Manipulating deer activity...

[Lockdown]

Bridge’s comment in the stand access thread prompted me to start a separated discussion. I have plenty to add but I’m busy at the moment. Just wanted to start the thread now so it doesn’t get forgotten about. If you have manipulated movement, bedding, or behavior in a certain way... let’s hear what you did and what the result was!

I believe that this is the most often overlooked aspect of a hunter's set-up.

Troy's statement had me flashing back to the public land cedar swamps I hunt. Incredibly thick, wet and nasty, approaching a buck bedding area without tipping him off is a real project. Many times over the years, I would clear an entry trail to make my approach quieter. Here in Michigan you can't cut saplings, etc. but I would walk down a trail and move blowdowns, put in manmade bridges over muck and water with dead trees, etc. I always did this in the offseason, and seldom would it fail that the target buck would take over my access trail. Big tracks and rubs right down my path, which must have been better than the bucks own trail. After a few years of this, the light bulb went off and I realized this was an exploitable opportunity. A couple of bucks bit the dust that took over my trail.

[BRoth82]

For me on private land the biggest movement changer I have seen was to place a mineral block out. I would put them 5-10 yards off the trail closer to a tree with more cover and better wind.

They would swing over for a lick all the way through the early season into the rut.

Other than that I have used a log across a trail to divert them closer to the right tree as well.

[Bigburner]

I’ve had this happen a lot and have set peoples timber harvest up that where deer hunters so it steers the deer past a good spot that the landowner can access pretty undetected . You cut trails through hardwood tops after a selection cut.The loggers will have to leave the tops intact. A good logger gets the tops below waste height but those big oak tops if left uncut make a ton of structure. I remember walking up on a buck under a top early season bedded right in the blaring sun so he could keep the mosquitoes tolerable. Second you got in the shade you got smoked. Saw that after doing a project for manipulating deer use and movement on a big scale They have browse through the stand along all the trail and the tops shelter regeneration of new trees and browse and the openings in the canopy blow the place up with browse once the sun is able to reach the forest floor during growing season.
It also seemed earlier in my hunting career cutting trails to stands through the woods always turned into a deer trail. Didn’t have enough experience and sense to make it work for me though.

[Lockdown]

Back in the day I remember my Dad saying “Well your wind has to blow SOMEWHERE.” Which is true. Sometimes you can’t avoid having a trail or two downwind. But once in a while you can alter the trail to get a shot before they ever get to you... or your wind.

Here’s a good example. Rather than let a deer get downwind and saying “it is what it is”, put some brush in the way to steer them. Instead of a quartering to/no shot, you will have a broadside shot.

Of course, if it’s a non target deer then you’re busted. But in those situations where setting up with a trail or two downwind is inevitable, it could be the difference between a buck in the truck or a waving white tail.

Red X - stand location
Yellow - deer trails
Green - brush placed to alter their movement
Red line - altered movement




I have used this tactic multiple times over the years. You have to ensure that there’s enough brush that they can’t sneak through (had that happen) and also enough brush on the side that you don’t want them to go on that they don’t choose to go around it on that side (also had that happen). Note how I extended the brush way to the left hoping they’d go right.

I have also done this for trails that go too close to my kill tree. Even when wind isn’t an issue and all I want is a better shot angle.

[UncleBuck3268]

Back in the day I remember my Dad saying “Well your wind has to blow SOMEWHERE.” Which is true. Sometimes you can’t avoid having a trail or two downwind. But once in a while you can alter the trail to get a shot before they ever get to you... or your wind.

Here’s a good example. Rather than let a deer get downwind and saying “it is what it is”, put some brush in the way to steer them. Instead of a quartering to/no shot, you will have a broadside shot.

Of course, if it’s a non target deer then you’re busted. But in those situations where setting up with a trail or two downwind is inevitable, it could be the difference between a buck in the truck or a waving white tail.

Red X - stand location
Yellow - deer trails
Green - brush placed to alter their movement
Red line - altered movement




I have used this tactic multiple times over the years. You have to ensure that there’s enough brush that they can’t sneak through (had that happen) and also enough brush on the side that you don’t want them to go on that they don’t choose to go around it on that side (also had that happen). Note how I extended the brush way to the left hoping they’d go right.

I have also done this for trails that go too close to my kill tree. Even when wind isn’t an issue and all I want is a better shot angle.

Have you ever noticed placing brush like this that the deer is able to pick up on your scent from handling the brush and bust out of there?

[ODH]

Back when I owned some hunting land I used to do a bunch of this. I think a key worth adding is it was most successful when I put in trails or cleared old trails in spots where the deer naturally wanted to travel. You can’t just cut a trail anywhere and expect they will start using it.

An early example where it didn’t work as planned: deer were coming out of bedding and walking around an outside corner formed by a thick stand of pines. I cut a trail diagonally into the pines from the access side heading toward bedding then turning 90 degrees to meet the point of the corner which was my stand. Well the natural gaps in the pines effectively completed the rest of the diagonal line so they started cutting the corner - I had made a shortcut on my downwind side.

An example where it did work: deer also used those same pines for bedding. The opposite side of the stand was bounded by a creek lined with an impenetrable wall of briars, vines, and saplings. On the other side of the creek was a spine of beech, maples, and Norway spruce which was also surprisingly thick in spots and also served as a buck bedding area with a primary scrape. It was really hard to get close undetected though. So I found a really old trail which crossed the creek down low but had been blocked by fallen branches and the thick new growth. I cleared that out, hung a camera, and within weeks deer were using that to connect the two bedding areas. Some big bucks began using that to sneak through. That spot was maybe 50 yards from the road and an easy undetected access. Key there was it was an old trail that they have used years before.

[Dewey]

I can’t legally physically manipulate things on public land much so just use what’s naturally available. Blowdowns from storm damage are great for manipulating movement. I pay attention to those yearly and adjust accordingly. Using branches already on the ground I have blocked specific trails that split to direct deer down the one I’m set up on. Also backing up to deep water when setting up to funnel deer movement within bow range. Technically not altering anything but still taking advantage of things that guide deer where I want.

[Lockdown]

Back in the day I remember my Dad saying “Well your wind has to blow SOMEWHERE.” Which is true. Sometimes you can’t avoid having a trail or two downwind. But once in a while you can alter the trail to get a shot before they ever get to you... or your wind.

Here’s a good example. Rather than let a deer get downwind and saying “it is what it is”, put some brush in the way to steer them. Instead of a quartering to/no shot, you will have a broadside shot.

Of course, if it’s a non target deer then you’re busted. But in those situations where setting up with a trail or two downwind is inevitable, it could be the difference between a buck in the truck or a waving white tail.

Red X - stand location
Yellow - deer trails
Green - brush placed to alter their movement
Red line - altered movement




I have used this tactic multiple times over the years. You have to ensure that there’s enough brush that they can’t sneak through (had that happen) and also enough brush on the side that you don’t want them to go on that they don’t choose to go around it on that side (also had that happen). Note how I extended the brush way to the left hoping they’d go right.

I have also done this for trails that go too close to my kill tree. Even when wind isn’t an issue and all I want is a better shot angle.

Have you ever noticed placing brush like this that the deer is able to pick up on your scent from handling the brush and bust out of there?

I always do it months ahead of time. Preferably spring.

I did kill a doe once that was eating leaves off a branch that I trimmed hours earlier. I made sure I didn’t touch it with anything other than the saw blade.

[Lockdown]

I can’t legally physically manipulate things on public land much so just use what’s naturally available. Blowdowns from storm damage are great for manipulating movement. I pay attention to those yearly and adjust accordingly. Using branches already on the ground I have blocked specific trails that split to direct deer down the one I’m set up on. Also backing up to deep water when setting up to funnel deer movement within bow range. Technically not altering anything but still taking advantage of things that guide deer where I want.

Same here. The major changes I’ve referenced were on private. I do drag deadfall on public as well, but only if I can do so discretely. If I’m on private I get out the chainsaw if need be

[tim]

I most definately have done this. When I purchased my land there was an access gate from crop field to pasture. I simply opened it and the deer soon loved entering the files through my open gate which altered their line of travel to some extent. But most things are altering how a deer will travel or spend their time from water holes to food plots to mock scrapes to mowed logging roads to but/fruit bearing trees....

[Evanszach7]

I've seen deer circle downwind of permanent sets. Been thinking about adding a couple for this reason on public. If guys sit them, even better.

[Lockdown]

I have also seen evidence of deer bedding in my natural ground blinds. If you clear the ground next to an obstacle, there’s a good chance they’ll use it if it’s in a suitable spot. They love that cool black dirt...

[Drich]

When I had private land to manipulate plenty of hours were spent using the chainsaw to hinge trees to either try to direct deer travel or to get them to bed on my property. Now that I am hunting public; Parking the truck to try to deter deer from using a trail, with mixed results. And looking at the forecast to see where the good place to hunt will be in a few days, then take the next couple of days to scout or hunt areas around that good place in order to drive deer to it.

[RiverBottoms]

I have also seen evidence of deer bedding in my natural ground blinds. If you clear the ground next to an obstacle, there’s a good chance they’ll use it if it’s in a suitable spot. They love that cool black dirt...

Interesting, I hadn't thought of this.

[Hawthorne]

I used to spray trails in spring with with a heavy dose of round up thru thick crp fields. Would kill the vegetation down to bare ground. The deer would automatically take them over. Some areas of the trail got muddy and you can read tracks. Otherwise the rest of the field you couldn’t see tracks. Got on a really nice buck from a track I saw on the trail. Almost got him. Was before I was a member here