Hill country: thermal tunnel trumps easy walking

[huntinsonovagun]

I just wanted to relay some intel I gained this year on a hill country hunt I did in late November this year and I wanted to see if it is in line with what you guys see.

I was on the leeward side of a hill hunting a bench about 1/3 from the top. I didn't see anything until about 10:00am when I saw antlers cruising just beyond the crest of the bench (I was above the bench looking downhill and downwind). Shortly thereafter I got down and walked to where I saw the deer walk through. When I was standing in the middle of the bench, the wind was still hitting my back, I broke the crest of the bench and almost immediately felt the thermal winds hitting my face. This ground was considerably steeper than the bench and any human walking the area would have no-doubt walked the actual bench, but this buck was side-hilling just below the bench. I now wonder what else may have walked through earlier in the morning, especially before the thermals really got to rocking. Next year I intend to set up closer to the crest to hopefully be able to see the bench as well as some ground below. I had previously just assumed deer would take the easiest route and assumed the tunnel was 'near enough' but now I believe the location of the thermal tunnel trumps the easiest route of travel.

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[hunter_mike]

I was set up at the top of a steep draw in early Nov. The draw had some nice vertical cliffs that really funneled the deer well. I was set up about 30 yards from what i considered the "Top" of the draw because i figured this would allow me to cover as much area as possible without missing any opportunities. Well a nice wide 8 came through along the shelf and instead of cutting around the top of the draw, he ducked down into the draw about 20 yards from the "top". I can not say if he did that because there was better wind there or if he did it because he subconciously knew he was vulnerable walking around the top, but there went yet another buck that was 20 yards from death.

[justdirtyfun]

This might not mean a lot to everyone else. Deer don't have ankles, so my tough sidehill walk is much different than theirs. The abilities we are up against are impressive.

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[hunter_mike]

Next year I intend to set up closer to the crest

Yep me too

[BigHunt]

I've killed all my bucks right at the drop off or "crest"

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[huntinsonovagun]

I thought it was worth posting especially for some of the newer guys because the mainstream books and magazines tell you to hunt the bench because deer take the easiest path. Not the case in my limited experience now.

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[Tennhunter3]

Great post the one thing bucks seem to do is the unexpected. I have always been curious how steep a hill a whitetail can walk on.

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[BassBoysLLP]

I'd be careful with the thermal tunnel trumps all mentality.

IMHO, a lot of it depends on the type of hill country you are hunting and the pressure. The travel is much more predictable in the drainage (i.e. food high) hill country than bluff (i.e. food low) hill country. I find more consistent use of the thermal tunnel and scent sumps in drainage hill country. In bluff country, I see a lot more low cruising and even cruising on the windward side when pressure is an issue. Needless to say, the hunting is quite a bit more frustrating in bluff country than drainage country. If the bucks didn't tend to run a bit bigger in the bluffs, I'd focus on drainage hill country exclusively.

Just my 2 cents on matter.

[backstraps]

In reference to the original post, what you witnessed is exactly what "shouldve" been happening. The 1/3 guide is just a reference to get you close. The actual thermal tunnel will be close, but will be on the edge of where the elevation drops the steepest.

The benches are classics for what you seen happening. Where the bench "drops off" is where the tunnel should be.

However in early and late hours when thermals are dropping...I have seen the bucks walk the bench itself.

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[huntinsonovagun]

Not saying it is something that happens ALL the time- heck, for all I know this could be the first deer ever to walk below the crest of a bench. I'm just saying that, even though the bench seemed like the likely point of travel, there SEEMED to be a reason for him to be walking below the crest, which in my mind the reason is the thermal rise he could benefit from him. Nothing regarding deer, especially big bucks, will happen the same every time, but just wanted to point out one specific observation. Next time I hunt the area I will be able to shoot the bench and the area directly below the bench. I know that with a lighter wind coming over the hill behind me, the thermal tunnel should also rise higher up the hill. The thermal tunnel can change day to day and there's a decent possibility the movement COULD change based on those fluctuations.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[Thermals]

Wind speed will change how and where the tunnel is.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

[BassBoysLLP]

Not saying it is something that happens ALL the time- heck, for all I know this could be the first deer ever to walk below the crest of a bench. I'm just saying that, even though the bench seemed like the likely point of travel, there SEEMED to be a reason for him to be walking below the crest, which in my mind the reason is the thermal rise he could benefit from him. Nothing regarding deer, especially big bucks, will happen the same every time, but just wanted to point out one specific observation. Next time I hunt the area I will be able to shoot the bench and the area directly below the bench. I know that with a lighter wind coming over the hill behind me, the thermal tunnel should also rise higher up the hill. The thermal tunnel can change day to day and there's a decent possibility the movement COULD change based on those fluctuations.

[ Post made via iPhone ]

My post wasn't meant as an attack on your observation. My apologies if it came off that way.

[Stanley]

Another thing to consider does use the benches also.