I have a bead on a buck (I think). I jumped him out of bed early October putting out a trail camera. Got daylight pictures of him on that camera in the weeks to follow. However I spent a week last week trying to close the deal but he got the best of me. First time I hung on him I sat on the leeward side of the creek a couple hundred yards west of where I have the trail camera. It was an afternoon hunt. I was in the creek bottom and I could see the other side of the creek but not up into the planted pines on hill on the other side. Wind (NE) on my nose 5-7mph. I thought I was money but 3 separate times deer blew - up wind of me. Is it possible my scent, despite the wind direction was pooling in the bottom and allowing those deer to get a whiff of my presence? I never saw the deer. The next day I moved east along the creek and got on the pine hill side of the creek - closer to where I had jumped the deer last month. Went in at grey light and stayed until noon - saw nothing. Left my climber there and came back at 4:30 the next morning. As I was climbing in the pitch dark - less than 30 yards to my southeast a deer got up and blew. I stayed until about 9:30 - saw nothing. Wind shifted (West then SW) and I hunted on the hill (above where I got busted) one morning and around the bend on the east side of creek one evening - saw nothing.
Not sure what to do - If I can't get in the bottom in the evening because my scent pooling and I can't get in in the morning without bumping deer out of bed, what are my options?
Creek makes a horseshoe with the opening facing north. Prevailing wind NE. The left side of the horseshoe bends west fairly quickly while the right side stays north for 1/2 mile before bending east. Should I have positioned myself on the other side of the creek (creek at my back wind in my face) and get real high - would that prevent the scent from sitting down on the creek?
Any thoughts?
Busted me twice
- Shady Grove
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Re: Busted me twice
I mean I think all the guys on here would agree, you gotta buy some OZONICS and more scent killer spray. MAke sure youre saturated with it. And try wearing 3 layers of scentlok. hahhaa jk I am sorry I am in a playful mood today.
What I would do is I would (if possible) try to get up a tree that gives you a good vantage point a little further from where you area and watch. See where the deer are entering and exiting. Maybe even do a little scouting and try to find trails. Once you find where the deer are primarily entering and exiting you have a good shot. I know the beast way is to hunt as close as you can but sometimes if the conditions aren't right, you gotta back off a little and hunt a little further away where the terrain works with you instead of against you.
But I would try to get up high and observe the movement of the deer. Scout and try to find the primary trails in and out of the hilly area and try to get him in a funnel further away on his travel route.
If you were hunting in the gully and they were blowing, its a great chance they could smell you even up wind cause of the thermals.
If you want a spot I would back off and maybe hunt IN the pines if thats not where they are bedding, if its in a higher elevation.
What I would do is I would (if possible) try to get up a tree that gives you a good vantage point a little further from where you area and watch. See where the deer are entering and exiting. Maybe even do a little scouting and try to find trails. Once you find where the deer are primarily entering and exiting you have a good shot. I know the beast way is to hunt as close as you can but sometimes if the conditions aren't right, you gotta back off a little and hunt a little further away where the terrain works with you instead of against you.
But I would try to get up high and observe the movement of the deer. Scout and try to find the primary trails in and out of the hilly area and try to get him in a funnel further away on his travel route.
If you were hunting in the gully and they were blowing, its a great chance they could smell you even up wind cause of the thermals.
If you want a spot I would back off and maybe hunt IN the pines if thats not where they are bedding, if its in a higher elevation.
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Re: Busted me twice
There is a reason why you won't see many guys talking about hunting river bottoms and creek bottoms. Its hard. Your scent can do anything at any time without warning. In order to have better scent control, you will have to get out of the bottom. Getting high could help but its no guarantee. I agree with Joe on observation stands. Those deer enter that bottom somewhere on a certain wind. I wouldn't be surprised if you can figure out where they are entering and how to get set-up there so they don't wind you. Keep track of where you see them and what wind it was.
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?
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Re: Busted me twice
Shady Grove wrote:I have a bead on a buck (I think). I jumped him out of bed early October putting out a trail camera. Got daylight pictures of him on that camera in the weeks to follow. However I spent a week last week trying to close the deal but he got the best of me. First time I hung on him I sat on the leeward side of the creek a couple hundred yards west of where I have the trail camera. It was an afternoon hunt. I was in the creek bottom and I could see the other side of the creek but not up into the planted pines on hill on the other side. Wind (NE) on my nose 5-7mph. I thought I was money but 3 separate times deer blew - up wind of me. Is it possible my scent, despite the wind direction was pooling in the bottom and allowing those deer to get a whiff of my presence? I never saw the deer. The next day I moved east along the creek and got on the pine hill side of the creek - closer to where I had jumped the deer last month. Went in at grey light and stayed until noon - saw nothing. Left my climber there and came back at 4:30 the next morning. As I was climbing in the pitch dark - less than 30 yards to my southeast a deer got up and blew. I stayed until about 9:30 - saw nothing. Wind shifted (West then SW) and I hunted on the hill (above where I got busted) one morning and around the bend on the east side of creek one evening - saw nothing.
Not sure what to do - If I can't get in the bottom in the evening because my scent pooling and I can't get in in the morning without bumping deer out of bed, what are my options?
Creek makes a horseshoe with the opening facing north. Prevailing wind NE. The left side of the horseshoe bends west fairly quickly while the right side stays north for 1/2 mile before bending east. Should I have positioned myself on the other side of the creek (creek at my back wind in my face) and get real high - would that prevent the scent from sitting down on the creek?
Any thoughts?
Do you have a topo map of the area? If so, can you post the map with food sources and possible bedding on it? We can probably give you some possibilities if we have that. And you will probably get more replies. There is just too little to go off of from what you said. We can only assume. We may be able to give you possible stand locations, or good places to start to look and observe.
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Re: Busted me twice
More detailes
White line - roads. Private land - the road crossing the creek is traveled maybe 5 times a year. Yellow line to the NW is the property line.
Yellow dots - sets. West position - deer that winded me were on the North side of the creek. The position near the road in the creek bend is where I spooked the deer in the dark. There are rubs and along that edge. The last dot - I got here when wind shifted to SW. No sign up that way but habitat the same.
Light Blue rectangles - trail camera locations. The camera closest to the creek sits on the trail I was talking about. Buck showed up traveling west to east. Once at 9:30am and once at 6:00 pm about a week apart. The other camera (sits over a scrape on the hill) the deer was there at 3:30am traveling east to west.
Green arrow - where I jumped deer in early October.
The blue line - I had marked (some time back) as potential buck bedding area because it is on the leeward side of the hill - and a perfect spot for NE wind. Sitting on the opposite side of the creek - This is approximately where the deer were that winded me on the first sit.
Food? There is a small strip (1/8 acre) of oats and clover planted along the big timber edge south of my first stand location . There are no crops in the area. Lots of forbs in the young pines - blackberry, beauty berry, wild grapes, greenbriar. Acorn crop was not bumper but fairly good. No white oaks. Predominately live oaks, water oaks, post oaks, and red oaks.
Does like to bed in the young pines where high warm season grasses and briars offer plenty of cover.
White line - roads. Private land - the road crossing the creek is traveled maybe 5 times a year. Yellow line to the NW is the property line.
Yellow dots - sets. West position - deer that winded me were on the North side of the creek. The position near the road in the creek bend is where I spooked the deer in the dark. There are rubs and along that edge. The last dot - I got here when wind shifted to SW. No sign up that way but habitat the same.
Light Blue rectangles - trail camera locations. The camera closest to the creek sits on the trail I was talking about. Buck showed up traveling west to east. Once at 9:30am and once at 6:00 pm about a week apart. The other camera (sits over a scrape on the hill) the deer was there at 3:30am traveling east to west.
Green arrow - where I jumped deer in early October.
The blue line - I had marked (some time back) as potential buck bedding area because it is on the leeward side of the hill - and a perfect spot for NE wind. Sitting on the opposite side of the creek - This is approximately where the deer were that winded me on the first sit.
Food? There is a small strip (1/8 acre) of oats and clover planted along the big timber edge south of my first stand location . There are no crops in the area. Lots of forbs in the young pines - blackberry, beauty berry, wild grapes, greenbriar. Acorn crop was not bumper but fairly good. No white oaks. Predominately live oaks, water oaks, post oaks, and red oaks.
Does like to bed in the young pines where high warm season grasses and briars offer plenty of cover.
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Re: Busted me twice
Shady Grove wrote:More detailes
White line - roads. Private land - the road crossing the creek is traveled maybe 5 times a year. Yellow line to the NW is the property line.
Yellow dots - sets. West position - deer that winded me were on the North side of the creek. The position near the road in the creek bend is where I spooked the deer in the dark. There are rubs and along that edge. The last dot - I got here when wind shifted to SW. No sign up that way but habitat the same.
Light Blue rectangles - trail camera locations. The camera closest to the creek sits on the trail I was talking about. Buck showed up traveling west to east. Once at 9:30am and once at 6:00 pm about a week apart. The other camera (sits over a scrape on the hill) the deer was there at 3:30am traveling east to west.
Green arrow - where I jumped deer in early October.
The blue line - I had marked (some time back) as potential buck bedding area because it is on the leeward side of the hill - and a perfect spot for NE wind. Sitting on the opposite side of the creek - This is approximately where the deer were that winded me on the first sit.
Food? There is a small strip (1/8 acre) of oats and clover planted along the big timber edge south of my first stand location . There are no crops in the area. Lots of forbs in the young pines - blackberry, beauty berry, wild grapes, greenbriar. Acorn crop was not bumper but fairly good. No white oaks. Predominately live oaks, water oaks, post oaks, and red oaks.
Does like to bed in the young pines where high warm season grasses and briars offer plenty of cover.
So it seems you know where the bedding is for the does. Do you know how often they bed there? I have a primary bedding area where I hunt, and no matter the wind direction, the deer bed in this spot. There are just a ton of blow downs and THICK THICK briers. Then I have some spots where does only bed on certain winds.
Now my number one thing is get out of that creek bottom. I only say that because after reading jonny's post I started to think. My buddy has been hunting his friends property. He ALWAYS sits on the creek bottoms and he never sees deer. Now I put out trail cameras in this area and there are a ton of deer. They use this creek bottom as primary travel, except when he is there. Deer in my opinion usually blow when you catch them by surprise or they see you. if they catch your wind 100 yards away sometimes theyll just avoid the area and you wont even know they are there.
Now I am thinking these deer are bedding in those young pines and dropping down into that creek bottom. Its just a matter of where. I am thinking they probably drop down that south west side where your blue line is. I would if I were you try to scout my way into that spot from the west if you have access. And try to find runs or trails coming out of that pine thicket. Set up just far enough off to observe, but close enough to shoot if something comes out. You don't want to intrude on the first sit unless you know for sure how they run.
It looks like you have a lot of ways to access this piece. If you enter from the south or east, and you have access to those roads, use those, and then drop into that creek and run along that. I honestly feel like you're going to find something good if you move that stand on the creek to the south west, up on that ledge where they travel to drop down into that creek bed. Thermals will suck your scent down into the creek in the afternoon, but if they are traveling from the 8 year old pines down into that creek bed you'll hit them before they catch a whiff of you lol.
I feel like depending on how clear the leaves are in your area, if you set up south west of where 8yr old pines is written, just outside the pines and watch where they travel when going through that creek, you should be able to pattern them for now. And know where to sit. I am assuming that the deer bed in that pine thicket often. but who knows maybe they travel the creek from the east.
Now that I am looking at it as well, another good spot would be between the 10 yr old pines and 8 yr old pines. Not in the gully on the creek. But on one side or the other because bucks may cruise the hill tops and travel from bedding to bedding. I am going to mark up the map a little bit and re post it.
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Re: Busted me twice
Okay, So I am no pro. I know there are a lot of different colors on this map but there are a lot of scenerios. So the orange, pink, and green are all routes I feel as though the Bucks will take trying to get to the bedding areas. Now I am thinking depending on how thick the areas are, the two pine thickets are pretty good bedding for the does. The primary run they will probably use coming from the north or west is down in that creek bed, bucks around here LOVE creek bottoms to travel. (because of thermals.) But I feel like coming from the east theyll run allong that hill side. But anyway.
The yellow dots are all numbered on how much I like them for an observation hunt. Number 1 being my favorite (based on how far you can see with the leaves falling off and how large the pine thickets are.) The main priority in this situation is sight. But I feel that the location of this stand is going to give you a GREAT opportunity to shoot while observing.
Now the light blue is how I feel the does are going to drop down into that gully/creek bed. I have noticed that deer dont mind going up a steep hill. But when coming down hill they tend to prefer a slower decline. Even out of the 10 year old pines, they are probably going to loop around and enter on the opposite hill but the same relative location.
Now another reason I like that spot, is because I see that where you cut off the picture to the south, there seems to be a swampy area. I would not be surprised at all if a buck came out of that swamp, and walked directly to that little point that I have that yellow dot on to scent check and visually look for a doe down in that creek bottom. Same with the point that you have that blue line on. But I feel like the thermals will just eat you up there. Everything down below will be busting you on an afternoon hunt. But maybe that point near the 8 year old pines would be good on a morning hunt.
#2 is more to see if the deer bed in those 8 year old pines and how they run down into that creek bed.
#3 is to see exactly how that point is used, without saturating the gully with your scent.
#4 is to see how exactly that swamp is being utilized by the deer.
I didn't do much with that oak hammock because IDK about where you are, but all of the oak trees here are dried up. All the leaves are off and the nuts aren't dropping.
I just feel like if those two pine thickets are both bedding, then the deer are likely going to hit both of them.
But I do like both of those points, I would start with those.
I am no pro, but I have beeen spending a lot of time with maps. Also dont be surprissed if you get there and the land looks a little different than the topo map. erosion can do some serious damage fast lol. Just adjust accordingly.
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Re: Busted me twice
Jrichard - first - thanks for taking the time to reply and provide so many good thoughts. Much obliged!
As for your position number 1. I sat there (a little north of your mark) one afternoon but could not see like I wanted to and moved south along the road to hang over a planted food strip of oats and clover planted along the edge of big timber. There is a chance I could find a spot west of your mark back in the big timber where I could look into the creek.
2 and 3 - there are no trees large enough to hang a stand on (see picture) - this is not my place but very similar. There is a couple of large oaks on the hill near #3 that would make possible observation stands - but because of the age of the trees - unless you are looking down a row you can't see very much or very far. No real mystery why deer are in there - the odds are heavily in their favor.
Your thoughts on travel is where I think this nut can be cracked. Your orange line is obvious on the ground - although they hug the edge between the creek bottom and the pines a little more than you indicate - there is sign along that path and camera pics of deer moving along that trail (just not when I'm there!). There is also evidence of deer traveling the orange line to get to the oak hammock. There is a firebreak pretty close to your line and deer have been observed using it to go from pines to oaks. The blue line is interesting to check out and I appreciate your note about how they don't mind climbing up hill but would rather have a more gentle slope to travel down hill. I will use that. The green line traveling the creek bottom - it is a pretty twisty creek - definitely worth getting boots on the ground and walk that this winter/spring to see what I can learn.
There is a small cypress pond to the south. It's at the end of that branch. I haven't given it much thought but I will.
Thanks again for your insight.
As for your position number 1. I sat there (a little north of your mark) one afternoon but could not see like I wanted to and moved south along the road to hang over a planted food strip of oats and clover planted along the edge of big timber. There is a chance I could find a spot west of your mark back in the big timber where I could look into the creek.
2 and 3 - there are no trees large enough to hang a stand on (see picture) - this is not my place but very similar. There is a couple of large oaks on the hill near #3 that would make possible observation stands - but because of the age of the trees - unless you are looking down a row you can't see very much or very far. No real mystery why deer are in there - the odds are heavily in their favor.
Your thoughts on travel is where I think this nut can be cracked. Your orange line is obvious on the ground - although they hug the edge between the creek bottom and the pines a little more than you indicate - there is sign along that path and camera pics of deer moving along that trail (just not when I'm there!). There is also evidence of deer traveling the orange line to get to the oak hammock. There is a firebreak pretty close to your line and deer have been observed using it to go from pines to oaks. The blue line is interesting to check out and I appreciate your note about how they don't mind climbing up hill but would rather have a more gentle slope to travel down hill. I will use that. The green line traveling the creek bottom - it is a pretty twisty creek - definitely worth getting boots on the ground and walk that this winter/spring to see what I can learn.
There is a small cypress pond to the south. It's at the end of that branch. I haven't given it much thought but I will.
Thanks again for your insight.
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