This year have been hunting differently and I’m noticing more big bucks early season.
Focusing on only 6 800 acre chunks. And stacking deer. 4800 acres in bow season.
After watching Dans chasing a dream video it’s what I’m trying this year. Picking the best spots in certain blocks.
The last two years I was spread everywhere around west tennessee and did not stack or learn how bucks used areas well enough.
My issue is distance between stands and hunting without burning the other ones. I have a 300 yard rule that I am not hunting within 300 yards of a previous set. Do you guys think this is to close or too far?
How far do you guys hunt from previous setup’s?
Setup distance.
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- backstraps
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Re: Setup distance.
No way that would work for me and my style hunting
Sometimes moving a set 35yds can make it like a virgin set
Each setup is different. Ive started too far from bedding and move closer over the next couple of days with success
I think setting a distance cutoff would only hamper you rather than help
Sometimes moving a set 35yds can make it like a virgin set
Each setup is different. Ive started too far from bedding and move closer over the next couple of days with success
I think setting a distance cutoff would only hamper you rather than help
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Re: Setup distance.
backstraps wrote:No way that would work for me and my style hunting
Sometimes moving a set 35yds can make it like a virgin set
Each setup is different. Ive started too far from bedding and move closer over the next couple of days with success
I think setting a distance cutoff would only hamper you rather than help
35 yards wow
You must have the same wind multiple days in a row for them to use that bedding area?
In hill country our bucks really move around a lot based on wind.
I would think after the first sit or two the buck would either catch wind thermal or walk past that spot and think hey somethings wrong here. Your lingering scent blowing when wind changes.
Doesn’t hunting so close really put a lot of pressure on that bedding area?
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- PK_
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Re: Setup distance.
I agree with backstraps. In thick terrain or if there is some sort of barrier like water, 35 yards may as well be a mile.
You also have to ‘take the temperature’ of the specific spot and area. Some areas only have a few really dynamite bedding areas. Some areas have decent or good bedding scattered all over. In the former scenario you can hammer those deer for several days and it’s like they don’t want to give up their hidey hole. But when bedding is abundant and spread out, they may abandon a bed after 1 soft encounter.
So I wouldn’t stick to a specific distance but look at the situation and spot/terrain and think if a buck smells you been in this tree, how far downwind will he have to swing next time to safely scent check that location.
Think about the ol’ mama doe who pegs your location. She generally slides just out of range in the future. They want to be far enough away to be safe but close enough to let you know, that they know, that you are there. Bucks won’t do this over and over like a doe but I have definitely seen them do it a time or two before changing bedding or completely altering their exit...
You also have to ‘take the temperature’ of the specific spot and area. Some areas only have a few really dynamite bedding areas. Some areas have decent or good bedding scattered all over. In the former scenario you can hammer those deer for several days and it’s like they don’t want to give up their hidey hole. But when bedding is abundant and spread out, they may abandon a bed after 1 soft encounter.
So I wouldn’t stick to a specific distance but look at the situation and spot/terrain and think if a buck smells you been in this tree, how far downwind will he have to swing next time to safely scent check that location.
Think about the ol’ mama doe who pegs your location. She generally slides just out of range in the future. They want to be far enough away to be safe but close enough to let you know, that they know, that you are there. Bucks won’t do this over and over like a doe but I have definitely seen them do it a time or two before changing bedding or completely altering their exit...
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Re: Setup distance.
For some reason the forest I hunt most northern slopes are logged so the northern slopes that aren’t logged are quite good buck bedding.
Where I hunt next to my home is about 10k acres rest is park areas golf course ect.
The other forest I hunt is over 40k acres so I do a lot of big woods hunting with low deer densities.
Where I hunt next to my home is about 10k acres rest is park areas golf course ect.
The other forest I hunt is over 40k acres so I do a lot of big woods hunting with low deer densities.
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- backstraps
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Re: Setup distance.
Absolutely spot on points by PK
Really like the doe example... Ive seen bucks do this exact same thing in areas where hunting pressure isnt bad and I am basically the one applying the pressure. The bucks will tolerate and adjust a little (especially if its his core area)
As for 35 yards scenario....think about one of your set ups you have been on this year and imagine what a didference 35 yds closer to his could be.
There have been times I moved 20 yards and that made the difference in a shot or not the next afternoon.
Most times for my areas, I can typically get 75-100 feom bedding under quiet careful planned entry and setup. If I need to move closer the next day then a silent exit is a must.
I hunt Hill country 99% of me season and bucks do shift their bedding around alot...but in the same aspect if you find primary bedding, that bedroom gets used a lot. When those beds are located, many times ive noticed the buck will use that bed even when the textbook wind isnt present. Especially is heavy thermal areas
Really like the doe example... Ive seen bucks do this exact same thing in areas where hunting pressure isnt bad and I am basically the one applying the pressure. The bucks will tolerate and adjust a little (especially if its his core area)
As for 35 yards scenario....think about one of your set ups you have been on this year and imagine what a didference 35 yds closer to his could be.
There have been times I moved 20 yards and that made the difference in a shot or not the next afternoon.
Most times for my areas, I can typically get 75-100 feom bedding under quiet careful planned entry and setup. If I need to move closer the next day then a silent exit is a must.
I hunt Hill country 99% of me season and bucks do shift their bedding around alot...but in the same aspect if you find primary bedding, that bedroom gets used a lot. When those beds are located, many times ive noticed the buck will use that bed even when the textbook wind isnt present. Especially is heavy thermal areas
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Re: Setup distance.
backstraps wrote:Absolutely spot on points by PK
Really like the doe example... Ive seen bucks do this exact same thing in areas where hunting pressure isnt bad and I am basically the one applying the pressure. The bucks will tolerate and adjust a little (especially if its his core area)
As for 35 yards scenario....think about one of your set ups you have been on this year and imagine what a didference 35 yds closer to his could be.
There have been times I moved 20 yards and that made the difference in a shot or not the next afternoon.
Most times for my areas, I can typically get 75-100 feom bedding under quiet careful planned entry and setup. If I need to move closer the next day then a silent exit is a must.
I hunt Hill country 99% of me season and bucks do shift their bedding around alot...but in the same aspect if you find primary bedding, that bedroom gets used a lot. When those beds are located, many times ive noticed the buck will use that bed even when the textbook wind isnt present. Especially is heavy thermal areas
Agreeing with these guys. Sometimes when I’m trying to stack I’ll be using the same access route. Hunted a timber finger surrounded by crp that leads to a ravine last Friday and killed a doe. Took the same access last night with the intention of pushing 150 yards further in. At 70 yards past the doe kill site I hit 4 trails crossing the ditch with fresh doe and buck tracks. 2 rubs in the area that looked really fresh. Didn’t want to but setup there. Killed a doe at last light. I’m gonna assume that exact spot might now be burnt til rut but didn’t think it’d be different if I didn’t take the doe since I’d already been within a couple hundred yards of bedding twice in 5 days. Based on the doe sign and historical rubs I’m still optimistic about a rut sit.
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Re: Setup distance.
My experience via trail cams and snow has shown as little as 40 yards or just out of sight...
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Re: Setup distance.
Doesn’t thermal drop before dark burn the surrounding area when they enter from below in Am the next day they are going to go by trees brush that your thermal scent dropped down too .
Wouldn’t this alone put those bucks on high alert to avoid that entire bottom.
Perhaps I am being too careful believing my thermal is having a bigger impact then it is having in my areas.
I can understand a buck would not want to leave his main primary bedding and coming into it from a different way.
Wouldn’t this alone put those bucks on high alert to avoid that entire bottom.
Perhaps I am being too careful believing my thermal is having a bigger impact then it is having in my areas.
I can understand a buck would not want to leave his main primary bedding and coming into it from a different way.
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- tgreeno
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Re: Setup distance.
Set-up where you think you need to be to kill the buck! 300 yards, 30 yards...it doesn't matter. I put myself in the best position possible. If I kill the buck, I could care less if the areas burned for the season. You need to be thinking you're going in for the kill every sit!
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Re: Setup distance.
tgreeno wrote:Set-up where you think you need to be to kill the buck! 300 yards, 30 yards...it doesn't matter. I put myself in the best position possible. If I kill the buck, I could care less if the areas burned for the season. You need to be thinking you're going in for the kill every sit!
This ^^^
Commit Dan’s rule to memory: “Set up at the spot where the buck cannot see, smell, or hear you.” He makes no mention of distance because distance is a variable unique to every situation.
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Re: Setup distance.
backstraps wrote:No way that would work for me and my style hunting
Sometimes moving a set 35yds can make it like a virgin set
Each setup is different. Ive started too far from bedding and move closer over the next couple of days with success
I think setting a distance cutoff would only hamper you rather than help
+1 I have hunted a stand only to realize that deer movement was actually 20 yards in another direction. Moved the stand, made the kill.
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