Pre-season observation stands

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CJM
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Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby CJM » Thu Aug 03, 2017 5:36 pm

How many of you guys have gone into a piece of public and watched one of your potential bed sites pre-season in order to confirm how a buck is using it prior to going into hunt it?

I have a few areas that I believe I can get up a tree 400 to 800 yards away, on the down wind side and watch with binoculars to be sure the buck is using the area the way I think he is.

Trying to decide if A. There is any chance of that burning a bed.

And B. If the information I may gather will still be useful in a few weeks when I hunt it.

Also C. What are the odds someone picks up on what I'm doing and moves in on those areas, for this reason I'm thinking of leaving the stand at home and just free climbing the best tree I can find.


Thanks in advance.


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Boogieman1
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Thu Aug 03, 2017 6:40 pm

I recall Dan telling a story of gathering preseason intell from the comfort of the Shaggin Wagon that directly resulted in him zipping a swamp donkey. Being smart about it plays a big part believe in his case he was pretending to read the paper. The more intell u can gather the better IMO b4 u move in for the kill. But don't overdue it eithier just get what u need, wait for the right time and slip in and Beast his
Last edited by dan on Fri Aug 04, 2017 4:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
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sureshotscott
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby sureshotscott » Thu Aug 03, 2017 9:45 pm

Strongly considering this to get eyes on some spots as I also want to go to saddlehunting, which is worlds different from the climbing stand I used most of last year.
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby MN_DeerHunter » Thu Aug 03, 2017 11:25 pm

CJM wrote:How many of you guys have gone into a piece of public and watched one of your potential bed sites pre-season in order to confirm how a buck is using it prior to going into hunt it?

I have a few areas that I believe I can get up a tree 400 to 800 yards away, on the down wind side and watch with binoculars to be sure the buck is using the area the way I think he is.

Trying to decide if A. There is any chance of that burning a bed.

And B. If the information I may gather will still be useful in a few weeks when I hunt it.

Also C. What are the odds someone picks up on what I'm doing and moves in on those areas, for this reason I'm thinking of leaving the stand at home and just free climbing the best tree I can find.


Thanks in advance.


I have a spot that I would like to watch the week before from a stand but I also am afraid of tipping off other people. Interested to hear what others will say.
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby Outdoor814 » Thu Aug 03, 2017 11:41 pm

Im a big fan of observation sits. I usually don't key in on beds, but more staging areas. That way I know after dark they will be out of that area and I can slip away.

I don't set up in the staging area itself but a hundred yards or so from it. I can usually tell what bucks are using that bedding area that way.

There is a good video on observation stands o. The Beast YouTube channel.
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby Rich M » Thu Aug 03, 2017 11:48 pm

I've got a 3-day hunt coming up this year that I'm kind of excited about. I will scout before hand and then do an AM & PM observation sit the weekend before it opens. To fine tune my approach, see where the deer are moving, if there are any decent bucks, etc.

Observation sits aren't just for pre-season. They are an important tool to fine tuning your approach. Say you have a deer that uses area x and you have 3 possible stands - which one do you hunt? You know there is a buck in the area but haven't seen how he travels... Do an observation sit and increase your odds.
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby tbunao » Fri Aug 04, 2017 12:17 am

I did it last year. One piece of public around me has a huge ag field on the backside of it that's not visible from the other side. I waited for a good wind and got set up just inside the woods so I could exit without spookin any deer. I wanted to see what bucks were bedding close by coming from the public. Deer did filter out from across the field where the public met the private but not until close to dark and we're still coming out when I could hardly see. Gave me some intel at least.
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby E72 » Fri Aug 04, 2017 1:11 am

I'll be doing more observation sits this year no doubt. I also have more flexibility to take off from work these days. I have some public bedding spots that I could watch now but will wait until september when the food sources change.
I try not to park at the same spot every time I go in to these spots either. Even if I have to walk a half mile so I don't tip anyone off exactly where I'm going in. A couple bedding areas that I've seen big bucks in are overlooked to a degree and REALLY close to the road. :shhh:
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby bowfreak8 » Fri Aug 04, 2017 2:37 am

I have not sat in a stand before the season starts but i have glassed from a distance to get an inventory and see where deer are coming from.
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby justdirtyfun » Fri Aug 04, 2017 3:57 am

I have done it once this year. Isolated field with good cover around it.
Not a lot of information I wanted but a lot of information I didn't expect.
It was a trial run with a sitdrag saddle. I moved a lot.
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby Dewey » Fri Aug 04, 2017 5:03 am

I always have my mountain bike in the back of my truck. I like to sneak into areas vehicles cannot go like logging roads, dike roads other access roads. It's quick and easy and the bonus is I stay out of site of other people. Observation stands will work but I like the mobile approach where I can quickly jump around from spot to spot. I usually pick a higher vantage point and glass long range from my bike. Nothing going on and I can quickly move to a better area. Works great for me and I can cover a much larger amount of ground. I do this all summer long as soon as antlers start to develop.
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby Stanley » Fri Aug 04, 2017 5:15 am

If I know where a good buck is I often keep eyes on him from afar.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby tgreeno » Fri Aug 04, 2017 5:50 am

I do have a couple new spots this year that I will do observation sits before season. Observing more staging areas than beds. This will be my first year ever doing this. I have also stepped up on my glassing this year. I'm already ahead of last year!

Dewey wrote:I always have my mountain bike in the back of my truck. I like to sneak into areas vehicles cannot go like logging roads, dike roads other access roads. It's quick and easy and the bonus is I stay out of site of other people. Observation stands will work but I like the mobile approach where I can quickly jump around from spot to spot. I usually pick a higher vantage point and glass long range from my bike. Nothing going on and I can quickly move to a better area. Works great for me and I can cover a much larger amount of ground. I do this all summer long as soon as antlers start to develop.


Dewey, I'll have to keep an eye out for you!
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Dewey
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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby Dewey » Fri Aug 04, 2017 5:59 am

tgreeno wrote:I do have a couple new spots this year that I will do observation sits before season. Observing more staging areas than beds. This will be my first year ever doing this. I have also stepped up on my glassing this year. I'm already ahead of last year!

Dewey wrote:I always have my mountain bike in the back of my truck. I like to sneak into areas vehicles cannot go like logging roads, dike roads other access roads. It's quick and easy and the bonus is I stay out of site of other people. Observation stands will work but I like the mobile approach where I can quickly jump around from spot to spot. I usually pick a higher vantage point and glass long range from my bike. Nothing going on and I can quickly move to a better area. Works great for me and I can cover a much larger amount of ground. I do this all summer long as soon as antlers start to develop.


Dewey, I'll have to keep an eye out for you!

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Re: Pre-season observation stands

Unread postby dirt nap giver » Fri Aug 04, 2017 12:16 pm

I am big on observation sits.
Like Dewey, I use a mountain bike while parking in different areas so as not to tip other hunters.

Once the bike reveals a target, I use a stand to gather more Intel.

I use the moon overhead nights as well as approaching storms.
Right now there is little to no pressure so the mature bucks feel more comfortable showing themselves. Once the testosterone in the bucks as well as the hunters begins, things change where I hunt.

I stay away from both bedding and staging areas.
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