How would you hunt this spot?

[Trout]

Looking for a fresh set of eyes on the spot below. My main focus has been the spur jutting NW, northwest of the hay field. The area is mixed hardwoods, some areas are thicker, the area circled in white has red oaks. Areas in the black outline are off limits, including the hay field, though I'm hoping I can convince the landowner to let me walk the edge for access only. Access is from basically anywhere along the eastern side of the image, or the southwest part. Also just NE of the wild field.

Ohio .jpg

[rfickes87]

I just marked up a map but i can't get my damn phone to attach the file

I like where the wild field meets the crest of the ridge on the ESE side of the big field. There should be beds there along that transition. If so id walk up and down that creek and plan out a sit bc i think they could drop down right before dark to get water and feed on the acorns in early season. Does that make sense?

[Trout]

It does, thank you. There actually are some beds through there, I didn't mention it, but there is an island of conifers right about there, where its a little thicker.

I've hunted here several times and usually find myself focusing on the area around that big spur/saddle jutting N/NW near the center of the map. Just looking for a fresh perspective as this spot has some nice deer here and there. Thanks again

[Tennhunter3]

Do you have a aerial ?
Can't see where the transitions are.

I like these spots course on the ground might be entirely different if they are too open.Transition can also play a big part. A buck can bed around that point on 3 different winds. Pink dots are where I would be interested in checking for bedding.

20190807_220001.jpg

Going in blind during rut I would sit the green dots.
I really like some of those steep cuts and corners.

20190807_220001.jpg

[Trout]

Do you have a aerial ?
Can't see where the transitions are.

I like these spots course on the ground might be entirely different if they are too open.Transition can also play a big part. A buck can bed around that point on 3 different winds. Pink dots are where I would be interested in checking.

Thank you. Only having looked at the topo, what wind would you watch for to hunt that point if you had to pick only one? I feel a southerly wind would be ideal which is uncommon for this area during bow season, but if you were off to one side on a south wind you still run the risk of swirling winds with the thermals and topography the way they are. Would you mind if I PM'ed the aerial? There are some more details on it I'm hesitant to share publicly.

[Tennhunter3]

I dont think you could hunt it on a southern wind if the buck is existing to the south. I would hunt off to the side. Southwest and take the risk of getting busted.

It would depend on what direction the food source they are using . Your right about wind swirl on points they are hard to hunt.

If the buck is exiting on a south wind into the bottom to get water you might be able to be on the west facing slope across the bottom and get a shot. Not sure how far that bottom is wide. Thermal would pull uphill and wind would blow away from incoming deer. I shot at a nice buck last season in near this same setup.

You would need to confirm a buck is using it on foot. It would just be somewhere that I would definitely walk to check.

[Tennhunter3]

20190808_015101.jpg

I'm not a expert at this but this Is how I would draw it up.

[Trout]

Tha is, man, really appreciate the advice. I notice most of your stand locations are on the side if the hill just below the top. Is that to catch deer cruising the leeward side or something else? Why would just to the side be better than somewhere near the military Crest? Thanks again!

[Tennhunter3]

Tha is, man, really appreciate the advice. I notice most of your stand locations are on the side if the hill just below the top. Is that to catch deer cruising the leeward side or something else? Why would just to the side be better than somewhere near the military Crest? Thanks again!

Rut spots?
I chose cuts or turns because they were steep you can see the entire hillside for bucks cruising. You can see from just below the military Crest all the way into the Hub.


Pink south west wind spot.

The reason I selected off to the side is falling thermal. At closing time when that buck gets up the thermal should be beginning to fall into the bottom. He would either go above or below that cut. Deep cuts are usually filled with debris and bucks choose high or low. This often makes the buck enter the setup quarting to me.


If you hunted up high on the Crest the falling thermal would blow across both of the possible trails. If a young buck comes through first he would smell the hunter. By hunting lower on the hill your wind should only be blowing across the bottom trail. Which hopefully a long bow shot could be made too.

Alot of beast do hunt higher by the crest for the height advantage. Some hunt high then move low moving a setup at crunch time is risky. Hunting high on the crest and depending on wind to blow over is possible but the stand would need to be very high with a bow causes alot of 1 lung hits. It's just my preference to setup on the side of the hill. Each beast is different.

If you suspect the buck getting up well before dark while the thermals rising hunting by the crest theirs nothing wrong with.

[RidgeGhost]

Solid advice here. Good stuff Tennhunter3

[Redman232]

Yep good information above, I also like hunting really close or below the bottom trail in the evening. Several times I've seen big bucks bouncing basically from thermal hub to thermal hub in the evening. So I like to be able to shoot the bottom trail and where the where the scent is pooling. Hopefully getting a shot before the buck hits that spot.