Hunting Urban or semi-rural areas with high deer density.

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johndeere506
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Hunting Urban or semi-rural areas with high deer density.

Unread postby johndeere506 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 5:16 am

I have spent a lot of time hunting semi rural or rural and mixed AG areas with high deer density. Who else has good amount experience with this? If so, what are the important things you have learned or some of the things you think are different from farmland or bigwoods, or hill country hunting? Im mainly hunting mixed AG and woodlots of 50 acres or less mixed in, with small neighborhoods or farm roads mixed in.

I figured we can share knowledge and tactics, and some that havent hunted this way might find it interesting.

Deer density is usually very high in these areas. Its very easy to get multiple deer every couple hunts going somewhere you didnt plan on, and hard barriers are rare without hanging too far back. This includes getting downwind of you at times. I dont have the patience for full scent control anymore, but you wont ever catch me in my hunting grounds without rubber boots, and I wont be touching anything I don't need to. Mature bucks getting downwind is rare here with the right setup, but the doe and fawns are the common offenders. Every year I have to note the doe or two causing the most issues, and try to take her out her late season. I noticed years ago, rolling around in grass and leaves getting grass stains and dirt all over was actually reasonable cover scent. Carbon was so-so, now I dont take the time, but take an ozonics starting last year. I dont think its a game changer, but sometimes keeps the fawns or doe at ease if they happen to sneak downwind. When I hunt hills, bigwoods or large farms, I dont carry the ozonics or shower before hunts.

The houses and neighborhoods are usually somewhat deer free or at least mature buck free during daylight. That helps eliminate areas and find funnels, and eliminate large areas. This doesnt mean just rut funnels but travel funnels. Deer here will sometimes stage for almost hundreds of yards before destination fields. There are sometimes too many deer to stage in your typical (or at least what I picture) small staging areas, just before a food source. The best bedding and fields are usually hundreds of yards apart, and with high density doe families are bedding at many levels in between. Picture this, a section has 600+ acres. 200 Acres are in houses and large yards, 200 is destination fields, the remaining 200 is possibly available for daytime bedding. The fields and even neighborhood provide food at night, but they all come from a concentrated area. Usually there is at least 1-2 treestands on every private parcel in between, sometimes many more. The density can help and hurt your actual hunting for mature bucks.

Preset stands are usually best here, to get high and minimal in season intrusion. Cameras work well here as long as you dont put them in bad access locations and bump deer. Bumping deer here is bad, its very bad. You need to do everything you can to preserve your opportunities on small grounds. Ill always have a mobile set ready if something changes though. Its not the upnorth feel or hill country solitude, but it has perks. If its near home, you can hunt more often or with less time available. Ive been hunting this area around 20-25 acres for a almost 10 years and have put several decent bucks down for this area. Ive blown solid chances on several as well in the last 5 years, usually stupid things. I'm still learning. Hunting smarter not harder really applies here.

Deer movement is concentrated to just before dark quite often, due to all the surrounding activity. Morning can offer slightly more relaxed movement until people in the distance begin daily activities.

I cant hunt this way all season though on such tight quarters. I need to get out and explore new ground I previously scouted, or go find some late season tracks to follow. However, it can be a lot of fun and rewarding.


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Boogieman1
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Re: Hunting Urban or semi-rural areas with high deer density.

Unread postby Boogieman1 » Fri Sep 15, 2017 2:29 pm

I hunt a lot of this, and have for years. Only diff is in my case it's relitively a low deer population. Lessons I learned is never underestimate where a big buck might live. Those farmhouses could be a goldmine at last light. Small woodlots are tough unless u have a hunting partner then with a lil trickery u can get in on em. Over hunting is very easy and often after the first hunt the jig is up. Most of these small properties also only have one entrance that creates another challenge, having previous years knowledge and waiting for the best time for a one time strike is usually the best. However there are certain times where a small rural farm is placed just perfect and has the right terrain that will allow u multiple hunts during the rut to catch a lot of action. In short find a way in without blowing the hunt, a good knowledge of how the deer use the property is required and wait until the right conditions come to strike. Hope this gives ya some food for thought atleast.
Life is hard; It’s even harder if you are stupid.
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mheichelbech
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Re: Hunting Urban or semi-rural areas with high deer density.

Unread postby mheichelbech » Fri Sep 15, 2017 3:18 pm

I have a couple properties like this. For sure I have to wait for the right winds to access or else I'm out of the game before I get started. Although and east wind is not common around here, when we do get it, I have a couple bulletproof stands.

I agree that that the properties I hunt that are like this are probably best left for the rut. It is just too tricky otherwise and deer are excellent at picking me out of trees even with no movement. They usually bolt at the slightest variance in scent, young and old ones...as if it is in their genes. I can't tell you how different ways I've been busted on this farmer hat I thought would be good. It is the hardest property I've ever hunted. These deer are very reactive to the slightest thing being out of place.

I think any ground level trimming has to be done in post season, Jan-April. I've had Bucks react up to 5 days later on branches I trimmed near the ground.

On a side note, this property gets a lot of human activity through it....and coyotes.
"One of the chief attractions of the life of the wilderness is its rugged and stalwart democracy; there every man stands for what he actually is and can show himself to be." — Theodore Roosevelt, 1893


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