The farm where I hunt has a manmade pond, maybe a third of an acre, hidden in the woods but closely bordered on two sides by agricultural fields. The pond was made in a three-sided natural valley, with an earthen dam at the low end.

Animals of all kinds, including many deer, travel the length of the dam, even though there appears to be little evidence of them drinking from the pond (i.e., tracks continue straight across the top without ever going down to the water.)

Has anyone else noticed this sort of behavior, and if so, are there any specific ways to hunt this particular type of travel path more effectively?

If the pond is in a valley the animals would have to go down one side and up the other to cross, unless they travel over the dam breast, the easiest route. The path of least resistance.

Deer are like humans. They are lazy!!!! If you have a choice of walking thru a briar patch and then Russian Autumn Olive or across an open field, which way are you going to go to get to the same point of interest? Deer are the same way. They will travel that pond dam to get between 2 points because it has the path of least resistance and still afford them cover if needed in just a few bounces. Put a stand near each end and watch the wind and you will have a pinch point for times to come.

Deer are lazy.
-JaKe

Lazy in the sense they follow the path of least resistance. It is a funnel of sorts so you would hunt it in the same manner you would any funnel.
They also eat till full then go some place to bed and chew their cuds too.


Al

I have a similar thing in one of my hunting spots. A deer trail runs the length of the pond dam.

The area below the dam is a valley and takes more effort to go up and down the slopes.

probably for for food

Seems to me that you should set-up on one side or the other of the path they travel to cross the dam.

I would rather hunt the side they enter from, as they will be very cautious approaching that opening (time for you to put the cross hairs on them); as opposed to getting to the other side when they want to get into cover ASAP.

BTW - They probably get their drink upstream in the cover.

Good thoughts everyone, I appreciate it.

There's really no "upstream" in this case since the pond is just in a watershed - no creek in or out except perhaps for a few hours after very heavy rain. But I do know which way they usually come in across the dam, so great tip to set up overlooking that!