Question on hill country access

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elmorken
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Question on hill country access

Unread postby elmorken » Sun Jan 27, 2019 5:45 pm

Hi Guys,
I just signed up on the Hunting Beast and am excited to talk some deer hunting. I had a question I was wondering if I could get some of your opinions on.
I know from looking at prior threads on here that a lot of you prefer to access stands on morning hunts in hill country by coming in from up top and dropping down instead of coming up from the bottom. I have a situation in Minnesota where coming in from up top in the morning would mean crossing a huge agriculture field in either corn or soybeans (likely already combined in early November). I can get to that tree from the bottom by crossing a river and then walking through knee-high prairie grass to the trees. I'm guessing the best access there would be to take the bottom route, right? Avoid crossing the corn or bean field in the dark, assuming there are likely still going to be deer on the field?

On the opposite side of the river, I have a north-facing ridge that I hunt on south-based winds. This ridge has ag fields above it and below it, so I have to cross open field to get there in the mornings. I shot a good buck there two years ago on Nov. 1 at about 8:30 a.m. That was a year where there was a primary scrape on the high side of the ridge, and it was just a huge hub of activity.

I came in from up top that morning with the wind at my back, which I tend to not like, but I've seen good bucks come up from the bottom in this area before and didn't want to blow them off that low field if that's where they were. The spot I set up on was at the military crest between two great doe-bedding areas off of points. Do you think coming into an area like this from through the top field is the way to go consistently here? Do you tend to see more mature bucks liking to travel up with the wind in their faces in the mornings as they head back to bed or to check those doe bedding areas. I guess I'm wondering if there is a tendency for those bigger bucks to be in the top field or the lower field as I come in an hour and a half before shooting light.

Thanks for any help you can give me here.


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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby backstraps » Mon Jan 28, 2019 2:44 am

Welcome to the BEAST!!

I think the replies will vary based on each independent situation. I typically will not hunt am spots unless the rut is happening. Most times outside the rut the bucks are already back to bed before sunrise. AM sits with him in the bed usually just results in me laying scent down for no reason.

During the rut when I begin sitting am sits, I actually prefer bottom entrances. Mainly due to where I hunt hills, like your scenario, the food and activity is up top during the nigh.
I like to enter from below and hunt downwind from where I suspect travel to be....until the thermals start kicking in. Once the thermals begin to rise, I relocate to get above the wind tunnel.
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby Nelson87 » Mon Jan 28, 2019 8:56 am

backstraps wrote:Welcome to the BEAST!!

I think the replies will vary based on each independent situation. I typically will not hunt am spots unless the rut is happening. Most times outside the rut the bucks are already back to bed before sunrise. AM sits with him in the bed usually just results in me laying scent down for no reason.

During the rut when I begin sitting am sits, I actually prefer bottom entrances. Mainly due to where I hunt hills, like your scenario, the food and activity is up top during the nigh.
I like to enter from below and hunt downwind from where I suspect travel to be....until the thermals start kicking in. Once the thermals begin to rise, I relocate to get above the wind tunnel.



Are these spots you plan to hunt more than once in a season? Are you relocating to a different area with top access or do you just scoot uphill and make sure you can shoot to the trail you crossed?

I'm thinking about the buck I shot this year where I came in from the bottom and went up a drainage. My tree wasn't where I had left it :doh: and I ended up crossing the trail and stinking up the area before climbing a tree above it. I had 2 bucks spook at my ground scent before my buck came along. I got lucky and he came from the other direction so I had a shot before he busted me, but I'm sure he would have. Granted, I did more than just cross the trail, but I'm curious what your thoughts are. I want to go back to that spot and pick a better tree.
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby backstraps » Mon Jan 28, 2019 12:13 pm

Nelson87 wrote:
backstraps wrote:Welcome to the BEAST!!

I think the replies will vary based on each independent situation. I typically will not hunt am spots unless the rut is happening. Most times outside the rut the bucks are already back to bed before sunrise. AM sits with him in the bed usually just results in me laying scent down for no reason.

During the rut when I begin sitting am sits, I actually prefer bottom entrances. Mainly due to where I hunt hills, like your scenario, the food and activity is up top during the nigh.
I like to enter from below and hunt downwind from where I suspect travel to be....until the thermals start kicking in. Once the thermals begin to rise, I relocate to get above the wind tunnel.


Are these spots you plan to hunt more than once in a season? Are you relocating to a different area with top access or do you just scoot uphill and make sure you can shoot to the trail you crossed?

I'm thinking about the buck I shot this year where I came in from the bottom and went up a drainage. My tree wasn't where I had left it :doh: and I ended up crossing the trail and stinking up the area before climbing a tree above it. I had 2 bucks spook at my ground scent before my buck came along. I got lucky and he came from the other direction so I had a shot before he busted me, but I'm sure he would have. Granted, I did more than just cross the trail, but I'm curious what your thoughts are. I want to go back to that spot and pick a better tree.


It all depends on what I am expecting to see. If its an area I am confident a buck I am after will be coming through, I have many times went on up the hill. However, I wasnt just simply moving up the hill. It was a move that I had pre-planned on making. Coming up hill from the am spot to the mid-day or pm spot. It was a move that I thought about and one I could make without being detected "easily" My planning was once I got up hill to the area I thought the wind tunnel or cruising path would be, I try to cross the wind tunnel where I would be certain to get a shot off at the buck before he reached my scent trail, regardless if he was cruising from left or right... (I hope that makes sense)

I do have spots that I will "one and done" hunt each season. If I am in an area that I feel like I can kill a buck, and I am confident he is using, then I will revisit and usually my moves are not very far apart. It mostly depends on if I am hunting during the rut or outside the rut. Outside = more predictability on his bedding.
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby Drenalin » Tue Jan 29, 2019 4:36 am

Welcome to the Beast! Consider this a free bump because I'm interested in seeing more replies.
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby SC_z7 » Tue Jan 29, 2019 9:30 am

backstraps wrote:Welcome to the BEAST!!

I think the replies will vary based on each independent situation. I typically will not hunt am spots unless the rut is happening. Most times outside the rut the bucks are already back to bed before sunrise. AM sits with him in the bed usually just results in me laying scent down for no reason.

During the rut when I begin sitting am sits, I actually prefer bottom entrances. Mainly due to where I hunt hills, like your scenario, the food and activity is up top during the nigh.
I like to enter from below and hunt downwind from where I suspect travel to be....until the thermals start kicking in. Once the thermals begin to rise, I relocate to get above the wind tunnel.


I would really like to learn more from folks that take this approach.

Do you set up on the ground first thing and then set a stand when you move up above the wind tunnel? Two separate stand sits?

Are you mobile or getting to pre-set locations?

Is there any other consistent patterns that seem to work well? As in do you generally move up draws/points or is it more dependent on the specific tree you plan to hunt when you move up?

How often are you busted on your move up?

Do you just pump milkweed until you pick up the thermal and then move, or do you try to move in advance of the switch?

I hunt in similar areas to what is being discussed. Pretty steep hill country with open fields at top and bottom. Buck bedding is not always consistent with hill country due to the proximity of the fields but it still holds pretty true. I really struggle with access up the hill in the dark. The areas where you can keep hidden visually are the hardest to get up quietly with the steep hill/brush combo. The other option of climbing the hill a ways off from the target location and then walking just inside the field edge up top results in bumping far too many deer.
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby Nelson87 » Tue Jan 29, 2019 11:34 am

backstraps wrote:
Nelson87 wrote:
backstraps wrote:Welcome to the BEAST!!

I think the replies will vary based on each independent situation. I typically will not hunt am spots unless the rut is happening. Most times outside the rut the bucks are already back to bed before sunrise. AM sits with him in the bed usually just results in me laying scent down for no reason.

During the rut when I begin sitting am sits, I actually prefer bottom entrances. Mainly due to where I hunt hills, like your scenario, the food and activity is up top during the nigh.
I like to enter from below and hunt downwind from where I suspect travel to be....until the thermals start kicking in. Once the thermals begin to rise, I relocate to get above the wind tunnel.


Are these spots you plan to hunt more than once in a season? Are you relocating to a different area with top access or do you just scoot uphill and make sure you can shoot to the trail you crossed?

I'm thinking about the buck I shot this year where I came in from the bottom and went up a drainage. My tree wasn't where I had left it :doh: and I ended up crossing the trail and stinking up the area before climbing a tree above it. I had 2 bucks spook at my ground scent before my buck came along. I got lucky and he came from the other direction so I had a shot before he busted me, but I'm sure he would have. Granted, I did more than just cross the trail, but I'm curious what your thoughts are. I want to go back to that spot and pick a better tree.


It all depends on what I am expecting to see. If its an area I am confident a buck I am after will be coming through, I have many times went on up the hill. However, I wasnt just simply moving up the hill. It was a move that I had pre-planned on making. Coming up hill from the am spot to the mid-day or pm spot. It was a move that I thought about and one I could make without being detected "easily" My planning was once I got up hill to the area I thought the wind tunnel or cruising path would be, I try to cross the wind tunnel where I would be certain to get a shot off at the buck before he reached my scent trail, regardless if he was cruising from left or right... (I hope that makes sense)

I do have spots that I will "one and done" hunt each season. If I am in an area that I feel like I can kill a buck, and I am confident he is using, then I will revisit and usually my moves are not very far apart. It mostly depends on if I am hunting during the rut or outside the rut. Outside = more predictability on his bedding.



I think I understand how you're making your move uphill, but do you consider that spot done if you don't get an opportunity that day since you crossed the trail and left ground scent that a buck you're after might pick up that night? Or do you feel that by making a calculated move your disturbance is minimal since you only cross the trail and don't tromp over the whole area? You mentioned rut vs outside of rut. I'm guessing you could get away with more during rut.
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Jan 29, 2019 12:01 pm

SC_z7 wrote:
backstraps wrote:Welcome to the BEAST!!

I think the replies will vary based on each independent situation. I typically will not hunt am spots unless the rut is happening. Most times outside the rut the bucks are already back to bed before sunrise. AM sits with him in the bed usually just results in me laying scent down for no reason.

During the rut when I begin sitting am sits, I actually prefer bottom entrances. Mainly due to where I hunt hills, like your scenario, the food and activity is up top during the nigh.
I like to enter from below and hunt downwind from where I suspect travel to be....until the thermals start kicking in. Once the thermals begin to rise, I relocate to get above the wind tunnel.


I would really like to learn more from folks that take this approach.

Do you set up on the ground first thing and then set a stand when you move up above the wind tunnel? Two separate stand sits?
For sure two separate sits, stand on back, break down carry to next sit and re-set stand

Are you mobile or getting to pre-set locations?
Mostly mobile. I do have some pre-set stands for areas I plan on hunting last hour or lite after the thermals begin to drop.

Is there any other consistent patterns that seem to work well? As in do you generally move up draws/points or is it more dependent on the specific tree you plan to hunt when you move up?
For the most part I prefer to move up draws, I never move up points unless that area is going to be burned and I am making it up the hill to move across a couple points or ridges to a totally different setup location.

How often are you busted on your move up? That's a good question, and to be honest, I AM SURE I HAVE BEEN and not known I was busted. I do recall a
really really hard draw I was trying to circle around to set on...and bumped my target buck off his bedding point...I had gotten lazy and didnt want to go over one more draw and move up and he caught me.


Do you just pump milkweed until you pick up the thermal and then move, or do you try to move in advance of the switch? I actually do both, I do use milkweed a lot. ESPECIALLY during scouting. You can actually get to know an area and when the bottoms start to heat up and cause thermals to rise.

I hunt in similar areas to what is being discussed. Pretty steep hill country with open fields at top and bottom. Buck bedding is not always consistent with hill country due to the proximity of the fields but it still holds pretty true. I really struggle with access up the hill in the dark. The areas where you can keep hidden visually are the hardest to get up quietly with the steep hill/brush combo. The other option of climbing the hill a ways off from the target location and then walking just inside the field edge up top results in bumping far too many deer.


This is an option I actually utilize a lot. If I have seen large tracks going into a bedding area I know holds good well used buck bedding.... I will come across the open a long ways away and come to the top of the draw I want to hunt and come down...but that is always on a afternoon hunt. I dont care to bump deer on my way in if its outside the rut when I suspect my target is still on bed
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Jan 29, 2019 12:19 pm

Nelson87 wrote:
backstraps wrote:
Nelson87 wrote:
backstraps wrote:Welcome to the BEAST!!

I think the replies will vary based on each independent situation. I typically will not hunt am spots unless the rut is happening. Most times outside the rut the bucks are already back to bed before sunrise. AM sits with him in the bed usually just results in me laying scent down for no reason.

During the rut when I begin sitting am sits, I actually prefer bottom entrances. Mainly due to where I hunt hills, like your scenario, the food and activity is up top during the nigh.
I like to enter from below and hunt downwind from where I suspect travel to be....until the thermals start kicking in. Once the thermals begin to rise, I relocate to get above the wind tunnel.


Are these spots you plan to hunt more than once in a season? Are you relocating to a different area with top access or do you just scoot uphill and make sure you can shoot to the trail you crossed?

I'm thinking about the buck I shot this year where I came in from the bottom and went up a drainage. My tree wasn't where I had left it :doh: and I ended up crossing the trail and stinking up the area before climbing a tree above it. I had 2 bucks spook at my ground scent before my buck came along. I got lucky and he came from the other direction so I had a shot before he busted me, but I'm sure he would have. Granted, I did more than just cross the trail, but I'm curious what your thoughts are. I want to go back to that spot and pick a better tree.


It all depends on what I am expecting to see. If its an area I am confident a buck I am after will be coming through, I have many times went on up the hill. However, I wasnt just simply moving up the hill. It was a move that I had pre-planned on making. Coming up hill from the am spot to the mid-day or pm spot. It was a move that I thought about and one I could make without being detected "easily" My planning was once I got up hill to the area I thought the wind tunnel or cruising path would be, I try to cross the wind tunnel where I would be certain to get a shot off at the buck before he reached my scent trail, regardless if he was cruising from left or right... (I hope that makes sense)

I do have spots that I will "one and done" hunt each season. If I am in an area that I feel like I can kill a buck, and I am confident he is using, then I will revisit and usually my moves are not very far apart. It mostly depends on if I am hunting during the rut or outside the rut. Outside = more predictability on his bedding.



I think I understand how you're making your move uphill, but do you consider that spot done if you don't get an opportunity that day since you crossed the trail and left ground scent that a buck you're after might pick up that night? Or do you feel that by making a calculated move your disturbance is minimal since you only cross the trail and don't tromp over the whole area? You mentioned rut vs outside of rut. I'm guessing you could get away with more during rut.



Crossing off a spot (for me) is hard to do if I really think the buck is in the area and/or is close after one sit. The hills I hunt, the bucks can be there today and not be back for another few days. Each buck has his own tolerances for what scent has catches. If that scent has laid there 8 hours before he catches, does he blow out of there tail tucked not to return for weeks? Probably not. For me personally I know each time I sit a spot the odds are going down due to my presence and the scent I am leaving. IF I feel like my entrance and exit were really good and scent trail was minimal I will re sit, but most times not the same tree. Moving 25-35 yards can make huge differences.

I absolutely feel like calculated well planned moves will increase your odds. I have done dead man walks with a stand on my back, walk circles around trees only to decide on one I shouldve just set to begin with... a planned route, and tree to sit vs tromping and wondering... no comparison.

As for hunting during the rut vs non rut... Outside the rut I think bucks are very more predictable on bedding and more times than not they're bedded before we reach legal shooting light in the mornings. If I am doing an AM sit outside the rut, I am trying to set up below where I think the buck will j-hook into his bed. I am hoping he will be running late getting to his bed for reason of cold fronts approaching that keep them feeding later that night, a moon day where over head or underfoot is happening during the first hour of daylight, etc Most of the time I do not hunt am sits until pre-rut is warming up.

During the rut I when bucks are crazy they can be anywhere anytime a doe or her scent may drag him I focus on rut funnels, tight draws, benches, cruising routes on the leeward sides... etc These are the times I get in the woods for all day sits, and rarely do I enter from the bottoms on these hunts. There are some instances where I will enter from the bottom during the rut... but its when I have a firearm in hand. I like to enter from the bottom use a draw and creep up the windward side of a ridge and watch and hunt the opposite side of the bottom where I expect bucks to be cruising the leeward side
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby elmorken » Wed Jan 30, 2019 1:13 am

SC_z7 wrote:I hunt in similar areas to what is being discussed. Pretty steep hill country with open fields at top and bottom. Buck bedding is not always consistent with hill country due to the proximity of the fields but it still holds pretty true. I really struggle with access up the hill in the dark. The areas where you can keep hidden visually are the hardest to get up quietly with the steep hill/brush combo. The other option of climbing the hill a ways off from the target location and then walking just inside the field edge up top results in bumping far too many deer.


Access is by far the biggest question I wrestle with where I hunt. Everything is surrounded by crops, so when the corn comes out around that late-October, early-November period, you really feel exposed. The deer densities are so high too, so like you said, I'm constantly bumping too many deer even almost two hours before first light when trying to get in the trees a ways off from your location and walking inside that tree line.

I grew up hunting almost all flat-bottom rivers in farm country, so hunting the hills is still kind of new to me. I've learned a lot these last few years. I know where deer are predominantly bedding, and getting close to bucks on an evening sit in the early season is tough. Year by year, I'm trying to learn the best access routes. I've had so many close encounters the last few years. That next step is fine tuning everything so it results in closing the deal with my bow.
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby SC_z7 » Wed Jan 30, 2019 4:24 am

backstraps wrote:
SC_z7 wrote:
backstraps wrote:Welcome to the BEAST!!

I think the replies will vary based on each independent situation. I typically will not hunt am spots unless the rut is happening. Most times outside the rut the bucks are already back to bed before sunrise. AM sits with him in the bed usually just results in me laying scent down for no reason.

During the rut when I begin sitting am sits, I actually prefer bottom entrances. Mainly due to where I hunt hills, like your scenario, the food and activity is up top during the nigh.
I like to enter from below and hunt downwind from where I suspect travel to be....until the thermals start kicking in. Once the thermals begin to rise, I relocate to get above the wind tunnel.


I would really like to learn more from folks that take this approach.

Do you set up on the ground first thing and then set a stand when you move up above the wind tunnel? Two separate stand sits?
For sure two separate sits, stand on back, break down carry to next sit and re-set stand

Are you mobile or getting to pre-set locations?
Mostly mobile. I do have some pre-set stands for areas I plan on hunting last hour or lite after the thermals begin to drop.

Is there any other consistent patterns that seem to work well? As in do you generally move up draws/points or is it more dependent on the specific tree you plan to hunt when you move up?
For the most part I prefer to move up draws, I never move up points unless that area is going to be burned and I am making it up the hill to move across a couple points or ridges to a totally different setup location.

How often are you busted on your move up? That's a good question, and to be honest, I AM SURE I HAVE BEEN and not known I was busted. I do recall a
really really hard draw I was trying to circle around to set on...and bumped my target buck off his bedding point...I had gotten lazy and didnt want to go over one more draw and move up and he caught me.


Do you just pump milkweed until you pick up the thermal and then move, or do you try to move in advance of the switch? I actually do both, I do use milkweed a lot. ESPECIALLY during scouting. You can actually get to know an area and when the bottoms start to heat up and cause thermals to rise.

I hunt in similar areas to what is being discussed. Pretty steep hill country with open fields at top and bottom. Buck bedding is not always consistent with hill country due to the proximity of the fields but it still holds pretty true. I really struggle with access up the hill in the dark. The areas where you can keep hidden visually are the hardest to get up quietly with the steep hill/brush combo. The other option of climbing the hill a ways off from the target location and then walking just inside the field edge up top results in bumping far too many deer.


This is an option I actually utilize a lot. If I have seen large tracks going into a bedding area I know holds good well used buck bedding.... I will come across the open a long ways away and come to the top of the draw I want to hunt and come down...but that is always on a afternoon hunt. I dont care to bump deer on my way in if its outside the rut when I suspect my target is still on bed


Thanks backstraps. For afternoon hunt I do try to come in by circling around. The mornings approaching and during the rut are what I was curious about when moving sets when the thermals switch. Before getting up to speed on the beast, I would have considered this a terrible idea. More from a lack of confidence that getting to the thermal tunnel area was worth the effort/chance of spooking a deer. Kind of the fear of missing out thing. I would like to definitely try this more, just looking for tips on how to best execute. Thanks again!
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby SC_z7 » Wed Jan 30, 2019 4:39 am

elmorken wrote:
Access is by far the biggest question I wrestle with where I hunt. Everything is surrounded by crops, so when the corn comes out around that late-October, early-November period, you really feel exposed. The deer densities are so high too, so like you said, I'm constantly bumping too many deer even almost two hours before first light when trying to get in the trees a ways off from your location and walking inside that tree line.


Yeah its a challenge that i really struggle with. The positive that I have seen with the crops being out is that is makes the afternoon hunt access easier as most of the deer have moved to traditional hill country bedding. When the crops are is, it seems they are less consistent and bed on the field edges more.
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Re: Question on hill country access

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Wed Jan 30, 2019 6:44 am

i approach my morning sits any way i can without getting detected. sometimes this is not possible and when it is its plain and simple not a spot i hunt in mornings. sometimes this will force you in a spot that is lower odds but if you go into a spot that is high percent of getting busted the low odd spot is still the higher percentage. ive killed a lot of bucks mid day during the rut when they get up and move around in a bedding area. bucks move a lot in daylight they just dont move where they dont have security.
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