Stand Approach

[NatureBoy]

Great thread Bridge! I love this topic. I remember Dan saying once something to the effect that he believed that if guys waited until light and they could see where they were going, a lot more deer would be taken. I think this a great point. I'm learning that if you are going to hunt in the morning, in addition to making sure you don't take the deer's trail to your stand and don't cross deer trails, you need to be in your stand at least 2 hours before first light. If you can't do that, you might as well wait until it's light and then carefully make your way in to stand and hunt midday, near the bedding, when the deer are up and about snacking and stretching, while most other hunters that came in early are doing the same thing - at the local cafe.

[dan]

bump

[MattyG]

.
Personally I try to practice stealth in my approach, watching each step. Careful foot placement. Doing what I can to minimize slurping muck noise...
But I do occasionally make a trail, or bridge muck/water if I have too....

what kind of bridge's do you make, just take a cuple dead logs and lay them in the muck or water?

[dan]

what kind of bridge's do you make, just take a cuple dead logs and lay them in the muck or water?

yea, om public just logs placed in the right ( and hidden ) spot..

[blackwolf]

In big woods, stand approach often dictates where you can or can't hunt; very frustrating at times because there are good spots that just can't be approached the way the should to avoid detection. I have had best luck waiting until after daylight to walk into areas back in quite a ways and hunt mostly spots which can be approached correctly via wind and terrain.

[Stanley]

In big woods, stand approach often dictates where you can or can't hunt; very frustrating at times because there are good spots that just can't be approached the way the should to avoid detection. I have had best luck waiting until after daylight to walk into areas back in quite a ways and hunt mostly spots which can be approached correctly via wind and terrain.

I believe a lot of hunters would be better off using this tactic especially on pre set stands. Probably wouldn't work in most instances when hunting a specific bed though.

[Singing Bridge]

In big woods, stand approach often dictates where you can or can't hunt; very frustrating at times because there are good spots that just can't be approached the way the should to avoid detection. I have had best luck waiting until after daylight to walk into areas back in quite a ways and hunt mostly spots which can be approached correctly via wind and terrain.

The cedar swamps I hunt are very large and the cover is hellish... there are no distant lights to key on or anything like that.

A lot of this cover is so thick, it is hard to tell where the sun is in the sky- and cloudy days.... oh boy. As you can imagine penetrating a great distance is extremely difficult, and in general hunters keep out. When they do hunt they stay wihtin a hundred yards or so of the woods road to avoid getting lost... I have resucued more than a few the next day that tried to go deeper. I stagger trails and make bridges over water and muck that you could sink a buffalo in. Entering in daylight helps a lot in this environment, and remember how large and secure it is... it really isn't like buck bedding most elsewhere.

[Bucky]

Access is often over looked on public.... and you can't control what another hunter is going to do. But, on private, I think it is one of biggest reasons landowners don't shoot mature deer.

When breaking down a chunk of ground, I look for high ridges, drainages, creeks, rivers, open fields that get me into a "funnel" area, ag fields (corn) to get me to the timber edge, commonly used logging roads or access trails, railroad tracks... these are areas that will have the least amount of damage on the spot that I'm trying to hunt.

If you find a great stand location that has great access you have found a honey hole

[Missionman]

I think you need a quiet entrance to get to your stand because if your loud then you would just blow your cover. While the exit is still important I do not think it as important as the entrance unless you plan on hunting that same spot or general area the next day. You could even use that path you used to get into your stand with and leave on it so it is just as quiet as you entrance and minimal scent trail because you are using only one path not multiple.

[jlh42581]

Im starting to favor areas that are bullet proof on entrance. Walking up a creek, walking in a ditch. If I cant get to it undetected and get out undetected I dont put much stock in it.

[headgear]

A lot of my stand approaches are problematic because on many public land spots I only have one access point and you have to make the best of it. Many times I find beds setup to watch these access points, not much I can do about those. However if you have some room to operate you can still find an approach to a buck that is setup in a different location, it just takes alittle extra legwork. I killed my 2010 buck by crossing upwind of his bedding area because I had to. I kept as safe a distance as possible and got there plenty early and setup within 100 yards of his bed and the plan worked. This isn't an ideal situation but I would not pass over a very good setup just because things are perfect, sometimes you have to take chances.

[dan]

A lot of my stand approaches are problematic because on many public land spots I only have one access point and you have to make the best of it. Many times I find beds setup to watch these access points, not much I can do about those. However if you have some room to operate you can still find an approach to a buck that is setup in a different location, it just takes alittle extra legwork. I killed my 2010 buck by crossing upwind of his bedding area because I had to. I kept as safe a distance as possible and got there plenty early and setup within 100 yards of his bed and the plan worked. This isn't an ideal situation but I would not pass over a very good setup just because things are perfect, sometimes you have to take chances.

You make a good point Headgear... I think sometimes we try and drill home proper technique so hard we forget there are times when we do break the rules and still get away with it... I have done the same.

[Indianahunter]

Im starting to favor areas that are bullet proof on entrance. Walking up a creek, walking in a ditch. If I cant get to it undetected and get out undetected I dont put much stock in it.

I agree. I will often times hunt a more marginal spot as close to bedding or a funnel near it with great access rather than get tight in there if my access is or is potentially disruptive.

[Singing Bridge]

Im starting to favor areas that are bullet proof on entrance. Walking up a creek, walking in a ditch. If I cant get to it undetected and get out undetected I dont put much stock in it.

A great, undetected approach to stand goes a long way in helping me get close to the bucks I'm after. I also use ditches and creeks, ravines and roads a lot. The element of surprise for my first sit on that stand is something I work hard to get.

[kenn1320]

I agree with everything mentioned, but for years I was a rush to my stand as quick as I could kind of guy. If Im going out for an evening hunt, I try to be as stealth as I can, cause Im setting up close to bedding and know which direction they are headed for the evening. In the morning, Im not purposely making noise, but I try to get to my stands quickly as I want to beat that buck to the spot. After having more then one buck walk by as I was half way up a tree, or still hadnt pulled my bow up, I have come to realise you might think all the deer are out in the feeding fields 1hr before first light, but they arent. A stealth approach both morning and evening is critical. There are 2 schools of thought on morning hunts and each has its merrits. Getting there before the buck allows you to make some small noises and get away with them. If your in your stand and he comes in and beds down and your not detected, there is a good chance he will get back up a few hours after day light and make his rounds and you could get your chance. However if he smells you, or where you walked, the gig is up and if he makes it to his bed, he might stay put, or more likely will go to another bed that morning and avoid your area. It kinda gives some merrit to the waiting till light to sneak in, but then you risk does busting you, and or the buck you were after as he was late coming back that day. Id like to hear from both types, good and bad of each technique. Im a get in early guy, my brother is a wait till he can just see type.