namari

This is my first year hunting whitetails and I need some advice on stand location. I'm going to attach a picture of a possible hunting location. The red lines indicate game trail with heavy sign. The blue line is my entrance route. The yellow line represents the prevailing wind, out of the north/east blowing south/south west. The blue circle is an active watering hole. I don't know if it's active in the winter time or not. This is public land, very active and the whitetails are extremely hard to see. It's also very dense forest/swamp, with few open areas.

Where would you setup your tree stand?

kickin_buck

Just based on wind direction and the trails you have mapped, I would suggest southwest of the water hole, just to the south of where all the trails intersect. Also, where the two trails come together in the northeast portion of the map, set up to the south of the intersection to keep the wind in your favor. A topo map would also help a ton, asyou would be better able to see geographical pinch points. Good Luck!

namari

Thanks for the tips roller! It pretty much all flat land, not much in the way of elevation variance, so practically no contour lines. You can see the swamp/river area to the north of the trails; one trail cuts straight across. That's the only real funnel I can see.

BOWHUNTER818

Well looking at the picture and where the water source is located, like roller said its a natural funnel where the 3 trails come together any time you can get a spot where you can narrow the trials from 3 to 1 you stand a good chance in success, not to mention the water source makes it a good early Bow hunting stand....and that way youcan get in there in a real hunting situation and see how every thing pans out for you....

Is the woods thin(open) or is it really confined??

namari

hey BOWHUNTER818, thanks for your feedback too! The woods are really tight. Very dense brush, lots of hardwoods with a few clumps and lone stands of evergreens.

BOWHUNTER818

Well it sounds like you cound be harrboring some Brusier bucks in there..get out and scout it out get a good set of binos and go sit. But if i were to hang a stand i would put one up right where those 5 trails come together and the wind would have to be right to hunt that stand....GOOD LUCK WITH IT THOUGH!!
Looks like a good property..

BH818

namari

Oh, and did I mention the brambles? They are dense, and wicked sharp. My upper thighs look like they've been through some kind of Chinese torture.

namari

Also I forgot to ask, how far from the trails I should set my stand? Right over? 25 yards away?

BOWHUNTER818

Take care of those "brambles" you dont want those things stickingyou early in the morning getting to your stand..but back to the stands location clear some really good shooting lane be sure not to give yourselfup though dont skyline yourself...me personally i would want to be off the trails to provide me with the best shot opertunity so i would find a nice tree and probably hang a ladder stand or a hang on cause i hunt dense woods my self and noise travels---a long ways-----but yeah clear some lanes and some trails to and from your stand and lanes to shoot through....you should be set..

When does the season start in MASS.???

BH818

namari

Bow starts 10/13, shotgun starts 12/01, and muzzleloader starts 12/15. Thanks again for the feedback BH.