Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

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Trailcamaddict
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Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby Trailcamaddict » Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:00 am

What do you guys think is the best way to go about BEAST hunting in terms of the area you plan on hunting? I have a couple large 1500 ac+ public properties within 10 minutes of my house. All of these properties give up big bucks every year (but not a lot).

Is it better to learn the areas you most frequently hunt like the back of your hand and focus on one or two of these. Or do you think it is better to spread out to other areas and scout/hunt a bunch of different properties - some of which tend to produce more big bucks.


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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby Redman232 » Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:45 am

I would suggest walking as much property as you can so you can ensure you have spots for all wind directions, so when you have an opportunity to hunt you can go regardless of wind. I also would not pay much attention to what other people are shooting off of a peace of public ground. If you know people are killing big deer there, so do a lot of other guys. It's nice to have predetermined spots, but I find for myself, knowing where bedding is and hunting with a stand on my back or off the ground over hot sign vastly increases my encounters. I would learn the area close to home first, considering those the properties you'll most likely have an opportunity to hunt the most. You may walk one of the 1,500 acre properties and only come up with a 1/2 dozen or fewer beds to hunt. If that the case then you may have just filled 1/2 dozen or a dozen hunts. I would wear out some boot leather and come up with as many beds as possible.
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby Edcyclopedia » Fri Jan 17, 2014 7:45 am

I would say that if you can think back and remember where you saw other hunters, hunting sign, tree stands, etc...
Then take a good look at the topo again and form a plan of attack in less conspicuous areas that humans wouldn't want to travel (ex. thick crap, steep terrain, etc!)
so building a well known are could be quick...

However it's nice to get away from the crowds and find a new honey hole too, double edge sword I suppose.

Have you taken many buck of these two properties with regularity?
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby dan » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:05 am

I would choose both... However, I am in the situation you are. The areas around my house are hit really hard and not many bucks get past there 1st birthday. But one or two get shot every year... I actually shoot more big bucks near my home in the harsh conditions simply because I can run out and hunt when I only have an hour or two ( like after work ) and cause I can monitor the area easy. I can check road crossings, glass, shine, run cameras, etc and keep tabs on the deer and hunt with better timing.
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby headgear » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:13 am

Eventually you want to know all the land you hunt extremely well, but until you get to that point you kind of have two options. Hunt a few places you know extremely well or hunt a pile of places you don't know all that well but have scouted or want to learn more about. Sometimes you can do both by focusing on one or two properties and mixing in some hunts on some new land.

Personally I like to hunt more properties but for me it really depends on the bedding areas. On public land I only want to focus on the best of the best spots, sometimes you can't find enough of those in one scouting season but I feel its my best shot at success. I believe Dan mentioned that of the 100 or so buck beds in the marsh behind his house most of his bucks came out of the same 5 or 6 primary bedding areas. I feel the more attention I can give to those beds the better my odds are at success. Even with a pretty good log of buck bedding areas I still like to mix it up and hit some new ground, sometimes the conditions aren't right for my best spots, when that happens I just try something new and don't really care if I mess it up. Especially on those killer variable wind days.
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby headgear » Fri Jan 17, 2014 9:16 am

Trail, you might find this a good read.
http://www.thehuntingbeast.com/viewtopi ... w=previous
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby SOUTHJERSEYSLAYER » Fri Jan 17, 2014 12:11 pm

Not trying to hyjack your thread Trailcam but how come when I clicked on Headgears link it took me to a different Hunting Beast website thats is way cooler looking then the one I get?

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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:26 pm

SOUTHJERSEYSLAYER wrote:Not trying to hyjack your thread Trailcam but how come when I clicked on Headgears link it took me to a different Hunting Beast website thats is way cooler looking then the one I get?

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Ditto
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby Czabs » Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:36 pm

SOUTHJERSEYSLAYER wrote:Not trying to hyjack your thread Trailcam but how come when I clicked on Headgears link it took me to a different Hunting Beast website thats is way cooler looking then the one I get?

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I think thats head gears settings…That is sweet. 8-)

You can change the colors of things in settings somehow, never tinkered with it though.
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby Czabs » Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:41 pm

Trailcamaddict wrote:What do you guys think is the best way to go about BEAST hunting in terms of the area you plan on hunting? I have a couple large 1500 ac+ public properties within 10 minutes of my house. All of these properties give up big bucks every year (but not a lot).

Is it better to learn the areas you most frequently hunt like the back of your hand and focus on one or two of these. Or do you think it is better to spread out to other areas and scout/hunt a bunch of different properties - some of which tend to produce more big bucks.


I would say I'm in the same boat, but the grass always looks greener on the other side.

I would say both as well. I have some spots close to home I plan on hunting during the week, when I don't have much time, etc. that get hit hard, but I'm scouting a ways a way from home this year. I saw two shooter bucks all velvet filming this year and that makes me sick. If the big ones aren't there, move on. I'm pretty confident if I put a whole week into an area of scouting I'll come upon something yummy. The yummy just always seems to be a 3 mile walk through THICK cattails though :lol:
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby SOUTHJERSEYSLAYER » Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:42 pm

Its a total different site! Headger how did you get yours like that?

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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby Czabs » Fri Jan 17, 2014 1:58 pm

SOUTHJERSEYSLAYER wrote:Its a total different site! Headger how did you get yours like that?

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viewtopic.php?f=28&t=11177
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby MOBIGBUCKS » Fri Jan 17, 2014 2:22 pm

I think a combination is best as well. It's always good to work in new areas every year. Gives you some options.
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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby Trailcamaddict » Fri Jan 17, 2014 2:42 pm

This is all great advice! I have been really learning a lot from everyone and have had boots on the ground scouting beast style since September. I think I am going to try to learn one or two big chunks of public really well and have a couple smaller pieces in my back pocket for when the conditions just are not right for the main areas.

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Re: Hunting what you know vs. hunting areas with history.

Unread postby headgear » Fri Jan 17, 2014 4:22 pm

Don't even know how I changed the colors, searched in google for the beast with that old topic and it came up that way.


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