Rookie asking for woodlot advice

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Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby upwind » Sat Sep 21, 2013 3:53 pm

Ok I have a few questions to say the least. Only have a few private spots with deer permission. One of which is actually a 100 acre farm but 90 acres or so is all open ag fields except for three wooded/brushy fence rows and a 10 acre woodlot that has been logged and used a cattle area up until about 15 years ago. Currently it has a few older mature hardwoods +20 yrs&up interspersed throughout with adolescent age trees +10 yrs&up running along all foursides of old fencelines with remaining with remainder consisting of a thicket(varying tall grass, saplings, young trees, etc, etc, jungle;) well needless to say the owners of the property use one end maybe an acre area for burning occasionally but the rest hardly is ever touched unless edges get bush hogged. Anyways I scouted the area last year for coyote hunting and found deer sign gallore (scrapes, rubs, beds, scat, tracks, you get the point) so I recently pulled out a trail cam I had deployed on the edge off of old fenceline and well the pics confirmed that duh deer some of good quality frequently travel, bed in the
jungle. Going into the woodlot from south is a brushy/tree lined fence row with tracks galore. Woodlot has beans on three sides (s,e,n) and standing corn on backside (w).
One grass/dirt tractor drive runs from main house and
barns Into lot from the east. Pics reveal after comparison to known human behavior that anytime people approach lot down drive the deer get out of dodge or go deep into the jungle. So here is my question how to most effectively hunt this area. My thinking is wait for northwind and come in from backside not muddying up wooded fence row and just getting in on edge and setting up stand to look over where fence row and woodlot meet. Also overlooking spot where pics revealed regular travel. But hey this is a rookie approach so let me have it I'll take it like a big boy. How do I tag a deer in this woodlot?

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yungbuck
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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby yungbuck » Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:27 pm

may also have success posting arial/topo
nothing but a simple minded god fearing public land bow hunter
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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby upwind » Sat Sep 21, 2013 11:57 pm

Will do

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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby PLB » Sun Sep 22, 2013 12:56 am

Please post a map....

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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby upwind » Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:20 am

Image



updated with aerial pic over area
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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby upwind » Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:32 am

Image

close up aerial of woodlot
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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby upwind » Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:54 am

Image



Aerial map of area in question
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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby upwind » Sun Sep 22, 2013 2:54 am

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Closer up aerial
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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby Stanley » Sun Sep 22, 2013 10:31 am

These small parcels can be a bugger to hunt. I would highly recommend hunting early with the corn still unpicked. I believe you will find deer hitting the beans when they brown up good. These smaller parcels are better morning stands than evening stands in my opinion. The deer aren't in there early morning like they are the rest of day. I would set up stand on each side and hunt with the wind blowing into the fields. This small of an area will not tolerate too much hunting pressure, so use your hunts wisely.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby upwind » Mon Sep 23, 2013 12:26 am

Thank u

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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby dan » Mon Sep 23, 2013 5:14 am

mY 1ST QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT CROPS ARE PLANTED WHERE? When I look at that bed you mark it has the characteristics of a West wind bed. He most likely is smelling the woods behind him and monitoring the field in front of him with sight and sound ( facing down wind watching the field )
I would try and hunt him to the south setting up near the edge just below where you have the last rub marked, or above... Trying to stay out of sight, sound, and smell... Only hunt it on a West wind.
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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby Buckfever » Mon Sep 23, 2013 9:08 am

As much as I like hunting mornings. I would only hunt this in the evenings, this is a parcel you screw up very quickly in the mornings going in before you even know what the story is. Every hunt is going to cost you so pick a decent spot, be fairly aggressive but at the same time try not to tip your hand and then when you observe what you need to move in for the kill. If it doesn't pan out and you're confident in the set, leave it up, lock it down, don't over hunt it and come back prerut and hit it hard then. Looks like a honey hole. I think you're right to respect it.

One more thing, years ago when I had a few spots like this on sorta public easement properties, I would use mock scrapes and it was absolutely ridiculous how many bucks I could get to come in during legal 12-15 different bucks in seven sits on 2 different sets, every year. It was crazy.

You'll figure it out. Pay attention and trust your instincts.
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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby upwind » Tue Sep 24, 2013 12:49 pm

dan wrote:mY 1ST QUESTION WOULD BE WHAT CROPS ARE PLANTED WHERE? When I look at that bed you mark it has the characteristics of a West wind bed. He most likely is smelling the woods behind him and monitoring the field in front of him with sight and sound (facing down wind watching the field )I would try and hunt him to the south setting up near the edge just below where you have the last rub marked, or above... Trying to stay out of sight, sound, and smell... Only hunt it on a West wind.


Soybeans are north, east and south of woodlot with corn to the west on neighboring property. Due to not wanting to muddy the area to much I only was able to locate the one new rub line yet I'm assuming there maybe a matching rub line on the west side that could be an area used with an east wind. Obviously that is rookie guessing so I'll go with your advice. I was actually looking into approaching from ssw with a due west to use fencerow as visual cover as I approach south edge of lot than jump fence sticking to inside south edge considered setting up on southwest or south edge with west wind out of fear of pushing to far into area with only minimal scout info yet with your advice I'm considering pushing closer toward southeast edge just around corner from bedding area. Considering this is my first archery season haven't had a chance to make any mistakes therefore my first hunt in this spot should be interesting. But I'm ready to get my feet wet.

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Re: Rookie asking for woodlot advice

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Sep 24, 2013 3:51 pm

Glass if possible.
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