Chuck, this is why i don't cut my trail until i'm well off into the woods. once you get a few hundred yards from a road, it is unlikely someone will find it. most hunters don't stray far from roads and the ones that do will usually have enough courtesy to back out once they see someone else is hunting that area. i hunt alot like you, it's nothing to have to walk 1 mile to my stand. so once i get a couple hundred yards in, i start cutting my trails. i'll cut a trail to my tree. then i'll climb my tree and get at my desired hunting height and look around. i'll look for natural trails and other area's deer will most likely be coming from. then i will climb down and widen existing trails and/or make some new ones. keep in mind, the trails don't have to be cut wide enough to drive a 4 wheeler down...just wide enough to get a shot and encourage deer to use.

Chuck, this is why i don't cut my trail until i'm well off into the woods.Metoo partner..when I get off the main trail ...I cut into some thick crap..I walk 100yds to a small trail and then cut off that trail through another 10 foot high palmetto jungle..No one would ever try going through it..But like you ..when I'm 50yds through that..I got my trail made to get to my stand..From the stand I got mywindows made..

My original question deals with//when I cut through the jungle off the trail ...I don't want to cut that down because it keeps my spot hidden from other hunters.It's when I was walking through the 10 foot high jungle of palmettos that I heard deer ahead..

once you get a few hundred yards from a road, it is unlikely someone will find it. You got that right..That's why I love the place..most hunters don't stray far from roads and the ones that do will usually have enough courtesy to back out once they see someone else is hunting that area. i hunt alot like you, it's nothing to have to walk 1 mile to my stand. so once i get a couple hundred yards in, i start cutting my trails. i'll cut a trail to my tree. then i'll climb my tree and get at my desired hunting height and look around. i'll look for natural trails and other area's deer will most likely be coming from. then i will climb down and widen existing trails and/or make some new ones. keep in mind, the trails don't have to be cut wide enough to drive a 4 wheeler down...just wide enough to get a shot and encourage deer to use.

I apprecaite the reply Camo..especially since you hunt the same terrain and public land as well. I also know you have much more expereince than I ..Camo...do you think game cameras spook the deer.I'd love to get a picture of the monster I saw last year..I'm thinking about buying a game camera..

PS By the way..I chose A ...I kept walking.I feel really creepy in the Green Swamp on the ground..I feel much better in a tree.I do plan ot walk much slower and quieter though next year..I'm still learning and I think I getto my stand a little too fast.

i love my game camera's. i credit them for my success especially when your hunting specific deer instead of any legal deer. i just bought another game camera (moultrie i40) Friday at bass pro. it definately gets you more excited seeing the deer that you are hunting. only issue i have is setting them up on public land, where we hunt. i'm trying to design a cheap theft resistant box to keep "honest men honest" if you know what i mean.

QUESTION Here is what happened last year..Daylight is 7:00 ..At 5:45 I'm slowly making my way through the hammock.My Summit stand is 75 yds ahead of me..locked ot a bay tree.
I hear deer ahead of me..about 5o yds..
Should I ....

A. Continue walking in slow..since Florida swamps are hard to see at any distance on the ground anyway..hoping to see other deer later.


Still learning,
Chuck7


What would you do..?
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If the wind is in your favor the deer dont actualy see you and they spook for one reason or another,you still have a good chance of seeing these deer from your stand. I have had the same thing happen to me and choose to continue on to my stand. Deer are curious animals and if not preasured may come right back for a look to see what you are. If they dont well thats huntin and payin your dues,I've been there too.

I would disagree. 99% of hunters are lazy and dont want to go into stuff that thick. If you know your way leave it and deter anyone else from hunting your spot.

I would say c

I had a somewhat similar situation a year and a half ago. Except it was pitch black and I was 10 feet from my stand.

I heard 2 entities moving, by the amount of noise I assumed they were deer. I quietly slipped down beside a fallen tree and froze.

I heard them slowly moving closer to me and guessed they got within 10 feet and one must have sensed/smelled me and started snorting and pawing at the ground. After about 30 seconds (seemed like hours) they took off running.

2 hours later a buck and a doe came right back in towards me from the direction they had run towards. I can only assume it was the same deer. They're curious animals, they like to know what it was that spooked them. I've shot a deer in a group and had 1 or 2 of the group come back to within 50 yards of me while I'm dressing my kill.

Chuck - I would not stop but would continue on to my stand.
By your comments you heard the deer at 5:45, if daylight is 7am, you have heard deer at leastan hour and 15min before daylight and you are only 75 yds away.

Even if you decided to stay and wait and the deer never moved away (which isthe reason for not continuing on), you would probably not be able to see them anyway if 20 yds is your max.

I would definitely continue on to get setup in the treestand. It would also give you enough time to let the woods quiet down.

Just my two cents....

I would go with c you can't shoot what you can't see.

I would just find a different place to hunt that wasn't so pressured!