1st year deer hunter needs help.
11-24-2009, 03:16 PM
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: West Tennessee
Posts: 7
1st year deer hunter needs help.
Hi everyone. I know Im new to the forum, but also new to deer hunting.
I am having issues with jumping up deer and wanting to move around a lot.
I own 25 acres in Northwest TN. It is loaded with deer as we are surrounded by crops. My land is very heavily wooded and has a lot of undergrowth. At any point, I can only see 35 yards at most. I am hunting from the ground as I dont have a stand yet. The first day I went out (2 days ago), I jump up 5 or 6 deer about 15 yards behind my house where i enter the woods. I get to where I am sitting (big scrape and fresh daily, 5 rubs on a trail line all within 25 feet) and right away a deer snorts at me. It starts prancing around and puts on a show for about 15 minutes. Its small so I didnt shoot.
Today, I jump up a small 6 point or so about 15 yards after I walk in to the woods. He is about 25 feet from where I jumped up the others. He never snorts but runs off. On my way out of the woods, I sware I jump him up in the exact spot as before. There is a creek bed I have to cross to go in the woods. Thats where they all seem to be.
What should I do about the woods being so thick and having no real clear view/shot? Should I stay on the scrape area, or move to the trail with the rubs that they were on when I jumped them up? The lack of open area is playing hard on my will and mind. It makes me want to move a lot cause I feel like I have such limited space, I will never see a deer before it sees me..... All the action seems to be taking place within 75 yards of the back of my house along this dry creek bed. I have a lot of acorns, thickets, and bedding area. There is one area along the creek bed that has a clearing about 15 yards wide and 50 yards long. At one side of it length wise is the heavy trail with the rubs. But the scrape is through some bushes and cant be seen. What times should I hunt, what areas, etc?
Thanks, and sorry for the long post.
I am having issues with jumping up deer and wanting to move around a lot.
I own 25 acres in Northwest TN. It is loaded with deer as we are surrounded by crops. My land is very heavily wooded and has a lot of undergrowth. At any point, I can only see 35 yards at most. I am hunting from the ground as I dont have a stand yet. The first day I went out (2 days ago), I jump up 5 or 6 deer about 15 yards behind my house where i enter the woods. I get to where I am sitting (big scrape and fresh daily, 5 rubs on a trail line all within 25 feet) and right away a deer snorts at me. It starts prancing around and puts on a show for about 15 minutes. Its small so I didnt shoot.
Today, I jump up a small 6 point or so about 15 yards after I walk in to the woods. He is about 25 feet from where I jumped up the others. He never snorts but runs off. On my way out of the woods, I sware I jump him up in the exact spot as before. There is a creek bed I have to cross to go in the woods. Thats where they all seem to be.
What should I do about the woods being so thick and having no real clear view/shot? Should I stay on the scrape area, or move to the trail with the rubs that they were on when I jumped them up? The lack of open area is playing hard on my will and mind. It makes me want to move a lot cause I feel like I have such limited space, I will never see a deer before it sees me..... All the action seems to be taking place within 75 yards of the back of my house along this dry creek bed. I have a lot of acorns, thickets, and bedding area. There is one area along the creek bed that has a clearing about 15 yards wide and 50 yards long. At one side of it length wise is the heavy trail with the rubs. But the scrape is through some bushes and cant be seen. What times should I hunt, what areas, etc?
Thanks, and sorry for the long post.
11-24-2009, 03:25 PM
#2
Fork Horn
Join Date: Nov 2009
Posts: 111
You need to get a ladder stand. Only $170.00. Putting yourself 17' in the air would make a Huge difference.
Get to your spot 45 min. before day break. or in your stand. If its that thick. get a stand or draw them to you. rattle and or use a grunt tube.
I envy you. I wish I had your problem !!!
Get to your spot 45 min. before day break. or in your stand. If its that thick. get a stand or draw them to you. rattle and or use a grunt tube.
I envy you. I wish I had your problem !!!
11-24-2009, 04:24 PM
#3
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Eagleville Missouri
Posts: 338
Get high! If you can't afford a tall ladder stand, then borrow a tall ladder and get up in a tree,with big limbs and biuld a platform.
Before your next hunting season cut some trails 2-4 of them radiating out from your stand site to all the corners of your property so that they all come together at your stand. Make them wide enough to drive a truck through, even though you may never want to do this. Kepp them cleared and preferably mowed a couple monthes before deer season. This will give you the clear shots you need as deer walk down or cross these paths. You can also plant food plots on these trails a hundred yards out or so.
Before your next hunting season cut some trails 2-4 of them radiating out from your stand site to all the corners of your property so that they all come together at your stand. Make them wide enough to drive a truck through, even though you may never want to do this. Kepp them cleared and preferably mowed a couple monthes before deer season. This will give you the clear shots you need as deer walk down or cross these paths. You can also plant food plots on these trails a hundred yards out or so.
11-24-2009, 04:28 PM
#4
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: West Tennessee
Posts: 7
Thanks for the tips. I have even thought about controlled fire to get rid of the underbrush. But, my main plan has been to get a chainsaw right after deer season and go to town! I was going to clear out a good sized field all around a ladder stand and plant some food source. Also thought about some deer feeding type system to hang close to the stand. Guess I just have to hope for the best this season.
11-24-2009, 04:30 PM
#5
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: West Tennessee
Posts: 7
You need to get a ladder stand. Only $170.00. Putting yourself 17' in the air would make a Huge difference.
Get to your spot 45 min. before day break. or in your stand. If its that thick. get a stand or draw them to you. rattle and or use a grunt tube.
I envy you. I wish I had your problem !!!
Get to your spot 45 min. before day break. or in your stand. If its that thick. get a stand or draw them to you. rattle and or use a grunt tube.
I envy you. I wish I had your problem !!!
11-24-2009, 04:45 PM
#6
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 1,304
Are you hunting with a gun or bow?
I'd wait until spring to do your cutting; especially after the growth period has slowed down. That way you won't have massive growth issues to re-cut come closer to season.
You'd be surprised what you can cut with a pair of pruners and a handsaw in a couple of hours. I'd try that first before busting out the chainsaw... unless you have one already.
When creating stand spots, make several of them. If you only have one or two, it won't be long before you burn them out. Having several locations pre-cut and ready to go gives you more options when dealing with the wind. I NEVER hunt an area unless I know what the wind is doing... and I DON'T hesitate if the wind shifts to where it's not in my favor, to move out of there!
Also, learn to build some killer ground blinds out of natural material, ie, logs, branches, sticks, etc. You may even shovel transplant some small trees at the blind spot and fertilize them for fast growth! Hunting from ground blinds I created is my most productive and fun way to hunt as of late. I love the trees, but being on the ground offers advantages too.
Good luck.
iSnipe
I'd wait until spring to do your cutting; especially after the growth period has slowed down. That way you won't have massive growth issues to re-cut come closer to season.
You'd be surprised what you can cut with a pair of pruners and a handsaw in a couple of hours. I'd try that first before busting out the chainsaw... unless you have one already.
When creating stand spots, make several of them. If you only have one or two, it won't be long before you burn them out. Having several locations pre-cut and ready to go gives you more options when dealing with the wind. I NEVER hunt an area unless I know what the wind is doing... and I DON'T hesitate if the wind shifts to where it's not in my favor, to move out of there!
Also, learn to build some killer ground blinds out of natural material, ie, logs, branches, sticks, etc. You may even shovel transplant some small trees at the blind spot and fertilize them for fast growth! Hunting from ground blinds I created is my most productive and fun way to hunt as of late. I love the trees, but being on the ground offers advantages too.
Good luck.
iSnipe
11-24-2009, 06:07 PM
#7
Typical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 564
You need to get a ladder stand. Only $170.00. Putting yourself 17' in the air would make a Huge difference.
Get to your spot 45 min. before day break. or in your stand. If its that thick. get a stand or draw them to you. rattle and or use a grunt tube.
I envy you. I wish I had your problem !!!
Get to your spot 45 min. before day break. or in your stand. If its that thick. get a stand or draw them to you. rattle and or use a grunt tube.
I envy you. I wish I had your problem !!!
11-24-2009, 06:22 PM
#9
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: West Tennessee
Posts: 7
Are you hunting with a gun or bow?
I'd wait until spring to do your cutting; especially after the growth period has slowed down. That way you won't have massive growth issues to re-cut come closer to season.
You'd be surprised what you can cut with a pair of pruners and a handsaw in a couple of hours. I'd try that first before busting out the chainsaw... unless you have one already.
When creating stand spots, make several of them. If you only have one or two, it won't be long before you burn them out. Having several locations pre-cut and ready to go gives you more options when dealing with the wind. I NEVER hunt an area unless I know what the wind is doing... and I DON'T hesitate if the wind shifts to where it's not in my favor, to move out of there!
Also, learn to build some killer ground blinds out of natural material, ie, logs, branches, sticks, etc. You may even shovel transplant some small trees at the blind spot and fertilize them for fast growth! Hunting from ground blinds I created is my most productive and fun way to hunt as of late. I love the trees, but being on the ground offers advantages too.
Good luck.
iSnipe
I'd wait until spring to do your cutting; especially after the growth period has slowed down. That way you won't have massive growth issues to re-cut come closer to season.
You'd be surprised what you can cut with a pair of pruners and a handsaw in a couple of hours. I'd try that first before busting out the chainsaw... unless you have one already.
When creating stand spots, make several of them. If you only have one or two, it won't be long before you burn them out. Having several locations pre-cut and ready to go gives you more options when dealing with the wind. I NEVER hunt an area unless I know what the wind is doing... and I DON'T hesitate if the wind shifts to where it's not in my favor, to move out of there!
Also, learn to build some killer ground blinds out of natural material, ie, logs, branches, sticks, etc. You may even shovel transplant some small trees at the blind spot and fertilize them for fast growth! Hunting from ground blinds I created is my most productive and fun way to hunt as of late. I love the trees, but being on the ground offers advantages too.
Good luck.
iSnipe
Using a gun. Also, I have an issue with a fear of snakes so cutting in the spring (too late) is an issue. But I thought about getting some snake boots and keeping it clean once every few months till next season.
What do you reccomend I plant and when? If I picked a good spot (that same scrape was there last year also), set up a good stand, and then cut out a "finger" of 5 or 6 clearings 100 yards out and about 15 feet wide, would that be a good idea or too much a change for the deer that are used to the way it is?
11-25-2009, 04:40 AM
#10
Fork Horn
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Wisconsin
Posts: 320
What do you reccomend I plant and when? If I picked a good spot (that same scrape was there last year also), set up a good stand, and then cut out a "finger" of 5 or 6 clearings 100 yards out and about 15 feet wide, would that be a good idea or too much a change for the deer that are used to the way it is?
Scrape areas are often perennial, so I'd avoid changing them too much so you don't change whatever it is about that area that makes it attractive to the bucks for scrapes. I try to think in terms of small 'lanes' from my stands, and not open 'areas'. Doing that maintains the sense of cover for the deer, but still provides you with shot opportunities.
I'd also echo ISnipe's comment re: setting up multiple stands if possible, and to stay out of the bedding areas (if you can find them). Just catch the deer coming and going from those areas if you can.