Target Area for '18

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Danny1977
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Re: Target Area for '18

Unread postby Danny1977 » Sun Feb 25, 2018 2:22 am

tgreeno wrote:Timing is always the key point!

When is that BEST time to hunt each spot. Easier said than done. You can have a perfect spot, but if the timing isn't perfect, you could see nothing.

I had over 50 spots to hit last year. And almost hit them all. And I've already added another 10, this year. And hope to add another 20 before green-up. Then I'll need to decide with 50-60 sits a season, which of the 80 spots I'll sit. That's the dilemma!



I definitely agree. I don't plan to sit unless conditions are right. Otherwise i'm afraid that I'm just ruing the spot.


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Re: Target Area for '18

Unread postby Danny1977 » Sun Feb 25, 2018 2:31 am

ghoasthunter wrote:the most important thing is figuring out the times you need to hit the spots the deer can be very nomadic in mountains and change year to year on mass crops. it doesn't have to be areas with lots of trees as much as trees closely related to buck bedding remember different oaks will drop at different times in fall a month before season I normally walk around and glass for acorns to try to predict what trees will make the bumper crops and if preferred oaks are going to produce in certain areas. oaks in mountains will cycle and yield differently every year. when your scouting also look for historic rubs and other possible bedding even if its not holding sign this year. the old scars on trees will exist and all it takes is one tree to turn that bedding back on. then once season starts I will periodically scout those areas with some distance and see if any fresh sign turns up in the vicinity.



This is one of my fears as this turned out to be an issue for me last year. Once the acorns started dropping they were dropping everywhere. rumor has it that the deer did not have to move far from their beds in order to feed(not certain how true this is). But he acorns were everywhere yet the deer hunting went dry. Around a month before the season I plan to look at the oaks via binos in order to see which trees will be dropping soon and make a plan from there. I'm in high hopes that the oaks in the areas i've been scouting will be producing and not vise versa. If the oaks do not drop to my favor then I will be tempted to conduct more scouting during the season or try and set up on more fresh sign.

I will keep my eyes peeled for the scared up trees. Thanks man. That's another tactic that I've been reading/hearing about
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Net Guy
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Re: Target Area for '18

Unread postby Net Guy » Sun Feb 25, 2018 2:50 am

Danny1977 wrote:
Net Guy wrote:
Danny1977 wrote:
Net Guy wrote:Very nice find on the shed. Sounds like you found a good spot and have already figured out your access and tree. Sometimes bucks will leave lots of sign and sometimes they don't. Keep finding good spots like that and you'll be good. When in the season be sure to pay attention to hot sign as well. I know I will be making a more concerted effort in that regard.


Thanks man! I’m pretty stoked! Hope you are finding good spots as well that will of course pay off next season. I’m finding that I love hunting the mountains


We’re finding some pretty good stuff so far. Hopefully everything comes together this year. Going to Dans workshop in a few weeks. Should be really good.


I hope it all works out man. Best of luck


You too!
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Re: Target Area for '18

Unread postby tgreeno » Sun Feb 25, 2018 2:54 am

Danny1977 wrote:
tgreeno wrote:Timing is always the key point!

When is that BEST time to hunt each spot. Easier said than done. You can have a perfect spot, but if the timing isn't perfect, you could see nothing.

I had over 50 spots to hit last year. And almost hit them all. And I've already added another 10, this year. And hope to add another 20 before green-up. Then I'll need to decide with 50-60 sits a season, which of the 80 spots I'll sit. That's the dilemma!



I definitely agree. I don't plan to sit unless conditions are right. Otherwise i'm afraid that I'm just ruing the spot.


I look at it like, every sit is a learning experience! With every sit you learn more about that spot, and hopefully how better to hunt it. Don't be afraid to learn something! If you're not bumping deer every so often, then you're probably not even in the game!

The problem is when you sit a spot a couple times in a year and see no bucks. Then you're left thinking if it's really a worthwhile spot to be hunting.
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Re: Target Area for '18

Unread postby Rob loper » Sun Feb 25, 2018 6:23 am

tgreeno wrote:
Danny1977 wrote:
tgreeno wrote:Timing is always the key point!

When is that BEST time to hunt each spot. Easier said than done. You can have a perfect spot, but if the timing isn't perfect, you could see nothing.

I had over 50 spots to hit last year. And almost hit them all. And I've already added another 10, this year. And hope to add another 20 before green-up. Then I'll need to decide with 50-60 sits a season, which of the 80 spots I'll sit. That's the dilemma!



I definitely agree. I don't plan to sit unless conditions are right. Otherwise i'm afraid that I'm just ruing the spot.


I look at it like, every sit is a learning experience! With every sit you learn more about that spot, and hopefully how better to hunt it. Don't be afraid to learn something! If you're not bumping deer every so often, then you're probably not even in the game!

The problem is when you sit a spot a couple times in a year and see no bucks. Then you're left thinking if it's really a worthwhile spot to be hunting.


I keep telling myself and trainning my brain for this exact thing i know im gonna go through come the 2018 season
I have tried to tel myself to pass over certain sign or certain beds for next year so it ups my chances on not pushing the envelope enough yet not too far.
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Re: Target Area for '18

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Sun Feb 25, 2018 9:44 am

Danny1977 wrote:
ghoasthunter wrote:the most important thing is figuring out the times you need to hit the spots the deer can be very nomadic in mountains and change year to year on mass crops. it doesn't have to be areas with lots of trees as much as trees closely related to buck bedding remember different oaks will drop at different times in fall a month before season I normally walk around and glass for acorns to try to predict what trees will make the bumper crops and if preferred oaks are going to produce in certain areas. oaks in mountains will cycle and yield differently every year. when your scouting also look for historic rubs and other possible bedding even if its not holding sign this year. the old scars on trees will exist and all it takes is one tree to turn that bedding back on. then once season starts I will periodically scout those areas with some distance and see if any fresh sign turns up in the vicinity.



This is one of my fears as this turned out to be an issue for me last year. Once the acorns started dropping they were dropping everywhere. rumor has it that the deer did not have to move far from their beds in order to feed(not certain how true this is). But he acorns were everywhere yet the deer hunting went dry. Around a month before the season I plan to look at the oaks via binos in order to see which trees will be dropping soon and make a plan from there. I'm in high hopes that the oaks in the areas i've been scouting will be producing and not vise versa. If the oaks do not drop to my favor then I will be tempted to conduct more scouting during the season or try and set up on more fresh sign.

I will keep my eyes peeled for the scared up trees. Thanks man. That's another tactic that I've been reading/hearing about
I focus on the best beds big bucks don't bed in meh spots they got to be perfect. survival trumps food if the spots are not producing your either to close or to far. even if oaks are raining the mature bucks will still choose the so so because of safety. I target the best beds first and put my stand in direction of travel to best food. the bucks will tend to gravitate towards the bigger crops closer to rut. in the mountainous areas the bigger bucks will choose the highest ridges with best cover in spots where the terrain is mixed think points benches and drainages all clustered. areas where the wind and thermals are a nightmare to deal with and they need to be quiet. I find areas like that with big swamps below are best if the buck gets spooked he goes strait into the swamps. they also drop down and travel the swamp edges in dark. a lot of the best areas you have to hunt on how it looks the biggest bucks are so wind specific with bedding and travel it will drive you bonkers. but big bucks lay sign they may not lay it next to a bed it might not even be fresh but if there are tall rubs he's there some place. a lot of the time you need to push past the best looking sign and find the sign you really need to hunt because most of it is at night.
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