I didn't even think to mention keep your kills to the big one you're looking for!

I had suggested the same to a friend of mine.. "If we go out there, we are NOT shooting any small bucks or does... big boys only!" LOL!

Might as well prepare for success and have a bud or two be on call for the time you'll need the help.

iSnipe

i would use it for security cover, were i live in Michigan during the firearms season if you have even a small area the deer feel safe in they will stack up like cord wood. be the guy with the safe spot and see more deer.

Good luck with what ever you do!

I would find a travel routes into it and set up on the outside and catch him sneaking in and out. That is his bedroom and you don,t want to be tromping through it, all you will end up doing is blowing them out of there. You have the whole offseason to study it. I would put up mulitple stands because I found out the big boys never use the same route to many times in a row.

70 acres is a nice sized property but really, a 1/2 mile is not that far to go. I understand nasty cover, briars, hawthorne, multiflora rose, and everything else that wants to poke you as you walk through it, beleive me. I also understand steep ravines. Much of the land in NH and Ohio I've hunted is like that. It may seem like a hassle, but could be well worth it. I would not hesitate to carry a ladder stand 1/2 mile if the spot was good.

Making a trail to get you in there is a good idea, but consider the wind when you lay it out if possible. You don't want the deer to wind you before you get there. Maybe two trails are needed, depending upon the wind? I'm talking narrow trails, wide enough so you can walk them, not atv trails.

Getting deer out of these areas alone can be a chore, but with a cart it can be done. It's not a race, take your time and get it done. In KY (Daniel Boone NF Primitive Weapons Area) I shot deer in locations where they had to be pulled up really steep hills. With a buddy, it was pretty easy to run 100' of rope up the hill and around a 4" sapling with smooth bark. With the rope tied around my waist and the other end tied to the deer, I basically ran down the hill, and my buddy pulled the deer up the hill.

It is work, but when you think about it, it's a good problem to have.

I would not make the trail very wide or easy to distinguish, or you may open it up for others. Hand pruners and some white relective tacks (will not be visible in the daylight). Keep your route looking unwelcoming or you may have company. The best way to ruin a spot is to make it easily accessable. A slightly tougher walk will keep the pressure down on the big boys.

You may want to use a hang-on stand with treesteps, it will be easy to carry and setup.