thomasmgp

I think I have been overhunting my land. I really enjoy hunting mostly in the woods because thats where I have had most of my luck seeing deer. Also once the acorns have piled up they wont even come out to my field stands at all and eat food plots or bait. They just stay back there for 2-3 weeks eating nothing but acorns.

But I think going into the woods so much is the reason Im seeing less deer and then only small ones. I assume going into the woods not only affects the area around those stands but also my field stands as well as Im pretty sure deer dont bed down in cut fields. So the deer I see in my fields are obviously coming out of the woods. I have been thinking about putting up 3 more stands, as I have tons of space along all my tree lines, and I think that should help a little with my over hunting. If I hunt in the woods less then I wont be constantly driving or even walking close to their bedding areas and the routes they take to their feeding grounds. So less of my scent and noise should mean less spooky deer.

But that brings me to another problem. I have one really great spot for a stand in a corner where two tree lines meet. Behind both of them are timber cut downs where I know deer bed down and then come out into the fields to feed as theres no food back there unless random vegetation has sprouted up. Also will be soybeans planted in all my fields next year so plenty of good eating. When I hunt this stand, or any of my stands along tree lines, will driving a 4 wheeler past them on the way to the stand affect the deer? Or will they just go "What was that" and then forget about it a few minutes later once I drive past?

Im just thinking if I hunt less combined with not hunting back in the woods I would greatly reduce the chances of over hunting my land.