.