Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

You are invitedto hunta new area with close hunting friends for a week.
You are hunting bucks only.
This area is 'Big Woods', no farmland, no crops or fields.
You can literally walk miles before ever hitting a tar road.

Before Opening Day you will have the chance to scout one full day.

You have a topo map that shows relatively flat land with many swamps and old logging roads.

The woods are extremely thick and the deer population is about 10 deer/sq. mile.
The peak of the rut will be about 10 days away.

What have you found during your scouting that makes you decide where to setup the next morning?
You have a self climber or you can hunt from the ground.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

Look for locations where multiple deer trails come together and natural funnels created by the terrain, check for tracks, and if the right time of year scrapes and rubs. Try and get back in to areas that most people won't and don't go, larger bucks will work the terrain to remain unseen, such as small ravines and ridges.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

you pretty much described the area's i hunt. pay special attention to transition lines. where area's of different terrain meet, like swamp and hardwoods or oak hammocks. these will more than likely be area's with lots of sign, including rubs and scrapes.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

First off GOOGLE earth the area.

It will save you a crapload of time and walkin.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

Look for deer trails. I have had a lot of success in big woods by finding a heavily used deer trail near some thick cover.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

I would first look at google earth and try to find any larger groupings of hardwoods.... Looking for the most likely food source....... then look at that relative to the logging roads that would give you relatively easy access, without disturbing the world getting in, and try to place it all in the closest proximity to a " swamp " area. The deer look for good cover that is not abused by every hunter out there, where food is close and water is plentyful....

WHen you can place these areas together, look closely for the main travel corridors through it and use the climbing stand. You will stand less chance of getting winded, and of spoiling the area with scent.... giving more days of possible productivity when the other hunters are driving the deer deeper into the shadows....

Good Luck,

God Bless

MET

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

try looking for funnels first. swampy areas should have plenty of them and when you do find one the deer trail will probably be big, this is what the does should be using. Try to find another less used trail parrallel to this on the downwind side, this is what the bucks will use to cruise for does, and 10 days before the peak of the rut means that they'll be lookin.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

Try to find a transition area between two doe bedding areas (very thick cover). Bucks should be cruising 10 days before rut tryiing to find the first hot doe. It also depends whether you are bow or rifle hunting as to how close to the bedding areas I would setup.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

I'd drop the climber, hunt/scout on foot that 1st day, then re-evaluate that night about if I wanted to bring in the climber and setup somewhere.

Maybe hike into/scout areas then setup for a good hour or so, then repeat....

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

Rifle or bow? Rut or no rut?

If I was just looking for a buck, I would find a super highway and set up there. If I was looking for a trophy buck, I'd go into as thick as cover as I could where there was still sign and still shooting lanes.

Plan B- You're gonna be there for a week. If plan A fails have plan B! This may sound stupid, but, I would listen to what everyone else said their plans were nightly. I would try to set up somewhere, and let them push the deer to me. I've been in a ton of hunting camps. Most guys cannot sit still for very long. Most guys don't take the wind into consideration. I know there are a lot of good hunters out there, but there are more bad hunters out there.No matter what they say that night around the campfire, they will sit for an hour and then they will be up and moving. Happens all the time, especially when it's cold!

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

I would Google Earth the area first. Locate the water, swamps, streams, etc. Find the thickest wooded area where the does are likely to be. Find funnels. Try to find easy access paths, logging roads, etc. Look what you have. Perhaps youl will find a couple of spots where to start. Think about the dominant winds in the area as well.

Good luck.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

I have to agree with some of the posts. I would look for multiple "fresh" deer trails. Hopefully they have some scraps along the way.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

I was raised hunting on that kind of land. Your absolutely most productive places will be a swamp with a hill next to it. The deer will pass in front of the swamp at the base of the hill. You will see the deer paths like walking paths. Look for a place where two main paths join each other to go in front of the swamp and then hunt the spot where they join.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

Google earth is the best way to go. It's amazing how much time you can save on that and figure where deer will go on bordering properties. I may have access to a new piece of property 5 hours away. It will cost to much for me to get down there and scout more than once so I will be studying maps more than anything.

Id say just find the funnels and where runways meet each other and start there. After a day or two if it doesn't pay off, re-evaluate your plan, talk anyone who has harvested deer and see what they did to harvest a deer. With 10 or so deer per square mile near the rut, if you can find the does, the bucks will be soon to follow.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

thats how it is up here in maine. even less deer that 10/sq. mile actually! i highly doubt you will find any trails, big woods deer dont really have travel routes. they kinda meander around and feed on browse. def most def hunt from the ground. still hunt the area. we have really good luck still hunting around fresh cut offs and water sources. use the still hunting as a scouting method for a few days. you should jump some bucks and be able to figure out where they wanna head for when you jump the out. then just have a guy settin thee ready to shut the lights out when the ol big boy comes through the next time.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

If the peak of the rut is 10 days away, you need to just find a well used trail (or intersection), or a good funnel. This will be the time when the bucks are cruising lookin for the first hot does. Rattling and grunting will also could prove very effective.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

An aerial of thick woods won't be a lot of help to you. A good topo will be of help showing streams, wetlands, often old roads. A few days of pre season scouting will be more help than anything..

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

timbercruiser - In my original post I stated I have only one day to scout so I don't have that luxury to preseaon scout for a few day. I do agree with you on the topo. I have topo maps of every area I hunt which are also in different states.

skybuster - You hit the nail on the head because I am talking about Maine. Most folks that hunt big woods, especially the kind of woods that Maine has, don't truly realize how much different it can be.
Most hunters look for feeding areas and bedding areas and the trails or runways that lead to both. That's very difficult to do in big woods because the deer can feed and bed anywhere in the woods. He does not have to travel far from both. Plus the thick woods and cedar swamps offer much needed security.

I will walk the logging roads near thick, nasty cover and scout from there. I will also check natural funnels, which were also mentioed. Good advice.
I also need to check for any oak ridges (white oak preferred) for heavy mast. I was told these woods have very low deer hunting pressure so having other hunters move the deer may not exist.

I always ask myself...If I was a deer, where would I spend my time.
I also believe that deer, no matter what state or province they live, all do similar 'deer things'.
I have found over the years that my best place to start are areas that show old/new dropping and work from there. At least I know deer are spending time there.

Sometimes I wish it was easier....then again that's what being a successful deer hunters is all about.
Scouting an area and taking all the information to decide where to setup or what kind of technique to use.
I will decide whether to hunt from the ground, hunt from my self climber or still hunt based on the results of my scouting.

Thick, nasty woods - wet, thick, nasty swamps - old tote roads - alders so thick you can't walk through -yep, that's Maine.At least the parts I spend my time hunting.

Thanks to all for your input. I do appreciate it.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

I would use a topo and locate a swampy area and in that area look for brown ash trees.The bucks in Maine seem to like making rubs on those trees.I have seen where they rub the same tree every year.Brown ash grows in damp,wet areas.

RE: Need input - Here's the scenerio....
 

Concentrate on saddles between ridges and streams or swampy areas to help narrow deer activity / directions of deer travel, some of this may lead to some rubs.
If you find some rub lines, look specifically for the sign post rubs (trees that have been rubbed year after year).
In Maine / NH, etc. deer populations are not that large, as your example explained, so patience is key.
You may want to stick to a specific area or two (am/pm hunts) and after 2-3 days, re-evaluate it's productivity?
Many successful hunters will need 2-3 years to figure an area out, so 1 week isn't very long when you look at this scenario.

Is this hunt in NH, if so email me, as I have hunted many parts of the state and may be able to help you out?