Indentifying funnels on a topo map

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PK_
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby PK_ » Tue Jul 22, 2014 11:43 am

Crazinamatese wrote:
Bucky wrote:
Crazinamatese wrote:What is a "hub"? All these civilian terms is very confusing.


Where multiple ridges (in this case 5) come together like spokes on a wheel... the "hub" is the center

Okay, got it. Just another name for a hilltop.


Not necessarily.

A hill may not have any ridges, and a hub may not be at the 'top'.


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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby Bucky » Tue Jul 22, 2014 11:50 am

My favorite if you can find it... are creek bottoms that are steep on the banks of the creek... where the creek bends to form an L you got a killer spot... deer will typically cross the creek in these locals and cruizn deer will follow both legs of the L to the point as well... add in a ridge pinching things down further and you have the mother of rut funnels ;)
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Jul 22, 2014 12:09 pm

Bucky wrote:My favorite if you can find it... are creek bottoms that are steep on the banks of the creek... where the creek bends to form an L you got a killer spot... deer will typically cross the creek in these locals and cruizn deer will follow both legs of the L to the point as well... add in a ridge pinching things down further and you have the mother of rut funnels ;)



Bucky, here is an area I scouted back in Feb. The river along the tree line is steep enough a human couldn't get up the bank out of the water. Where the river makes its bend was a crossing from the woods, across the river into the soybean fields on the other side of the river. Is this map an example of the feature you are talking about?

I remember you posting a picture last fall from an area you were hunting...and I actually took a mental note when I seen you picture. I remembered an area that looked similar to your picture description. That is why I scouted this piece of property.

Let me know what your thoughts are on this river bend area:

Image
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Jul 22, 2014 12:10 pm

PalmettoKid wrote:
Crazinamatese wrote:
Bucky wrote:
Crazinamatese wrote:What is a "hub"? All these civilian terms is very confusing.


Where multiple ridges (in this case 5) come together like spokes on a wheel... the "hub" is the center

Okay, got it. Just another name for a hilltop.


Not necessarily.

A hill may not have any ridges, and a hub may not be at the 'top'.


A hub will look like an old spoke wheel. The center of the wheel being the "hub" and the spokes will be the ridges coming off the hub. I can pull some topo examples if you like
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Jul 22, 2014 12:22 pm

Here is an example of a small hub.

Image

You can get the idea from this example. There are hubs that have multiple ridges coming off. I have seen 5-6 long narrow ridges with deep draws between them. The top of the draws are awesome places to intercept cruisers
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby seazofcheeze » Tue Jul 22, 2014 12:55 pm

Bucky wrote:My favorite if you can find it... are creek bottoms that are steep on the banks of the creek... where the creek bends to form an L you got a killer spot... deer will typically cross the creek in these locals and cruizn deer will follow both legs of the L to the point as well... add in a ridge pinching things down further and you have the mother of rut funnels ;)


I'm with Backstraps. I'd like to hear a little more on this setup if possible.
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby BigHunt » Tue Jul 22, 2014 1:02 pm

Dewey wrote:
BigHunt wrote:
Dewey wrote:I prefer to look for funnels on aerials more than topos. Many times vegetation is not clearly marked on topos and this can make a huge difference if a deer uses that terrain feature or not.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image

I do both to confirm

Me too but much of the land I hunt is flat marsh with very little elevation change so aerials are much more useful.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image

no hill country ?
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby Dewey » Tue Jul 22, 2014 1:28 pm

BigHunt wrote:
Dewey wrote:
BigHunt wrote:
Dewey wrote:I prefer to look for funnels on aerials more than topos. Many times vegetation is not clearly marked on topos and this can make a huge difference if a deer uses that terrain feature or not.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image

I do both to confirm

Me too but much of the land I hunt is flat marsh with very little elevation change so aerials are much more useful.

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image

no hill country ?

Not much in the past even in the bigwoods but this year I will be experimenting more with hill country. Maybe this fall I can kill my first hill country buck and you can kill your first marsh buck. ;)

[ Post made via iPhone ] Image
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby mheichelbech » Tue Jul 22, 2014 2:11 pm

These are great responses, exactly what I was hoping for! One of the things I was doing last year was trying to relate deer and mature buck sightings back to my maps to see if the movements made sense from a "book" standpoint. The buck movements seem to be much more in line with what one would have predicted based on topography versus doe movements. For example, in one area, the bucks would not move down to the creek bottom before dark. The does always did but they seem to follow more random paths down the hill. Some travelled down the ridge using one path whereas others followed different but parallel paths down (50-100 yards apart). I still have no idea why they choose one path over another. Also, these particular deer groups would exit the woods to what is basically an overgrown field behind houses. Some groups would enter and go in the field at one place, whereas another would go in at another location 100-150 yards away and a 3rd would go in at a 3rd entry point. However, the prime food source was pretty much in one large "garden" a guy had. Some deer went to that, some didn't. I have no idea why some of the deer did not. Maybe they were tired of eating there.

Interested to see if this squares with what others' experience is.
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby oldrank » Tue Jul 22, 2014 2:16 pm

lots of great info here... thanks for sharing guys... I was a little confused on it also... I just ordered the mapping trophy whitetails book earlier today so hopefully I get get my mind around all the topo stuff before season.
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby Bucky » Tue Jul 22, 2014 2:23 pm

oldrank wrote:lots of great info here... thanks for sharing guys... I was a little confused on it also... I just ordered the mapping trophy whitetails book earlier today so hopefully I get get my mind around all the topo stuff before season.


The book explains it well... with wind strategy

Backstraps... I know what creek funnel you are referring to... I passed one the first sit in it last yr

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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby Bucky » Tue Jul 22, 2014 2:35 pm

I will draw what it looks like if I get some free time this week

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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby Bucky » Tue Jul 22, 2014 2:39 pm

Image

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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby backstraps » Tue Jul 22, 2014 3:31 pm

Bucky, Those are the two pictures I noted when I began looking at the area I shared the topo clip of. Does the topo I posted look anything like what you are referring to?
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Re: Indentifying funnels on a topo map

Unread postby Bucky » Tue Jul 22, 2014 4:15 pm

The bend in creek would be best if it was in the timber. Bigger bucks don't like to be in the open

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