How Should I Hunt This Pinch?

[Nelson87]

My opinion based off more info, is I would absolutely enter from the bottom under rut conditions. Would enter from the lowest spot while thermals are dropping under the cover of darkness. Set up on the skinniest part of the pinch closest to the drainage on leeward side of ridge. Would get high enough where any possible dead wind thermal would drift over a cruiser. In my area 9 to 1 is where u catch the cruisers between doe bedding anyway. Only real major player in this scenario is the doe groups age class and when they are droppin it like its hot. Live and learn and go with your gut. Also, my opinion is the more the wind is wrong for u the better the chances are of a good buck taking the route

The way it sets up a S or SW wind would be perfect for a buck traveling to or from a big block of timber to the west, so coming in from the top on a SW wind is going to be my first plan.

I'll keep your low entry suggestion in my back pocket in case I don't get the right wind and I'm running out of time then I might try slipping in through the creek dropping milkweed on a rainy or low pressure morning. Have a decent ground setup picked out right along the creek.

[Nelson87]

UPDATE

I sat this pinch for the first time this past Monday, Nov.5. I was only able to make it a short evening hunt which wasn't ideal with dropping thermals in the evening, but we had 10-15 mph SW winds and no more SW winds in the forecast so I went for it.

I discovered that there is a trail higher on the hill, just off of the corner of the field, which would allow a buck to scan the field without being in the open.

I climbed the tree I had picked originally which would give me shot of 20 yards max to the 2 lower trails. The sun was already getting pretty low by the time I got set up. When the wind gusted my milkweed blew out over the top but when it died down of course it went downhill right to the trails. Since I have my buck tag filled this was more of an experiment than anything. I knew if any deer came through I would likely get winded, and I dropped a lot of milkweed knowing that if a doe came along I would have to shoot before I got busted.

Just after sundown a 2 year old 7 point came from the west on the upper trail. Of course he locked up when he hit my wind but he never blew. Just stomped around for a few minutes before calming down and wandering back the way he came.

All in all it was a beautiful night to be out and it was neat to set up and watch a deer do exactly what I thought they would.

[Tennhunter3]

Looks like a rut cruising spot.

I would hunt it on a south west wind blowing northeast. Assuming your pic is top north.
Enter from the creek in Am while your wind blows into the northeast field.
And slide uphill just west of the 500 marker sit till dark.

Sitting eastside I would think thermal and wind would be possibly swirl.

Thermal would pull uphill into southern field so as long as the shot is taken before the buck reaches thermal should be ok.

[Nelson87]

I pulled the cam I've had in this pinch since late August and I thought I'd share pics of some of the bucks that traveled through. Doe activity started picking up the last half of Oct. and dropped off quite a bit again after mid Nov.

Got the first decent sized buck in late Oct. Nighttime. Notice the raccoon on the tree. The camera dates are correct, but I think the time is an hour later than it should be. My camera was facing SE.



Couple more nighttime bucks.



Had pictures of dinks cruising in daylight on Nov. 2, 4, 6, and 8, but that changed on the 9th.


Stud in my book! Wind was WNW according to hourly historical weather. This picture gives a good idea of how this spot works. There's a fallen tree just out of the picture to the right that pinches the deer down as they skirt it.

Buck trotting thru on the 11th. Can't really tell how big he is. Wind was SSE.


Also on the 11th. The hide and seek buck. Almost missed him.


Lots of running doe activity on the 11th also.

Looks like a nice 10 pointer trailing a doe on the 13th. W wind.


Another one on the 14th. Hard to tell much, but looks good. Wind was E.



Got a skiff of snow. These does came through the 15th.


buck came through heading the other way. Wind was E.


This buck came through before daylight on the 16th. Look at that neck! SSW wind.



That night.


Had a small buck bed down for a couple hours one night. He looks pretty relaxed.


I know of an 8 and a 10 point that were shot close by but have not seen pics of them so I don't know if I had them on camera or not.

Shooters in daylight on Nov. 9, 11, 13, 14, 15, and on both sides of daylight on the 16th.
And at noon on the 17th I saw a nice buck parallelling the creek down by the road. Do I see a pattern here?



Only had pics of 2 other decent bucks after that. Nov. 22 and Dec. 25, both at night.

Come Nov, if I still have a buck tag, I just might give it a sit or three.

[Rich M]

Thanks for the update - looks like you've found a good spot.

[ghoasthunter]

Biggest thing with a pinch is learning when it's hot and exactly what conditions u need. If u jump the gun b4 it's ripe for the Pickens they will avoid it like the plague. First pics will be at night while there setting up there runs usually, if they smell danger during this time, it ain't good. IMO the key is let them set up there routes then strike when the skillet is hot for daytime movement.

Agreed

im betting that you will see the buck activity there while the corn is up once that cover is gone its not secure enough for a mature buck.

[ghoasthunter]

from time on the photos id say this is going too be morning trails for bedding above. i would slip up that creek and get in a stand around same time of year you got the daylight picks as long as everything is the same from last year this should be a annual pattern.

[Nelson87]

from time on the photos id say this is going too be morning trails for bedding above. i would slip up that creek and get in a stand around same time of year you got the daylight picks as long as everything is the same from last year this should be a annual pattern.

I've been thinking some more about using the creek for entry. Would you go in early and try to get high enough that the daytime thermals flow above the trail? I'd have to get like 30 feet high but I could prehang a stand.

[Bigb]

Sounds like you did everything right here. Letting that camera run undisturbed for the entire rut will help you kill deer in the future. I never check a camera in a rut funnel until well after the rut. You get good data uninterrupted by human scent.

I actually killed my 12 point this year on a pinch like this. The pinch I hunted did connect a doe bedding area so I played my wind so it was down wind of the doe bedding area but also blowing away from the pinch. He came through around 10:15 when I arrowed him and was looking for love, thats for sure.

Im personally not a big proponent of entering through bottoms. Morning is usually the only exception and I need to get in early but I still hate crossing where the deer are going to be walking. Some bucks will pick up that scent and some won't. If they do, they are either going to run or be very jumpy. I enter from the tops whenever I can. Everything below you is none the wiser and I usually don't spook too much on the tops.

Great spot you have and you'll learn more during shed season and this summer as well!