High thermal hub

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Pahillcountry
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High thermal hub

Unread postby Pahillcountry » Wed Nov 13, 2019 1:40 pm

I’m more of just a lurker on here reading through all the amazing information on this site. Anyway though I’ve read autumn ninja and Buckys older posts about high thermal hub locations and they seem to be where all the ridges dump down into the bottom Making a “Crows foot” on the topo map. There’s a spot on a location I hunt that caught my eye on CalTopo. It’s pretty much what Bucky and autumn ninja would call a thermal hub but this one is on a ridge top instead of the bottom. Anyway does anybody have any experience with topography like this and do you think this is an area of topography to key in on with the rut in full swing? Also click on the photo if you want a better view of the picture.
DEBD0D6F-CE63-41E3-A07A-4B3FCCF0DA0D.jpeg
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JRM KY
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby JRM KY » Wed Nov 13, 2019 2:10 pm

I hunt a lot of the same type of terrain and I don’t believe it works as you are describing. Once the thermals rise the prevailing wind will have already swept them away before it reaches the point you are referring to. Yes some of those draws thermals will reach top but certainly not all of them whereas in a crows foot they will when falling were wind wouldn’t have as much effect in late hours. I do have much success however hunting the leeward sides of the heads of those draws and catch them coming around the sides of those higher points. Most times there will be rut sign even if traditional at the elevation you need to focus on. Hope this helps and best of luck
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Trout
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby Trout » Wed Nov 13, 2019 2:24 pm

I hunt one that I really like, deer follow those ridges and in your example, you basically have an intersection between 5 ridges. On my spot, there are also 5. Deer travel all of the ridges, but favor the two with the most cover. Even when they are traveling the other ridges, and skipping past the cover ridges, they will hug the cover on the cover ridges before continuing onto the other side of the "hub." I've also noticed that they will favor the downwind side of the hub as they travel across it. When I hunt this spot, I wait for a wind that puts the downwind side by those cover ridges. Hopefully that all made sense.
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby krent12 » Wed Nov 13, 2019 3:19 pm

That looks dynamite
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby mheichelbech » Thu Nov 14, 2019 12:53 am

These are great spots. Look for oaks dropping acorns which makes them really popular. Also note areas that are browsed down. Deer don’t always leave a lot of sign in early fall due to hard dry ground and travel in a more scattered direction. Late season they tend to follow each other more. I have watched mature bucks following groups of does like this in late December. And def pay attention to the down wind side. I watched a buck and group of does switch from one side to the other in a weekend due to wind switch... with an easy wind they literally travelled down one ridge finger, across the valley and up another to stay on the down wind side.
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby <DK> » Thu Nov 14, 2019 2:21 am

:handgestures-thumbupleft:
Pahillcountry
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby Pahillcountry » Thu Nov 14, 2019 3:49 am

Thanks for all the replies so far guys. I decided to give it a shot this morning and I’m sure glad I did it’s been non stop action since daybreak. Lost count how many doe seen already. Been small bucks chasing doe around me all morning passed up a 20 yard broadside shot on a 100” inch 8 or 9 point. This is public land but I’m waiting out for something bigger. Lucky I packed a lunch I’m sitting this all day. Wind direction is good so hopefully the action stays hot.
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Drenalin
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby Drenalin » Thu Nov 14, 2019 8:55 am

I'd be really interested in where you setup, if you don't mind sharing. I've cyber-scouted some pretty similar areas.
Pahillcountry
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby Pahillcountry » Thu Nov 14, 2019 1:59 pm

North is top of picture for reference. Red X is my setup. Blue are deer travels I observed. Black is my access route going up the mountain was a big field then as you approach the woods I walked a logging road in. During my access the wind was out of the west and as morning approached it turned predominantly south. It was a very calm morning very little wind so thermals were pretty much in control but I did witness chasing on the leeward side where I suspected the thermal tunnel to be. It’s pretty narrow where I setup and I could basically shoot both the leeward ridge and windward side and was pretty nice for observation too. After observing what I saw today and my little picture I’m almost positive the ridge point left of my setup on the north facing slope is doe bedding. I saw countless does going in and out from that direction and bucks pushing does out from there as well.
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby matt1336 » Thu Nov 14, 2019 3:58 pm

Interesting
Bucky
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby Bucky » Sat Dec 21, 2019 12:59 am

Pahillcountry wrote:I’m more of just a lurker on here reading through all the amazing information on this site. Anyway though I’ve read autumn ninja and Buckys older posts about high thermal hub locations and they seem to be where all the ridges dump down into the bottom Making a “Crows foot” on the topo map. There’s a spot on a location I hunt that caught my eye on CalTopo. It’s pretty much what Bucky and autumn ninja would call a thermal hub but this one is on a ridge top instead of the bottom. Anyway does anybody have any experience with topography like this and do you think this is an area of topography to key in on with the rut in full swing? Also click on the photo if you want a better view of the picture. DEBD0D6F-CE63-41E3-A07A-4B3FCCF0DA0D.jpeg


That is a KILLER spot peak rut
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Sat Dec 21, 2019 1:21 am

Hunting pressure really needs to be looked at. Where I hunt a spot like that would have 2 or more ladder stands ontop of the ridge.
The only upside is the roads appear low which may push bucks up hill.

It is much easier for the bucks to cruise low on the falling thermal and smell the entire ridge in most situations.
Where is the thickest cover?
Is their any type of transition?
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby tbunao » Sat Dec 21, 2019 1:45 am

I'd be all over that! Might take a year or two to learn but once you do you'll have a go to spot during a specific time frame and wind.
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Twenty Up
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Re: High thermal hub

Unread postby Twenty Up » Sat Dec 21, 2019 12:05 pm

Hunt a calm morning in November with a ridge top between you and one of those deep draws, preferably just below that saddle. A South or Easterly wind should help you catch a mid morning cruising buck as well in that spot.

I shot my biggest buck in terrain very similar to this.
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