Steep Terrain-What's the Secret?

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BA-IV
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Steep Terrain-What's the Secret?

Unread postby BA-IV » Wed May 18, 2016 1:05 am

How would deer use this terrain hypothetically? Going in blind you see this feature on a topo, what's your first thoughts? Is it worth a look, what time of year would you look at this spot, and how do you think bucks would use this spot?

I made a quick marker on this map in the form of a red dot. Use to without thinking I'd set up in the actual funnel with no thought to thermals or how it truly affected my scent. Now after learning and reading alittle, maybe the best setup would be the edge on the ridge. How would a buck use this spot to his advantage?

Prevailing winds would be NE and SW...pretty much even.

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Re: Steep Terrain-What's the Secret?

Unread postby cbigbear » Wed May 18, 2016 1:47 am

The pic is too zoomed in to get a feel for the area, but based off the limit area I'd plan on setting up on either side the saddle by the number 6. I'd also plan this hunt for a rut cruising time frame. I'd guess bedding to be out on the point below the 6.
BA-IV
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Re: Steep Terrain-What's the Secret?

Unread postby BA-IV » Wed May 18, 2016 2:12 am

I zoomed in on it on purpose. Kind of just to highlight the red shaded areas and to see of that's something that stands out to anyone. I'm not overly concerned with the bedding portion or actually hunting the spot...just what a spot like that jumps out and says to y'all if that makes sense. I know it takes a lot of factors to make a good spot but I'm more concerned with how they would you use this specific type of spot and terrain to their advantage.

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Re: Steep Terrain-What's the Secret?

Unread postby JackKnifeJake » Wed May 18, 2016 2:14 am

Id set up on either side of that saddle depending on the wind, ne wind be on the southwest side, southwest wind be on the ne side, during the rut
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Re: Steep Terrain-What's the Secret?

Unread postby cbigbear » Wed May 18, 2016 3:17 am

BA-IV wrote:I zoomed in on it on purpose. Kind of just to highlight the red shaded areas and to see of that's something that stands out to anyone. I'm not overly concerned with the bedding portion or actually hunting the spot...just what a spot like that jumps out and says to y'all if that makes sense. I know it takes a lot of factors to make a good spot but I'm more concerned with how they would you use this specific type of spot and terrain to their advantage.

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There are areas I hunted that a steep drop would be rare & would catch my attention. Then there are other areas I hunted that a steep drop is the norm & a gradual slope would catch my attention. So IMO steepness of a slope is relative to what's around it. If steep terrain is common in this area then I would be seeking out tighter, steeper drains/draws to funnel cruising movement. The drains on either side this saddle look to be pretty wide & gradual sloping not exactly ideal for creating a tight funnel.
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Re: Steep Terrain-What's the Secret?

Unread postby JoeRE » Thu May 19, 2016 2:16 pm

Those steep sidehills will definitely funnel any deer above and below them that want to cross the valley. Other than that they don't do much unless other hunters have to climb them - meaning a major barrier. However, it looks like these are pretty short so they don't create a really big restriction to hunters, or very big bottleneck to deer....you get steep cliffs to run for say 1/2 mile, then you really end up with a restriction.

As far as the overall terrain, lots of secondary points and draws going every which way, also in the center of the photo the valley widens and has several points dumping down into it could be a good thermal hub in the pre-rut and rut, also multi-way funnel if you could get a consistent air current. Looks like some good hill hunting country. Do a loop through it and see what sign is out there.
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seazofcheeze
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Re: Steep Terrain-What's the Secret?

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Fri May 20, 2016 12:04 pm

burkhart wrote:the area right above 467


I like that area too.

I also like just east of the steep hill on the south side. Looks like any buck cruising in an east/west or west/east direction would probably be cruising on the high side of that steep hill. I also like it because there is probably a bench or shallower grade just above that area and that point just to the east dumps down towards the creek and up towards the small saddle by the 467. I shot a buck last year out of a very similar setup (bench above a cut which lead to a point). I'd pick one of those two spots (or both) based on access, sign, and wind conditions the day of the hunt.

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Re: Steep Terrain-What's the Secret?

Unread postby PK_ » Sat May 21, 2016 11:27 am

Based on my limited hill hunting and scouting, the red shaded areas are where I would look for beds.
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