Thermal behavior in taller hills

[elGuapo]

So, I'm hunting on public with some fairly tall hills. Say 1200 feet of vertical in about a mile. There's benches, points and other interesting terrain features at all elevations.

In Dan's hill country DVDs, the hills seem to be of a couple hundred feet of vertical. So, the 1/3 thermal sweet spot should be pretty narrow. The elevation at which one should be looking for buck beds seem to be pretty well defined. But what about taller hills?

Should I focus on the 800 foot mark in my case (1/3 from the top)? Or is the mixing likely to happen closer to the ridge line?
But how do the thermals behave in these 1200 foot hills?
Will the thermal tunnel move its way up the hill as the day progresses and the valley floor heats, and then down again in the evening?
Will that thermal tunnel be at a different elevation on cloudy vs sunny days?

I guess I'm stumped on having too much land to scout.
Thanks.

[brancher147]

My advice: forget about any specific thermal tunnel and look at fresh sign and terrain and pay attention to wind/thermals. Travel and bedding should be upper 1/3 near the military crest with cover. Also on points upper 1/3 military crest. I tried to find the thermal tunnel as described in bigger hills and mountains and finally gave up on it and now just play wind and thermals to hunt the bedding or sign I need to hunt.

[<DK>]

My advice: forget about any specific thermal tunnel and look at fresh sign and terrain and pay attention to wind/thermals. Travel and bedding should be upper 1/3 near the military crest with cover. Also on points upper 1/3 military crest. I tried to find the thermal tunnel as described in bigger hills and mountains and finally gave up on it and now just play wind and thermals to hunt the bedding or sign I need to hunt.

What fantastic advice this is! Way to be blunt about it. The deer sign will basically show you what is happening in the terrain.

As far as steepness goes... I find that the thermals can rise very quickly on bluffs or bluff type of ridges. I have found some very good beds on the very edge of a bluff and also in steep, rocky terrrain where its basically a goat trail in/out.

[<DK>]

Take you time breaking the area down on the map, it gets overwhelming. Be realistic! If youre just hungry to cover ground then go, there is only one solution to that problem! lol

My advice is get on that 1/3 and use cuts/drainages to your advantage. Use them for access, sign checking and try having your scent blowing down them.

[Tsom]

My advice: forget about any specific thermal tunnel and look at fresh sign and terrain and pay attention to wind/thermals. Travel and bedding should be upper 1/3 near the military crest with cover. Also on points upper 1/3 military crest. I tried to find the thermal tunnel as described in bigger hills and mountains and finally gave up on it and now just play wind and thermals to hunt the bedding or sign I need to hunt.

That is my experience in southern nh granted the Mountains I'm hunting are a little smaller but I've found you'll hit an elevation where there's just more sign or good rubline and focus my scouting along that elevation.

[elGuapo]

Good advice, thanks!

@Tsom - This is west-central NH. So, we're likely hunting similar terrain. Also hunt MA where the hills are tiny by comparison.

I'll be focusing on some modest sized marshes at the lower and mid elevations for this season. Good sign there and at some of the expected locations on the hillsides.
Just thinking ahead for the next scouting season.

[Tsom]

Yeah similar terrain. I hunt from about Nashua all the way across to Vermont border. I know how you feel about having too much land to scout.. I think I spread myself too thin because I like hunting new areas and don't spend enough time in an area to really figure it out. Doing construction I hunt after work and end up hunting where ever were working. It is nice having lots of options though. Good luck this season!