Question on hunting a valley

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Jdaukontas
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Question on hunting a valley

Unread postby Jdaukontas » Thu Jan 22, 2015 4:28 am

I have an area I can hunt which butts up against a narrow valley, say 300 yards across. The valley walls are very steep and the bottom has a brook running through it that is around 4 feet deep and 8 feet across. The side of the valley I have access to has nothing but bean and corn fields at the top that drop off into the wooded valley. The valley wall faces to the west and this is where the wind is constantly blowing in from. My question deals with bedding sites. Since the wind blows at the valley wall, and the thermals rise out of the valley, I think that the bucks will cross the brook and bed on the opposite side of the brook, near the top of the valley that faces away from the wind so they can take advantage of the thermals and wind. When hunting this area, should I try to access the opposite valley wall, or find a river crossing that deer funnel to? If I do hunt the river funnel, should it be in the morning and hope to catch bucks headed to the other side of the river and take advantage of the thermals that haven't shifted to rising? The only access to the top of the valley hill where I think they bed is from the bottom, so should I approach the beds from the hill side perpendicular to the wind?


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Re: Question on hunting a valley

Unread postby dan » Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:16 am

In a valley that tight, you would be more likely to win the lottery than not get winded from swirling winds and thermals... Therefore you need to try and hunt on the tops or at the 1/3 down elevation. If you have to access from below, I would try to get up the leeward side with my scent hitting as few bedded deer as possible.
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Re: Question on hunting a valley

Unread postby Jdaukontas » Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:27 am

There are many deep ditches imbedded in the side of the leeward side of the valley. Would you walk the river to the ditch and climb it to the top of the leeward valley? I am extremely confident that the valley itself has almost no hunting pressure due to the inconvenience of scaling the valley walls, and the tempting ag-fields that draws most hunters (me included prior to finding this site). In that case, should I try to set up on the beds in the morning, banking on bucks feeling safe while crossing the valley floor to the leeward hill possibly staying on their feet longer and catch them returning?
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Re: Question on hunting a valley

Unread postby dan » Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:30 am

I would go in there now, scout the heck out of it, and find the weaknesses. Once you see the beds, and see where they are at, you can decide if you can get in there in the evening, or if you need a morning ambush.
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Re: Question on hunting a valley

Unread postby Thermals » Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:32 am

Can you post a map

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
Jdaukontas
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Re: Question on hunting a valley

Unread postby Jdaukontas » Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:40 am

Yes I can, but wasn't sure if this was more a management question? I will post some when I get out of work. Scouting this thing is going to be wicked right now in the snow, just no traction on the hill side. Wondering if I should abandon ship. I know there are monster deer there, and I am starting to think hunting them may be more time consuming than anything. I have literally 800 acres at my disposal and being new to the beast style, maybe I should focus on something a little easier until I learn. Will post soon though.
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Re: Question on hunting a valley

Unread postby jlh42581 » Thu Jan 22, 2015 5:45 am

Ill tell ya what bud, I STILL dont have it down. Bedding areas has always been where I want to be, getting there and not getting busted takes time, dedication, figuring out when you can get there and when you cant. I blew so many chances on bucks this past season alone my friends think I am a fool. We'll see someday who the fool is.


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