Access below a thermal tunnel question

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tbunao
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Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tbunao » Mon Jan 18, 2016 8:36 am

I located a buck bed on this mornings scout. Classic example of a hill country bed. Thick cover behind, on the point of a steep hill with great visibility below and plenty of rubs old and new surrounding it. The bed is a south wind bed at the top of a hill. The 1/3 line is obviously below it with a nice trail running through. If I wanted to hunt the only way would be to come from the bottom in the ravine. Private is a little more than 100yards away and access from the top would mean I would cross the south wind blowing directly to the bed. The only way I see is to come in from the bottom and circle around. Will accessing well below the thermal tunnel work? With the bed being directly above but with distance what do the thermals do when they reach that tunnel? Will they continue up to the bed or is the scent kind of tossed all over?

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tim
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tim » Mon Jan 18, 2016 9:15 am

given the option from entering from above or below, I would choose below. (if the food is on top) now if the food was low I would change that answer. I don't have many spots I GET to access from below but when I do its much easier to get in without bumping deer. it is more work though on most of my farms cause they are steep bluffs. this is mornings im speaking of. however if I know for certain the exact locations of the beds I would go in from bottom in the afternoon but would rather go from top
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tbunao » Mon Jan 18, 2016 9:23 am

If this bed does hold a deer I'd take I would honestly probably sit to the side and move in to a tree I prepared that's 75yards away. Just wonder if you're scent would make it through the tunnel or not.

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daveynewman
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby daveynewman » Mon Jan 18, 2016 10:13 am

I have a spot like that. Its a tough one. I hunted it in the am from down wind and set up on the bottom of the thermal.

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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby dan » Mon Jan 18, 2016 11:22 am

If your coming in from below, you need to be far enough back that your thermals are not lifting right to the bed, and be out of sight... I prefer to come in from above cause scent goes all over in the valleys with the thermals, terrain, and actual wind.
tbunao
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tbunao » Mon Jan 18, 2016 11:35 am

dan wrote:If your coming in from below, you need to be far enough back that your thermals are not lifting right to the bed, and be out of sight... I prefer to come in from above cause scent goes all over in the valleys with the thermals, terrain, and actual wind.


In your opinion what does your scent do in the tunnel? The bed is about 75-100 yards above. Does your scent make it through and continue up or does it dispurse?

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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby dan » Mon Jan 18, 2016 12:54 pm

tbunao wrote:
dan wrote:If your coming in from below, you need to be far enough back that your thermals are not lifting right to the bed, and be out of sight... I prefer to come in from above cause scent goes all over in the valleys with the thermals, terrain, and actual wind.


In your opinion what does your scent do in the tunnel? The bed is about 75-100 yards above. Does your scent make it through and continue up or does it dispurse?

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How do you know where the tunnel is, in relation to the bed? Its possible he is not bedded in it, but in most cases they bed right where the wind and thermal vacuum meet.
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tbunao » Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:15 pm

I don't know for sure about the tunnel, the bed found is at 1500ft on a flat the the end of a point, below that point at just below 1400 ( which would be close to 1/3 from the top ) there is a beat down trail running along the bottom side of that said point. Milkweed definitely went in a swirl. Some went up some shot straight down. If I was to go at the very bottom 1100 ft to circle what do you think the scent would do?

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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tbunao » Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:17 pm

Again just trying to gain some knowledge in a different scenario

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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby dan » Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:20 pm

tbunao wrote:I don't know for sure about the tunnel, the bed found is at 1500ft on a flat the the end of a point, below that point at just below 1400 ( which would be close to 1/3 from the top ) there is a beat down trail running along the bottom side of that said point. Milkweed definitely went in a swirl. Some went up some shot straight down. If I was to go at the very bottom 1100 ft to circle what do you think the scent would do?

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I can't be positive... But I can say that in a lot of cases the buck will bed where he can smell the rising thermal, and there is a good chance your scent is getting up to him during the day time when the thermals are rising.
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby BowHusker » Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:28 pm

One thing you could consider instead of approaching from below would be to look at the hourly forecast and try to hunt a wind change.

What I mean is if this is a south wind bed then look for days where you have a south wind for a majority of the day but a day where the wind changes in your favor sometime in the afternoon.

You can take your time and "stage" yourself outside of his scent zone and once the winds shift you could attempt to close the distance.

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tbunao
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tbunao » Mon Jan 18, 2016 1:36 pm

Then to me that mean in this situation the thermals must each the bed from the bottom. Every situation is different just trying to get a grasp on each. Maybe one day I'll run out of different situations.

Bowhusker:
I considered that along with staging and waiting for thermals to change. Thanks

Seemed like some pressure here so I most likely not be hunting it just trying to get opinions and thoughts on how others would approach

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tim
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tim » Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:25 am

maybe im not understanding what time you want to enter this set?? it will matter. if im entering pre light I would go from bottom and the reason I say that is when I go from the bottom its because its from the road.and im not worrying about swirling winds. I wouldn't go through an open field or climb down into a valley to go up a hill. that just wouldn't make sense. only if im parking on the road and climbing the hill to the stand before the deer are back to beds in mornings. food on bottom would be opppoosite. now if my food is on top I like to wait till its light and go in from top. thermal tunnel isn't my biggest worry pre light , bumping deer is. I know my areas well and when the thermals start shifting , that is key if you want to know where to access. and even factoring in the thermal tunnel if you know exactly where the beds are and deer travel routes you should be able to access from below at any time but I prefer to do it under darkness.
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tim » Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:31 am

when I said I like to go in after light from top if food is on top ---that is meaning if I cant access from below(road) that is my second option. I hate walking through fields and crops on top to enter a woods when deer might still be out there.
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Re: Access below a thermal tunnel question

Unread postby tbunao » Tue Jan 19, 2016 10:53 am

I'm not worried about the setup. I'm just asking what your scent would do. Would your scent still travel through the tunnel and make it to the buck bedded above or would it dissipate and get spun away in the tunnel.

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