ATVs, hunting pressure and deer

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adelle26
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ATVs, hunting pressure and deer

Unread postby adelle26 » Tue Oct 24, 2017 5:58 pm

I hunt on a large lease in hilly terrain that may as well be public it's got so much hunting pressure. Most everyone uses an atv to get to their hunting destination and usually they park to where they can walk within 50-100 yards of their stand. I don't have one so I walk to my stand sites on foot, even climbing to the top of the ridge with my tree stand on my back. I'm trying to locate the overlooked areas where these guys don't or won't hunt because a quad can't park there. this past weekend when I hunted a ridge top with a powerline running through it, I saw some does emerge from the thick stuff on the edge of the powerline. I think they might be bedding there. one of the quad trails runs parallel to this strip of edge cover on the powerline. I am thinking these deer know they're safe there since the other hunters drive right past them every time.
any other thoughts or tips? I'm really enjoying this site and all the discussions that most forums don't touch. Thanks!!


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Re: ATVs, hunting pressure and deer

Unread postby Ghost Hunter » Tue Oct 24, 2017 10:56 pm

I have been hunting a farm with a group of people for about 22 years. They all use some type of ATV and park close to stand. They are very predictable. If you have to cross water, thick areas, creeks with steep banks, long walks or just anything in general that is extra work. They most likely will not be there. Get out there early. I like to be in stand an settled when they start leaving camp for their stands. Also, some over looked places within walking distance of camp never get hunted. Especially if its thick.
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flinginairos
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Re: ATVs, hunting pressure and deer

Unread postby flinginairos » Tue Oct 24, 2017 11:43 pm

How big is the lease? I deal with this type of stuff on the property I hunt and it's not real hard to find overlooked areas the deer use. Most of the deer bed where they can watch hunter access and many many times guys are riding right past bedded deer where I hunt :lol:
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Re: ATVs, hunting pressure and deer

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Tue Oct 24, 2017 11:45 pm

The places I hunt are covered with atv I find big buck beds overlooking atv trails a lot. One big buck I'm currently after beds 20 yards off probably the most heavily used atv trail in the forest it probably gets 15 or more atvs a day.

Hunters on atv's have no clue how many bucks they drive right by.

Hunters always have this idea deeper is better but I never see them pull anything but small bucks out. Now the deepest areas of forest are the hardest pressured.

I think atv's hurt a lot of hunting areas because they illegally go off trails and down wooded bottoms far as they can. Which really messes with deer travel.
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Re: ATVs, hunting pressure and deer

Unread postby headgear » Tue Oct 24, 2017 11:51 pm

I think ATV's both don't bother them because they hear and see the traffic all the time, however they also tip the deer off a fair bit that a human is in the area. Driving by they shouldn't bother the deer too much, but parking next to your stand is a good way to tip off any deer close by that you are there. It is one of those things where a human walking might scare them more than an ATV but you can also sneak up on them a lot easier on foot. I use ATV's rifle season but some spots are a long drive, I still keep my distance and try and park next to other people's stands and not where I am hunting.
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Re: ATVs, hunting pressure and deer

Unread postby mspaci » Wed Oct 25, 2017 3:37 am

I have spots that an ATV really keeps you from getting worn out. I do park 3-400 yars away from stands though. Some of the areas are very steep to get in. Mike
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Re: ATVs, hunting pressure and deer

Unread postby adelle26 » Wed Oct 25, 2017 4:01 am

flinginairos wrote:How big is the lease? I deal with this type of stuff on the property I hunt and it's not real hard to find overlooked areas the deer use. Most of the deer bed where they can watch hunter access and many many times guys are riding right past bedded deer where I hunt :lol:


That's funny, my fiancé and I already each filled an antlerless tag the first week this season hunting about 70 yards up the hill from the camp. No quads get to it because it's surrounded by a thicket. My buck pictures there aren't until after dark though, so I'm trying to locate some other overlooked spots where those deer might be bedding.
Camp property is about 70 acres but the large lease is several thousand. I *think* there is a cattail marsh somewhere on the lease. I want to check it out
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