cal516

I live in the county. There is about a 4 miles long and 2 miles wide strip of land that runs in between two main roads. Right down the center of the 4 mile stretch is a cut out for power lines about 50-100 meters wide. There is deer all through there to include at least a 7 point which we have seen right in our back yard. Checking out the area I have seen two huge rubs 15 feet apart about 100 yards behind my house. That is the only place I have seen sign. I sat off those two rubs in the morning and saw nothing. I jumped about 4 deer the other evening which was about a 1/2 mile behind the last house and just outside the property line. I saw one deer but it disappeared; it was nasty, windy and rainy. My dog in the middle of the day always spots deer about 50 yards directly behind my house; which is directly in line with the two rubs. One of the rubs is fairly new (2-3 weeks). What would be the best part of the day to hunt this? All day, afternoon, morning and where?

cal516

http://maps.yahoo.com/;_ylc=X3oDMTEx...5351&mag=3

timbercruiser

Hunt anytime that you can that the wind is right, especially around the rut.

skeeter 7MM

I love rubs but without other factors known all they do is indicate a deer at one time was in the area laying downa line. The best way to intrepret sign is by knowing what it means in regards to their routine. how this is done is by scouting. First you need to figure out where they eat, drink and bed. Then figure out how they tranistion to these spots(travel). This means located game trails, stagging areas, funnels, etc. Once you have an idea of where they sleep and eat then you can start looking at the sign they leave to try and develop a plan. I prefer setting up a transition area where the deer seem to funnel to, be it an actual funnel, ridgeline, trail intersect..so on. If i can't find such an area I look for stagging area, these are often closer to the food source where the deer hold up and wait for the safety of low light to proceed out into the open to feed. Can be simply a trail in the shadows of the bushline, maybe a small opening/meadow. If I can't get this area pegged down I then revert to setting up along main game trails inside the transition area, when selecting which paths I look for less travelled paths that either run lateral or criss cross the main path (my experience has been mature bucks don't always follow the herd but aren't to far away as they still need to be where the does are come rut). I usually start at the food sources and work back slowly to the bedding areas as season or rut progresses. Though where I hunt is always determined by whereI think the deer are at the time I set foot in their space, how it and the windrelates to their movements. Basically Ineed the wind blowing out my tailpipe andnowhere neretheir nose. As well Idon't want to try and hunt somewhere where I might bump them on my way to the location either.I always look for a route to my locations that is least likely to interfere with the animals. Even if it means a lot longer walk for me or having mulitple route to the same spots. Always, always figure in wind direction to those spots and when i can and can not hunt them based on it.I have learned that if the wind is marginal do go there or you may blow himoff.

As far as the rubs I don't get to excited until I locate a rubline in transitionthat shows rubs of on both the exit and entrance side of his bedding area. Meaning the trees aren't all rubbed in one direction or side of the trees. When a deer is rubbing to and from food then I start looking for other signso I can intercept him, asI feel I am in his domain. If i find rubs on one side they indicate to me that the deer does not travel the same route to and fro, so I keep scouting to try and pinpoint his full routine. If i fail I then hunt the sign I have at the time he most likely uses that route. Ie; rubs are as he leaves the bedding area that indicates to me he travels out of bed in that direction to food so the best time to hunt that sign is in the evening. If this didn't produce (which means either more/refreshed sign or sightings) I chalk the rubs up as a blipon the radarand move on. Again just my experience, so take it for what you will.

Good Luck

yakuza wiz

do you own a trail cam? they can be one of the most important peice of scouting equipment in a hunter's arsenal.

try an all day hunt.
the fact that anything might show up at any time of day is always too great to pass up.

cal516

What model/brand do you recommend?