Would you setup a stand here?

[checkerfred]

I've been doing a lot of thinking/reading/studying and everyone here has been so great to help! I've been trying to put the pieces together and things are starting to click but I've got a long way to go.

Anyway, I have a heavier lock on stand that I haven't put out yet. We're still 3-4 weeks away from rut. I was thinking about putting it out where one of the green dots are here on the map.

Blue dots are where I already have stands set. The orange line is an old logging/mining road. Deer definitely use that trail. The two yellow lines are trails down the ridge. These 3 lines are sort of like little fingers that come off the ridge and come together at the top. Last year I jumped a buck bedded where the yellow marker is. I thought one of the green stand locations would make a good rut location as well as general bedding location. The hill is pretty much open hardwoods when you're at the same elevation as the green dots. As those fingers run down, it starts to get thicker. Would it be bad to put up a stand I'll leave out this late? Any other rut areas that look good? I'll be gun hunting so would 2 be a better stand than 1 since it's a little further away?

[Bucky]

Move your number two up to the top of that drainage with that inside corner (you hunt both the bed and funnel all in one). That is where I would hang

If your map orientation is open field to the West hunt with Westerly wind blowing out into that drainage... there should be a trail that follows North and South along that ridge... set up above it on the hill. When bucks cruise during the rut they will go North-South searching for bedded does

[Bucky]

I'd also look at this spot



There is a distinct forrest edge coming from North (change it type of timber), it is an inside corner, it is the top of a cruising ridge, there is a tree line going back to the West (if there is a block of timber to the West during the rut bucks will use that tree line to cross woodlot to woodlot)

[checkerfred]

Thanks Bucky, that x you have marked I had eyed for a while.....only problem is that's on the corner of the property. I talked to the landowner that owns that field above and he said his neighbors boys had asked to hunt his land a few days before I did. He said they were going to put up a stand at the edge there. I called backa few weeks to follow up to again see if that panned out and if I could get access and he said they had lawn chairs up there. So my only access would be from the woods and I might be close to them. I'd have to come in around my green line or up the blue drainage creek and up the valley (which is thick brush) to the top (not a quiet approach).

The blue dot to the south, I have seen a buck there during rut. That area has been clear cut and grown up now for 5-6 years and meets the wood edge. I always see rubs and scrapes along that wood line.

[checkerfred]

That blue area you marked is off the property too...I failed to mention the property lines...sorry. Everything in the yellow line

On the map that you marked with the blue arrows, there is a trail that winds around the ridge, between the two bold elevation lines. That's why I had thought of setting up where my green 1 is....but not sure I'd be too close to the bed.

[Bucky]

That blue area you marked is off the property too...I failed to mention the property lines...sorry. Everything in the yellow line

On the map that you marked with the blue arrows, there is a trail that winds around the ridge, between the two bold elevation lines. That's why I had thought of setting up where my green 1 is....but not sure I'd be too close to the bed.

Given new info... I would setup at #1 but a little further North. You should be able to see the cruising trail that goes N and S.... setup so you can shoot the trails coming up the ridge and the cruising trail that goes N and S along the ridge.

Is this a bow or gun hunting situation??? That kid sitting in a chair on that inside corner kinda ruins the spot as far as cruising goes... unless he is rarely gonna hunt it

If it is a gun situation I still like the spot even if the kid is sitting in the corner... you can see those ridge tops all coming together....



Some other options to look at are marked with X. Is the blue a river?

Now that I can see to the West of that inside corner that the neighbor kid beat you to... it is even better. As deer will use that tree line to cross that open field from the timber to the West

[BassBoysLLP]

Can you post a topo for the western 40? The NE corner of that 40 looks promising, especially with the thick drainage low.

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[checkerfred]

Given new info... I would setup at #1 but a little further North. You should be able to see the cruising trail that goes N and S.... setup so you can shoot the trails coming up the ridge and the cruising trail that goes N and S along the ridge.

Is this a bow or gun hunting situation??? That kid sitting in a chair on that inside corner kinda ruins the spot as far as cruising goes... unless he is rarely gonna hunt it

If it is a gun situation I still like the spot even if the kid is sitting in the corner... you can see those ridge tops all coming together....



Some other options to look at are marked with X. Is the blue a river?

Now that I can see to the West of that inside corner that the neighbor kid beat you to... it is even better. As deer will use that tree line to cross that open field from the timber to the West

I'm not really sure how much that kid hunts that. Yes that's a river there.....I've thought hard in the past about hunting close to that corner on top of the ridge that your marked ..but it's just getting in to it to hunt it....about the only way I could get to it is the green lines in the map below. If I come in from the valley to the east of that spot it's really really thick....I'd make alot more noise in the bottoms, tho it does open up past that higher on up the ridge.

[Bucky]

That is not the best entry... it is still worth an all day sit

Are we talking bow or gun hunting?

[checkerfred]

Can you post a topo for the western 40? The NE corner of that 40 looks promising, especially with the thick drainage low.

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Here's my entire hunting area both aerial and topo.





If you're talking about the 40 I think you are, there's a high walls (steep cliffs) from where they stripped mined the land, shown by the neon green lines. The only place the deer can come down to the bottoms are where the x's are....there may be other areas but not on this land. Access to that western 40 is very difficult. The only way would be from the center most green x and walking all the way around toward the orange dot, or from the orange line. If I go the way of the orange line, I'd have to go through water no telling how high and then up a deep, steep ravine. That side is very steep going up too. I know deer cross there and I'd bet since it's so rough that's probably a mature buck bedding area, but getting in, especially quietly with a stand would be tough.

[checkerfred]

That is not the best entry... it is still worth an all day sit

Are we talking bow or gun hunting?

sorry, gun hunting. How else would you access it? I can't come in from the top. I almost went in the misting rain today to hang a lock on stand there ....would you put one up and leave it for the rest of the season?

[Bucky]

The river no good? Looks good to me....

[Bucky]

That is not the best entry... it is still worth an all day sit

Are we talking bow or gun hunting?

sorry, gun hunting. How else would you access it? I can't come in from the top. I almost went in the misting rain today to hang a lock on stand there ....would you put one up and leave it for the rest of the season?

Yes

That spot is killer... since you are going through the deer in the AM best bet I think would be super early. 90 min before sunrise

[checkerfred]

That is not the best entry... it is still worth an all day sit

Are we talking bow or gun hunting?

sorry, gun hunting. How else would you access it? I can't come in from the top. I almost went in the misting rain today to hang a lock on stand there ....would you put one up and leave it for the rest of the season?

Yes

That spot is killer... since you are going through the deer in the AM best bet I think would be super early. 90 min before sunrise

so yes you would put a stand up there and leave it?

The river I've hunted quite a bit with no luck. I hunted that sharp bend many times. The only buck I've seen was a 6pt. I've hunted the river quite a bit. I hunted those other spots around the field corners a good bit in the past too with not much luck. The river on the backside of those fields is in a steep valley. I know we have some nice mature bucks around because I have pictures of some in that valley below the point you marked. I just feel like I'm missing a key piece of the puzzle.

[BassBoysLLP]

That NE corner of that western 40 is probably a dynamite spot too. There is probably a good crossover across the point as the draw to the west will push the travel high, but i would sit west of it on most days to take advantage of typical winds.

I picked Buckys spot before this one, so id put more effort in that spot. A lot depends on pressure. If you are dealing with hunters in a lawn chair I would examine your other spots.

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