Manfred

I' m looking for some opinions on whether my stand is shot or should I give it a try this gun season. I' ve been hunting the Bayfield County WI forest for about 11 years now and over the last 6 have found a real doozie of a spot. 2 spkies, 1-6 pointer, 1-8pointer and about 5 doe. The problem is last year the local mountain bike club decided to put in a new trail right through the area I hunt (it also runs 10 feet in front of my stand) Millions of trails and they had to cut a new one through that area - but thats another rant. Last year I only saw one lone spike on my last day of hunting. I had other problems such as no acorns and a late hunting season. Last weekend I did some scouting and the deer trail that they normally use is still in use but not as heavy as in the past. I also noticed that there is a newer trail coming from behind my stand. I' m on a fairly big ridge and the older trail comes up from a valley straight ahead and to the left. The new trail behind me comes from the back side of the ridge which is quite thick and had been clear cut about 6 yeras ago. The bike trail is only one bike wide but I' m sure it gets pretty good use. Any comments of this would ruin an area or not?

Troy R

If you are seeing activity around your stand and the area your stand is in is still legal to hunt " because of the bike trail" I would still hunt it. They may close the bike trail down for hunting season.

Last year I was hunting in a prime spot in the river bottoms, but I was Coyote hunting. Well I was hunting on the side of this well worn trail but I didnt know what it was. So, I was there using my predator call, singing to the coyote' s and while I was pausing here comes this guy on a mountain bike! I jumped up spun around wondering what the hell is this, and while doing this he crashed his bike in the woods because I accidently scared him. I guess seeing a guy in total camo,face net and all with a 12 gauge made him sh** down both legs!!!after he flipped the bike. I helped him up and he was ok, but it is still a WMA. Legal to hunt.

Troy

Manfred

Troy,

Now that is one of the funniest things I' ve heard in a long time. Sounds like something that could happen in our area. We hunt county forest which is totaly legal but we sometimes have to put up with XC skiers or mountain bikers. The area we hunt is real close to a resort that caters to that. Fortunatley it' s not run well and that time of year is off season anyway. (depending on the weather) We' ve had people tell us we were on private land and when we whip out the map and show them where they are they shut up real fast. We actually had skiers one year wearing brown outfits with white hats!!!!! They owners of the resort even had the gaul to tell people it was perfectly safe to bike or ski without blaze on. I plan on giving it a go but we have some new spots picked out just in case. The only problem is if we have alot of snow we can' t get to it and we don' t have 4 wheelers.

MQHunter

You may find that eventually the deer may start to use the trail. I hunt just off of a four-wheeler trail that has become the ultimate funnel in my area. The only problem is that it is so thick in there, it' s the only way that I have in, too. So I make sure to minimize my own scent and spray my boots well with scent shield or similar spray. Then I sit about 20 yds off of that trail and see more deer walking down that trail than anywhere else in those woods! Remember, sometimes deer are like humans in that they like to walk the path of least resistance. If that mt. bike trail happens to run through some really thick area, there may be a hot spot in the making. Rather than fight through the thick, the deer may eventually start to use the trail themselves! Can' t get any better than that. An added note: I am also an avid mt. biker from PA. and many times I' m out, we see lots of deer right on our trails!! If I were you, I would walk some of that trail and look for sign. You may end up finding an even better spot and have a nice quiet trail to sneak in on to boot !! Good Luck!

Troy R

Yeah, Deer are not that bright so I wouldnt think you would have much of a problem.

SchuylkillOutdoorsman

Ive been hunting a spot here in PA for about 15 years and it was a real honey hole, About 3 years ago atvs and dirt bikers started to use this area. It was a nice bush that was used as a beeding area, the deer are still there but not like they use to be. I hunt maybe once a year when I get bored of my other neck of the woods I like to hunt.

duke1217

i have hunted a farm for about 7 years. two years ago the owner put in a dirtbike and 4wheeler race tract right in the middle of the farm. thru the woods he put in a what is called a hairscramble track (the track is all thru the woods). my one stand is only about 30 yards from the hairscramble track. last year i kill a 140 class buck and this year on opening bow season i saw 6 doe' s and a small 6 point. i believe that the deer get used to the noise and traffic of the bikes. i have seen deer stand and watch the bike' s then go back to what they were doing as soon as the bikes leave.

i think your area is different do to the fact that your area is a bicycle track but i would still check it out.