observation stands

[gjs4]

Every sit is an observation stand and i will almost always work my way in going from genric conservative to explictly planned assassination (if you will)

[BassBoysLLP]

I use them on occasion. Most of my intel comes from spring scouting. The best observation stand I use is my truck. Anything closer always feels like intrusion.

[Stanley]

An observation stand should never be put on an open field. You can glass what is in the field from afar and you already know what is living in the open field; nothing. Observation stands should be placed close to but not into bedding areas so you can get a handle on deer movement in the thick of the timber and bedding areas. This is what I consider to be low impact scouting and leaves very little to none human stink where you expect bucks to be.

[Zap]

I disagree, sometimes you cannot see a whole field from ground level.
Terrain rolls and deer like to come out where they cannot be seen due to terrain.

Getting high on a field edge you can see alot that you cannot from the ground, especially late season with snow.

[Schultzy]

Deer don't feed on our fields this time of year much. Their tilled under and froze like a rock. My observation sits are In the woods where they usually are anyway. Pretty much was Stanley said Is what I do as well. Last nights observation hunt was a bust for me. Didn't see the target buck I was hoping. Going scouting today.

[Zap]

Cut bean field....10 degree temps.







Cut corn...below freezing temps.

[dan]

bump

[GRUD]

I use observation stands rather than scouting cameras so I can stay out of certain areas before moving in for a kill. I used them last season and they were instrumental in my buck kill on public. It depends on the area though, some areas you can see better and figure out where an animal exits its bed before going in and hunting. If you did enough off season scouting you probably dont need to do as many observation sits.

[cwoods]

I use them on occasion. I don't always use a stand though. Sometimes I sit in the truck, behind a hay bale, barn, field edge, you get the idea. Most is during the summer and then as the season progresses (food, temps, rut) I'll scope things out from a distance. Its hard with limited time during the season to not always go in for the kill but, sometimes the one observation sit may give you the piece of intel you need to kill that bruiser your chasing.

[gjs4]

I should add on my post- i am in them once or twice a week in july and august. I am wind smart all of th eitme and almost all of them have super easy access. At time i bump some down wind on the neighbors or am walikning my edge to bump them back in (hmmmmm ) I just hung a 6 footer to see over what appears to be flat terrain in a big field but is not. Why? Inventory is the easy part- i do it to see how certain deer or deer groups move (which i call patterning.....the idea of a deer leaving the same spot and taking the same path on happens on Dru & Tiff's Silver Fenced Ranch....

A budey of mine once posed the statement you should know where to kill a deer on any given day....although we all think we can; observations stands are why I know I can most days...and where the does are and move during rut and how a given buck may use a given wind...