Lets talk Hill country for a minute

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Brad
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Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby Brad » Tue Oct 02, 2012 3:04 pm

Tyler (Bighunt) and I had a pretty good conversation this past weekend on hill country, it made very little sense to me but he did clear up a lot of it for me to the point where I feel I can be dangerous with it. We used the couch cushion as our "ridge or hill" and that put some of it into perspective on which side of the hill to set up on in different winds etc.

Here are some things I wonder about:

Number one is the thermal wind tunnel. This one makes perfect sense to me why the deer utilize it, but how I execute it is the part that worries me. If I understand it correctly, I need to start up high in an evening hunt to keep the thermals from blowing up the hill to the buck and then once the thermals shift, I need to move down the hill, or make sure I am super high in the tree so my scent goes over top of the thermal tunnel?

#2, it seems in the hill country dvd the bucks are primarily going to bed on the leeward side of the hill with the wind at their back so they can keep tabs on their back-trail or what's behind them, and then face downhill and rely on their eyes to alert them of danger in front or below them? This would seem to me that they would prefer to area in front or below them to be open enough that they can see danger coming from a ways yet still offer them to opportunity to duck into cover and move if they need to? I imagine with the wind at their back they wont be able to hear much from below them since the wind would make that harder for them.

#3 it looks like hill country is very predictable as far as cyber scouting goes and Dan says he is confident enough to go in blind based on the topo maps, would some of these spots be good morning spots as long as I got in way early and then use my evening sits for the marshes or other spots? I see these as a possible morning hunt but if your not careful you could be there all day too.

#4, if the primary wind switches, it is a very good chance that the buck will hop to the other side of the hill and re bed down?

I thought this might be a good topic to cover and get some more insight on.


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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby Bucky » Tue Oct 02, 2012 3:55 pm

Bucks don't just use sight with prevailing winds at their back.... the am thermals bring scent and up to them as well... they are essentially smelling everything below and behind them at once.

My favorite time to hunt hills is 8-9am until 1pm. On good ground... like you have access to bucks will be out cruising a lot during that time frame early Nov. I typically hunt high and don't necessarily go early early... but when I'm hunting hills it is typically rut style hunting... my favorite as it is exciting... u never know what could come chasing through!

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James
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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby James » Tue Oct 02, 2012 4:13 pm

Brad, one thing that changes everything is the makeup of the woods you are hunting in hill country. On my farms we have spots that you cannot see more than 10 yards if you are on the ground. These thick areas on the hills make for great bedding when combined with some of the points you raised. I have other areas where the woods are completely open and I can see for hundreds of yards, even in the early season.

I just wanted to point this out because of your point on going in blind. I think it is pretty straight forward, but you do need to consider the woods makeup.
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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby cornfedkiller » Wed Oct 03, 2012 2:20 am

Bucky wrote:My favorite time to hunt hills is 8-9am until 1pm. On good ground... like you have access to bucks will be out cruising a lot during that time frame early Nov. I typically hunt high and don't necessarily go early early... but when I'm hunting hills it is typically rut style hunting... my favorite as it is exciting... u never know what could come chasing through!

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Can you give us more specifics on where you like to set up for rut hints in hill country? Are you set up above the 1/3 line on the leeward side - waiting for a buck to come cruising that 1/3 line below you?

Do you take points into consideration, or just anywhere along a ridge?

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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby GRFox » Wed Oct 03, 2012 2:40 am

cornfedkiller wrote:
Bucky wrote:My favorite time to hunt hills is 8-9am until 1pm. On good ground... like you have access to bucks will be out cruising a lot during that time frame early Nov. I typically hunt high and don't necessarily go early early... but when I'm hunting hills it is typically rut style hunting... my favorite as it is exciting... u never know what could come chasing through!

[ Post made via Android ] Image


Can you give us more specifics on where you like to set up for rut hints in hill country? Are you set up above the 1/3 line on the leeward side - waiting for a buck to come cruising that 1/3 line below you?

Do you take points into consideration, or just anywhere along a ridge?

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X2 please elaborate.

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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby cornfedkiller » Wed Oct 03, 2012 2:47 am

I also wanted to add another question to this topic if brad doesn't mind.. In the hill country DVD, I noticed a lot of the fields/woods are opposite what they are in my area. Much of the woods in the DVD and I've seen in the past is on high ground and the fields are low - so when bucks are laying in the downslope, they are looking down into the fields. Around here, the woods are in the low land (creek bottoms) and the fields are the high ground (I can post a picture later). Basically, the difference is that points stick inward toward the valley and the center of the timber vs outward into the fields.. Does this make a difference as to where the deer will be, or is it still the same?

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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby Bucky » Wed Oct 03, 2012 3:58 am

Honestly what I look for when rut hunting is a bottle neck in a long ridge side... so a steep drainage coming up out of the bottom that necks down a ridge in one specific area (hard to explain without showing pics).. so essentially the top of a drainage.

Saddles are good connecting valley to valley... the longer the ridges are on both sides the better as more deer will cross in that low spot.

An inside corner or edge that intersects a ridge line... so where a top field necks down travel on a ridge side.

A hub where multiple draws or ridges all connect...

A long point that drops down into a bottom (bedding points) but great travel cooridors from ridge to bottom back up to another ridge...

The more you walk in hills the more you end up in the same areas because it is easier walking... then you just have to think like a deer as to how they will travel the structure to use prevailing winds and thermals to their advantage. Most of my bucks in the hills have come with rifle by the way... hills are way harder to hunt than flat ground due to swirling winds

Lots of these are talked about in Mapping Trophy Whitetails....
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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby kwaldeier » Wed Oct 03, 2012 4:10 am

Bucky wrote:Honestly what I look for when rut hunting is a bottle neck in a long ridge side... so a steep drainage coming up out of the bottom that necks down a ridge in one specific area (hard to explain without showing pics).. so essentially the top of a drainage.

Saddles are good connecting valley to valley... the longer the ridges are on both sides the better as more deer will cross in that low spot.

An inside corner or edge that intersects a ridge line... so where a top field necks down travel on a ridge side.

A hub where multiple draws or ridges all connect...

A long point that drops down into a bottom (bedding points) but great travel cooridors from ridge to bottom back up to another ridge...

The more you walk in hills the more you end up in the same areas because it is easier walking... then you just have to think like a deer as to how they will travel the structure to use prevailing winds and thermals to their advantage. Most of my bucks in the hills have come with rifle by the way... hills are way harder to hunt than flat ground due to swirling winds

Lots of these are talked about in Mapping Trophy Whitetails....

Good post!
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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby dan » Wed Oct 03, 2012 4:14 am

cornfedkiller wrote:I also wanted to add another question to this topic if brad doesn't mind.. In the hill country DVD, I noticed a lot of the fields/woods are opposite what they are in my area. Much of the woods in the DVD and I've seen in the past is on high ground and the fields are low - so when bucks are laying in the downslope, they are looking down into the fields. Around here, the woods are in the low land (creek bottoms) and the fields are the high ground (I can post a picture later). Basically, the difference is that points stick inward toward the valley and the center of the timber vs outward into the fields.. Does this make a difference as to where the deer will be, or is it still the same?

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STILL THE SAME.

I (just like bucky) prefer hunting cruising bucks at the top of draws or drainages... The trails are usually condensed in these areas into a funnel and access can be done without being noticed.
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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby cornfedkiller » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:25 am

dan wrote:STILL THE SAME.


So they are still going to be bedding out on the points, with their backs towards the fields, facing the creek bottoms below - or facing the bottom of the ravine?

Like in this sketch- creek on the right is the low spot, field on left is high, pencil is the stuff that's timbered.. Bucks would still be expected to bed where the x's are?

Image


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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby BigHills BuckHunter » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:47 am

The hunting Dan and Bucky are talking about is not necesarily hunting a buck bed but is usually or preferably in between 2 doe bedding areas. I look for 2 points that shoot out the same direction which could be potential doe bedding. Then look for a steep drainage in between the 2 points, this steep drainage acts like a funnel because the deer dont want to go up and down the steep ravine and instead go just above it which is where I have set up in the past. Many trails come together just above this deep drainage creating a funnel.

Bucky has said in the past these are especially good when there is thick cover. The one I wil be sitting in during rut is in brushy all around with a clearing right at the funnel. I will have a field 30 yards behind me as I face the funnel with wind in my face.

I have also noticed bucks bed in open areas but just need some back cover. They dont always bed in the thickest nastiest stuff from what I have seen.

Also even in hill country I have seen mature bucks bed low. IDK why that is but its what I have seen.
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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby Bucky » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:48 am

cornfedkiller wrote:
dan wrote:STILL THE SAME.


So they are still going to be bedding out on the points, with their backs towards the fields, facing the creek bottoms below - or facing the bottom of the ravine?

Like in this sketch- creek on the right is the low spot, field on left is high, pencil is the stuff that's timbered.. Bucks would still be expected to bed where the x's are?

Image


[ Post made via iPhone ] Image


Correct - facing the bottom with prevailing wind blowing at back... thermals bring air currents up from bottom... so sight advantage and smell advantage x2 from both directions (behind them and below them)
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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby Bucky » Wed Oct 03, 2012 5:50 am

BigHills BuckHunter wrote:The hunting Dan and Bucky are talking about is not necesarily hunting a buck bed but is usually or preferably in between 2 doe bedding areas. I look for 2 points that shoot out the same direction which could be potential doe bedding. Then look for a steep drainage in between the 2 points, this steep drainage acts like a funnel because the deer dont want to go up and down the steep ravine and instead go just above it which is where I have set up in the past. Many trails come together just above this deep drainage creating a funnel.

Bucky has said in the past these are especially good when there is thick cover. The one I wil be sitting in during rut is in brushy all around with a clearing right at the funnel. I will have a field 30 yards behind me as I face the funnel with wind in my face.

I have also noticed bucks bed in open areas but just need some back cover. They dont always bed in the thickest nastiest stuff from what I have seen.

Also even in hill country I have seen mature bucks bed low. IDK why that is but its what I have seen.


Correct - I too see bucks (BIG BUCKS) bedded in bottoms... I'm talking cruzing stand local... you got it!

What you describe BigHills is what I call a super funnel... when you can combine multiple funnels into one... like a field edge or inside corner that stacks with a drainage coming out of the bottom... if these are found in areas with little human presence they can be really fun to sit 8-) Like in Missouri when you have a 187"er roll though at 2PM in the afternoon :lol:

Or a hub with multiple points dropping into a bottom with crop field edge/road/etc on the back side...
Last edited by Bucky on Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:04 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby BigHills BuckHunter » Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:01 am

Bucky wrote:Honestly what I look for when rut hunting is a bottle neck in a long ridge side... so a steep drainage coming up out of the bottom that necks down a ridge in one specific area (hard to explain without showing pics).. so essentially the top of a drainage.

Saddles are good connecting valley to valley... the longer the ridges are on both sides the better as more deer will cross in that low spot.

An inside corner or edge that intersects a ridge line... so where a top field necks down travel on a ridge side.

A hub where multiple draws or ridges all connect...

A long point that drops down into a bottom (bedding points) but great travel cooridors from ridge to bottom back up to another ridge...

The more you walk in hills the more you end up in the same areas because it is easier walking... then you just have to think like a deer as to how they will travel the structure to use prevailing winds and thermals to their advantage. Most of my bucks in the hills have come with rifle by the way... hills are way harder to hunt than flat ground due to swirling winds

Lots of these are talked about in Mapping Trophy Whitetails....



I felt like I was re-reading the book....good post.
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Re: Lets talk Hill country for a minute

Unread postby Bucky » Wed Oct 03, 2012 6:08 am

I thought it was an excellent book as well... I have put it to use and the guy knew what he was talking about. Dan's videos were better for explaining the "thermal tunnel" though and how deer typically bed for scent and sight advantage...

I would love to post up some examples and deer that have been killed outta the spots but I'm affraid there would be some not so happy campers if I post it... maybe I will for Missouri seeing the farm got sold :think:
"When a hunter is in a tree stand with high moral values, with the proper hunting ethics and richer for the experience, that hunter is 20 feet closer to God." Fred Bear


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