So I have spent more time scouting this year than ever and have found some bedding areas in the hill country, which is most of what I hunt. I have some areas where I know how to set up in the mornings, the only problem is that Saturdays are probably the only day where I can do morning hunts with my work schedule.
So, thinking about afternoon hunts with the right wind, along with thinking about thermals has got me tied in mental knots at the moment. Most of the places I have found there is no way to sneak in close enough from the top of a ridge without the deer being able to see you. The only way I can imagine getting close is by sneaking in from the bottom where the cover is thicker. I am concerned about thermals alerting the deer in the afternoons when I do this. I guess my question is, how do you work your way in from the bottom in hill country with the thermals rising?
Putting it all Together for Afternoon Hunts
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- backstraps
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Re: Putting it all Together for Afternoon Hunts
If I have to access from the bottoms, I use a ravine or two over then sneak my way to the top I want to hunt
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Re: Putting it all Together for Afternoon Hunts
I also try to hide in the terrain while climbing but assuming there's no ravine to hide me I find I have to climb the hill pretty far away from the bedding area otherwise they will pick me out. Whether I climb the leeward side or windward side and cross over the top I try to get to the right elevation first then sneak across the ridge to my stand site. Depending on the terrain that sneak across might be 300 yards or more and getting gradually slower the close I get.
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Re: Putting it all Together for Afternoon Hunts
A lot of bedding I find is really tough for afternoon hunts and requires stealth like a ninja lol. I much prefer mornings in the hills. I have done as others said or have waited for the thermal switch before coming up from the bottom.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
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Re: Putting it all Together for Afternoon Hunts
Thermals definitely can vary from place to place. Sometimes you just have to hunt them or use milk weed to figure them out. The strength of the thermal can vary from day to day based on temperature and cloud cover. If you have areas near the bottom that are shaded from sunlight sometimes you can have dead zones that stay cool and don't have as much thermal pull. The shape of the valley and connecting valleys can also swirl the wind and contribute to a perceived thermal pull. Also depends how far away you are from the bedding you are for things to work. if you have what you think is the right wind and this is your best chance then give it a try and see what happens but really keep track of what conditions work because alot of factors can be going on when it works or doesn't work.
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