I was reading the "camera placement in hill country" thread and asked a question on cam placement over water. I'm in flat farm country but figured the cam question would apply to me anyways. Bucky gave some good insight and then touched on how he hunts water and it got me thinking...he said he hunts water 50 yards or so downwind bc of the j hook. Do you see this as well typically? Do you see it more in the morning or evening? It seems the deer would have more of an advantage in the morning all the way around water bc of the thermals pushing out? I saw a couple kills in your DVD where you killed right over water, could you explain how you executed? How do you go about hunting water early season compared to rut? Could you touch on your stand placement in relation to the water? Typically how high up the tree? What times are best to hunt during the rut? If sitting water in the evening do you get in there late to take advantage of the thermals sucking back towards the water? Or just get high enough to try and beat the thermals? Would this change early season compared to rut?
Bucky gave some good insight and then touched on how he hunts water and it got me thinking...he said he hunts water 50 yards or so downwind bc of the j hook. Do you see this as well typically? Do you see it more in the morning or evening?
If your talking hunting beds around water, I agree with Bucky for morning hunts. My evening hunts are based on the staging area / trail, and the wind, and the expected thermal change at last light... So to say it simpler, I set up along the exit trail between 50 to 150 yards from the bedding area depending on how close I can get.
I really have not noticed much of a morning thermal effect with swamp water, until later in the morning when the ground is heating faster. And in that case your scent seems to shoot straight up more than inland, but I don't hunt a lot of late mornings.It seems the deer would have more of an advantage in the morning all the way around water bc of the thermals pushing out?
If thje thermal always sucks the wrong way for a certain spot, I try and get up high and away from the shot area... Like on points where there is water all the way around I try to stay towards the side that will pull my scent away from the deer but still within range. The buck I shot over the water hole in the Hill country DVD I got real lucky with... Wind was in my face, but it got dead calm and thermal pull should have been pulling my scent to the pond where I shot that buck... In hindsight, I set up a little to close to the water, but luckily got away with it.I saw a couple kills in your DVD where you killed right over water, could you explain how you executed?
How do you go about hunting water early season compared to rut?
Early season the thermals are a bit stronger compared to rut because of the hot days and cool evenings.
Could you touch on your stand placement in relation to the water?
Most of the time fighting thermals is like fighting Mike Tyson while handcuffed. You can't wind. So, I try to find a way to use the thermal pull to my advantage, and just like in hill country where you have to set up with the wind and the anticipated thermal in mind. If your not seeing the picture let me know and I will post some of my actual set ups drawn out on an aerial...
In a perfect world 20 feet or so, if its iffy wind higher. But factors like natural shooting lanes, the deer seeing me from his bed, cover, etc. will trump the "perfect world"Typically how high up the tree?
If your hunting mature bucks 1st light and last light... Cruising bucks can be anytime during the day, but I see more daytime cruising in some areas over others.What times are best to hunt during the rut?
I like to get in early and have both the daytime wind and the anticipated thermal in mind with my set up. Sometimes it takes patience waiting for the right wind. Thermals can change in rut. If its pretty cold out there is little effect, and it has more to do with just the wind direction... Water thermals effect me more on warm or hot days, regardless of rut.If sitting water in the evening do you get in there late to take advantage of the thermals sucking back towards the water? Or just get high enough to try and beat the thermals? Would this change early season compared to rut