Influance of a stand

[JDS]

I know most on here believe in use an area once maybe twice and move on. I have also read where some may move after the first sit but only to a tree a few yards away. So the question I have is what is the influence of a stand on an area? If its a one and done or if its a strap on or whatever is the area of influence 200yd diameter? 300, 500, 1000yds? Does this area shrink if everything from entry, exit, wind, cover and so on is perfect? Does this area expand if you have casual hunters in there not paying attention to wind and other details? Does the area expand due to over hunting? If you have a stand that seems to be spent for whatever reason will the deer start to ignore it and go back to a "normal" pattern with time given that the stand is left alone and not visited at all? If so is it days, weeks, months? Just some things I am thinking about this year on permanent stand setups. Your thoughts? Thanks

[warhog23]

If ur entry and exit routes r spot on and u truely feel as if ur getting away with it u will be able to tell after a sit or two based on deer movement, like if ur seeing less deer then the chance of a big buck coming by is about zero... But this all depends on what the stands r set up for, r the stands on field edges then id say one and done and would stick to a hang and hunt, is it rut stands for cruizing bucks tucked back in cover by doe bedding then id say twice... If ur hunting a bucks specific bed then id say one and done unless u visually see him go in or out of it... This is a broad question none the less bc is this a certain property or multiple areas with different spots... Personally i stay away from permanent stands bc it gives me an excuse to be lazy and not do the "correct" way of hunting by not over hunting a tree

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[PK_]

It will be skirted more often than not by resident bucks. Distance depends on topography and cover. They will stay just far enough away to be safe. Might be 20 yards might be 200 yards.

I don't care how you enter and exit, if you think a mature buck doesn't know exactly where every permanent set is within his home range you are kidding yourself. They do still make mistakes here and there but I know from firsthand experience on properties I have hunted there are 10 stories of big bucks evading a permanent stand purposely even when chasing/following a doe for every 1 encounter that offers a shot opportunity from a permanent stand at a mature buck. Most of the shots come during rut and I believe are big bucks from other nearby areas.

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[Hawthorne]

We have stands on our family farm that get hot for a year or two and a couple big bucks are shot then it seems the deer especially big bucks will avoid them. Then my family will quit hunting that area of the farm then in 2-3 years it's hot again no joke. I have no control over how they hunt and they sit the same stands multiple times but I've seen this pattern in the last 20 years. I've hunted around them with h my stand and sticks and have done ok.Why I also hunt other properties and public

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[IkemanTx]

I think it depends more on the frequency of visits to the stand than whether or not it is set up. If it's visited much at all, the mature deer will figure it out pretty quick. But, if you treat a permanent stand like a pre-prepped tree (i.e. Set during spring or early summer and left until the optimal time) I don't think it will be avoided. The hardest thing is avoiding over use. It is just so convenient to sit when there's a stand in a tree calling your name. I don't run permanent stands, but I know several guys who have dozens of pre-hung stands, many of which don't even get sat in a given year. They only get checked once pre-season, only get sat if a target buck is in the area, and only under optimal conditions. I, personally, consider that setup to be minimal intrusion and wouldn't expect target animal avoidance.

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[mainebowhunter]

I think it depends more on the frequency of visits to the stand than whether or not it is set up. If it's visited much at all, the mature deer will figure it out pretty quick. But, if you treat a permanent stand like a pre-prepped tree (i.e. Set during spring or early summer and left until the optimal time) I don't think it will be avoided. The hardest thing is avoiding over use. It is just so convenient to sit when there's a stand in a tree calling your name. I don't run permanent stands, but I know several guys who have dozens of pre-hung stands, many of which don't even get sat in a given year. They only get checked once pre-season, only get sat if a target buck is in the area, and only under optimal conditions. [glow=red]I, personally, consider that setup to be minimal intrusion and wouldn't expect target animal avoidance.[/glow]

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X2. One of my best spots has an old ladder stand in it. Over the past years, all the mature bucks use the spot. The stand is never hunted. All the mature bucks move around it, passed it in daylight. Just does not bother them. I have fixed stands up in some of my better spots. Most times, they are not very obvious. And many spots I hunt in Maine, stands are left up for years. Left to rot. I would say most of my stands that I have up, some I have never even hunted. Put them up and left them. Some I sat last year. But most most see no more than 3sits per season.

I also tend to leave pegs in the tree because I know I am going to come back and hunt again, just pull the stand. I am kind of cheap...it takes too many stands to put them up and leave them all. Its kind of the reason I have been looking at the saddle. Just a cheaper alternative to getting in 40-50 different spots.

Also have a few climbers...I know many guys here don't care for them but I have had good luck getting close to bedding areas with them.

[mheichelbech]

This is my experience ....

Last season - 40 acre property - first sit, saw 7 or 8 does, 2nd sit a week later, 4 does, next day none, next weekend none. Month later, same buck 2 days in a row (it was the rut), after that, nothing...had also discovered a trespasser, no more does either. This was 3 different stands within 75 yards of each other.

Season before that same property - buck busted me by smelling a shooting lane I had trimmed. Never saw him again.

A different property - 300 acres of woods. I have access to about 20...1st day - opening day - 13 deer - 3 bucks (small), next morning 2, next evening, none, next weekend, none near my stand but did observe several deer about 150 yards away. After about a month, sat my brother there, he killed out while observing 6-10 around him.

I think a lot of it depends on the property and how it sets up...by that I mean, are there other areas for the deer to move through? On the 40 acre property I hunt, the deer are likely to smell me one way or another if they travel through that woodlot....it cannot be avoided. Either my scent will blow where they are going or it will blow to where they are unless I hunt and access on extremely limited winds and in stands that offer limited shot opportunities. In this instance, it's almost one and done, or give it a 30 day rest as the deer will either move off the property or go nocturnal.

On the 300 acre property, the deer have options so I have options. They can shift their travel route from bed to feed or feed to bed away from where they smelled me easily. As such, it makes it easier to move my stand accordingly.

[JohnFunn]

I know most on here believe in use an area once maybe twice and move on. I have also read where some may move after the first sit but only to a tree a few yards away. So the question I have is what is the influence of a stand on an area? If its a one and done or if its a strap on or whatever is the area of influence 200yd diameter? 300, 500, 1000yds? Does this area shrink if everything from entry, exit, wind, cover and so on is perfect? Does this area expand if you have casual hunters in there not paying attention to wind and other details? Does the area expand due to over hunting? If you have a stand that seems to be spent for whatever reason will the deer start to ignore it and go back to a "normal" pattern with time given that the stand is left alone and not visited at all? If so is it days, weeks, months? Just some things I am thinking about this year on permanent stand setups. Your thoughts? Thanks

Lots of times over the years we have made a play off our permanent stands and its golden...you ever sitting there and just catch a glimpse of that deer at the end of a "shooting lane"? Then you walk over and see a new trail and maybe for fresh sign? Let um pattern you or others sitting in the big permanent and then when everything is just right...slip over there and kill one!!!

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[gjs4]

No matter how good the in or out...that nosey doe will backtrack in the dark. One and done is the best route and it always a go for broke sit based on your odds being aligned as best as they could be based off data

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[Motivated]

https://www.qdma.com/articles/how-fast- ... g-pressure

I found this article interesting. "How fast can a stand recover from hunting pressure."

QDMA has some great information out there, even for a public land hunter like me.

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[CNYarcher88]

There are so many factors that play a role in this. I have had sets where I saw nothing the first time but on the 4th time I was covered up in deer. Hunting the stand with as many conditions in your favor is key. Some stands you need to wait til a rainy or windy day to get in and out extra quiet. Be patient and don't force your way into a spot until its right if you want to hunt it again. Last year I killed one of my hit list bucks on what had to be my 7th or 8th sit. But I had stuck to hunting it in the evenings when I knew I could get in and out easily until the conditions were perfect October 30th for a morning sit. He was down before 7:30. When in comes to field edges those are typically one and done sets for me. Transition funnels are also spots that you can sometimes get away with hunting as long as you know the deer movement well. I had a spot on a heavily pressued land that I killed my first 2 bucks out of and had encounters with deer almost every sit for 3 years. Finally the deer caught on and started traveling about 40 yards behind my stand thru some thick stuff so I moved my stand about 100 yards to a major exit and was right in the game again. Bottom line is every property, herd, and area is different, even your hunting style and habits play a role. My advice is try to hunt each spot with a purpose. Have a solid reasoning behind why you chose that particular stand to hunt on that day at that time in that wind under those conditions...

[JDS]

Thank you to all for your time in replying. Some very good insight and info here. T


The link below was great and that site has some good info, thanks for sharing.

https://www.qdma.com/articles/how-fast-can-a-stand-recover-from-hunting-pressure

I found this article interesting. "How fast can a stand recover from hunting pressure."

QDMA has some great information out there, even for a public land hunter like me.

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[JohnFunn]

There are so many factors that play a role in this. I have had sets where I saw nothing the first time but on the 4th time I was covered up in deer. Hunting the stand with as many conditions in your favor is key. Some stands you need to wait til a rainy or windy day to get in and out extra quiet. Be patient and don't force your way into a spot until its right if you want to hunt it again. Last year I killed one of my hit list bucks on what had to be my 7th or 8th sit. But I had stuck to hunting it in the evenings when I knew I could get in and out easily until the conditions were perfect October 30th for a morning sit. He was down before 7:30. When in comes to field edges those are typically one and done sets for me. Transition funnels are also spots that you can sometimes get away with hunting as long as you know the deer movement well. I had a spot on a heavily pressued land that I killed my first 2 bucks out of and had encounters with deer almost every sit for 3 years. Finally the deer caught on and started traveling about 40 yards behind my stand thru some thick stuff so I moved my stand about 100 yards to a major exit and was right in the game again. Bottom line is every property, herd, and area is different, even your hunting style and habits play a role. My advice is try to hunt each spot with a purpose. Have a solid reasoning behind why you chose that particular stand to hunt on that day at that time in that wind under those conditions...

Right on!

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[mheichelbech]

What are you calling a transition funnel? Can you provide an example?

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[warhog23]

There are so many factors that play a role in this. I have had sets where I saw nothing the first time but on the 4th time I was covered up in deer. Hunting the stand with as many conditions in your favor is key. Some stands you need to wait til a rainy or windy day to get in and out extra quiet. Be patient and don't force your way into a spot until its right if you want to hunt it again. Last year I killed one of my hit list bucks on what had to be my 7th or 8th sit. But I had stuck to hunting it in the evenings when I knew I could get in and out easily until the conditions were perfect October 30th for a morning sit. He was down before 7:30. When in comes to field edges those are typically one and done sets for me. Transition funnels are also spots that you can sometimes get away with hunting as long as you know the deer movement well. I had a spot on a heavily pressued land that I killed my first 2 bucks out of and had encounters with deer almost every sit for 3 years. Finally the deer caught on and started traveling about 40 yards behind my stand thru some thick stuff so I moved my stand about 100 yards to a major exit and was right in the game again. Bottom line is every property, herd, and area is different, even your hunting style and habits play a role. My advice is try to hunt each spot with a purpose. Have a solid reasoning behind why you chose that particular stand to hunt on that day at that time in that wind under those conditions...

Love it!

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