River crossings and funnels? When and how?

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johndeere506
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River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby johndeere506 » Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:31 am

Every year I try to sit some new spots to keep learning. For skinny remote funnels, or merging trails that cross a river in one small funnel, when and how do you hunt these? Big woods on each side of river, low /medium pressure surrounds it. Is this a rut spot? Gun season? Or hang a cam all year and learn? I believe one side has multiple beds within 100 yards...

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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby jboswell » Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:43 am

With multiple beds within 100 yds (i'm assuming doe beds) it may be worth a sit early. Where is the preferred food source from the beds?

For sure during the rut to catch the bucks checking out the bedding as they cruise the river.
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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby rancid crabtree » Thu Sep 17, 2015 1:46 am

Placing a cam sounds like the best bet. You can learn a lot using that method.
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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby Wlog » Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:03 am

You can stick a camera there for the year and learn a lot probably. But if you already see that there are multiple trails merging and crossing in that spot, I would hunt it at least once early and a couple times during the rut. Maybe you have success maybe not but what's it gonna hurt?

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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby headgear » Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:12 am

I'd hang a cam and maybe try a sit or two during the rut.
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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby JoeRE » Thu Sep 17, 2015 3:07 am

Yea I agree parking a cam there long term can give you some great intel. Get one out there now and pick it up this winter or next spring. So would hunting it a couple times through the season.

One of the best things about hunting next to waterways is low impact entry and exits with a boat or waders. I have had the best luck hunting river and stream crossings during the rut and also during gun season when deer are being pushed around for what its worth.
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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby johndeere506 » Thu Sep 17, 2015 4:04 am

jboswell wrote:With multiple beds within 100 yds (i'm assuming doe beds) it may be worth a sit early. Where is the preferred food source from the beds?

For sure during the rut to catch the bucks checking out the bedding as they cruise the river.

Do bucks normally cruise the upwind side of river, but downwind of bedding, asuing theres a parallel trail?

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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby johndeere506 » Thu Sep 17, 2015 4:15 am

Wlog wrote:You can stick a camera there for the year and learn a lot probably. But if you already see that there are multiple trails merging and crossing in that spot, I would hunt it at least once early and a couple times during the rut. Maybe you have success maybe not but what's it gonna hurt?

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Rut is probably smart, but I need some gun spots too. A cam would.

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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby Bigb » Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:11 pm

Not sure if you were able to check out a couple threads I did over the last couple years but it may help.

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=29746

You can learn a lot by leaving a camera over a particular trail for a whole year. With this particular spot if I would have check the camera in late October I would have seen no bucks are all and been discourage and probably not moved it. By leaving it for a full year I'm able to learn a lot from the trail and when to hunt it. The best thing to do (IMO) is to leave it up for a full year and when you get good buck pics, check what the wind was that day, I bet you find some similarities on when mature bucks are using that area.

Don't be discouraged if you put a camera up and dont get good pictures right away. Try and have some patience and let the camera run through January or so, I bet you'll learn a good amount. Also, I know its tough, but try to just let it run and maybe check it once or twice throughout the fall. Its tough, but it may pay off for years in the future.
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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby mauser06 » Thu Sep 17, 2015 2:41 pm

A creek borders some of a lease I hunt up north...

Its like 45ft or so across give or take...2-4ft deep on average I'd say....


I found a killer gun hunting (and I'm guessing rut) spot...its a gravel bar that when the water is up they use very heavily...

When the water is low they don't seem to use it nearly as hard..probably because they don't have to...when it was up I seen more deer than I could keep track of in the middle of the day...

Shot a decent 8 point opening day of rifle between 1300-1500hrs I think it was...


To be 10000% fair the next few years after that I had entirely way too much company...the weekend warriors heard my shot...seen me dragging one of the biggest bucks taken that year...heck one guy lite a fire literally AT the creek crossing the next year...needless to say noone seen much of anything down there that year...


If I go up during the rut I wanna give it a sit...

Oddly enough one year I came through grouse hunting before gun season. There is a clear cut on my side of the crossing...I found a decent buck bedded with his back to the creek and him watching the clearcut and quad trail...he was bedded closer to the road doing the same and I jumped him walking in..

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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby jboswell » Fri Sep 18, 2015 6:40 am

johndeere506 wrote:
jboswell wrote:With multiple beds within 100 yds (i'm assuming doe beds) it may be worth a sit early. Where is the preferred food source from the beds?

For sure during the rut to catch the bucks checking out the bedding as they cruise the river.

Do bucks normally cruise the upwind side of river, but downwind of bedding, asuing theres a parallel trail?

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If you can get downwind of the bedding and let your scent blow across the river... bingo! Combine that with access to the stand via the river and you have a bullet proof stand...
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johndeere506
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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby johndeere506 » Fri Sep 18, 2015 8:52 am

Great point I was thinking this. Was going to setup so my scent blows across and down river, maybe the air current caused by the river will make it even better.

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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby sunset samurai » Fri Sep 18, 2015 12:37 pm

What kind of cams/batteries are yall using that last all year?

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johndeere506
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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby johndeere506 » Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:11 pm

My primos blackouts will go 3 months, and then it has an extra battery tray for many extra batteries. Never used that many though. I only put them up for 3 or 4 months.

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Re: River crossings and funnels? When and how?

Unread postby Bigb » Fri Sep 18, 2015 2:40 pm

Bushnell trophy cams are basically what I use. I think I have 10 now. I also have a few cuddebacks and moultrie cameras as well because I get them on sale for $35 or so, those aren't my favorites. I love my trophy cams. I put a set of lithium batteries on there and they will run for two years. I have one out that is on its third year running from June to April and it still says it over 50%. Takes about 2500 pics a year. If you can, buy the lithium batteries off ebay, I believe they are about a buck a battery. Well worth it and only use Lithiums now in my cameras that aren't regularly checked.


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