Branch out or condense?

[PLB]

I have been wondering this for a while! I have lots of spots on public land that are say within 10 miles every direction of our cabin. But my main area just north of the cabin is about one mile by one mile that I have hunted since 1995. My brother and I have taken a lot of bucks out of there and I have screwed up on more than my share!! Am I better learning every inch of this piece and figuring my stand sites based on wind direction and bedding areas there, or hunting say 6 or seven different areas where I may have a stand site but don't know the entire piece all that well? I think I could have enough spots in this one big area to cover most of my season. I have seen and taken good bucks in there as well. These spots aren't near my house where I can spend every waking minute scouting them. So sometimes I feel I'm better off getting to know one big chunk of public as well as I can? Ok I'm done rambling now I will let all the other public land gurus chime in!

[dan]

I would find as many hunting spots as possible, and have more choices.

[AC Rider]

Now that you know one spot really well, can you move to another for a couple of years and learn it? Maybe this way you'll get to know a new one every two or three years all the while hitting the old ones periodically so you don't forget them.

[Spysar]

Although I have favorite spots that I go to annually, it has always been my goal, public or private, to find at least one(or more) brand new spot that I have never hunted before. I have never solely relied on old spots.

[dan]

Every now and then you stumble into one of those gold mine spots that will produce a big buck every year if hunted correctly... My goal would be to someday have about 20 of those spots..

[PASwamper]

I hear ya, a lot of the larger public areas I go to are too far to drive to during the week. I have more spots to check out than I ever could in a year. But I try to check as many out as much as possible. That way if I'm out spotting and I see a big one near one of the areas I checked out even if only a little bit, I'll at least have somewhere to start!

[Singing Bridge]

IMO there are two ways to look at this- one: I would recommend that you DO NOT diminish your productive one by one square mile hunting area in any way. Set up your buck bedding areas, and I know you've had success in your downwind edge doe bedding areas during the rut as well. WHEN you are satisfied you are completely ready to roll for the upcoming season, THEN branch out to your other areas. The new areas will help you reduce your impact on the deer you are hunting, and maybe you will strike gold. Why do I recommend this? I know a LOT of guys who spread themselves too thin and didn't prepare the areas they already knew so well the way they should have. They had some ROUGH deer seasons on public land because of it. Get your work done, then expand.

two: going in a different direction here- there are hunters (Dan and Troy come to mind) than can look at aerials and topos and quickly go to new areas and be successful. They recognize things on the ground while spot checking the areas that take years of practice and skill as well- subtle mature buck sign/bedding areas/transition lines/islands etc. This is an exciting way to hunt, and if you become good at it ... nuff said. If you aren't confident of this, SEE PARAGRAPH ONE ABOVE.

My final overall recommendation- get your work done on the spots you already have a lot of experience with. Then expand your opportunities with the knowledge you already have.

[PLB]

Good info Bridge thanks!

[adrenalin]

I'm with Singing Bridge on this one. I would stick with the biggest piece of land you can handle and know. No bigger. Everyones skill levels are different and you have to hunt according to your strengths not someone elses. I've been hunting the same swamp for about 6 years now and I feel that I finally know what the deer are going to do throughout the season. It can get pretty frustrating on a huge chunk of land if you are'nt in the game. If you have enough spots now to get you through the season, I would bet more time scouting would just give you more and better spots on the same piece of ground.

[PLB]

Good stuff Adrenalin! This is a pretty special piece for public land since its a long way from a parking area and foot travel only. Lots of marsh and cedar swamp, oak ridges, old cutiing, rock outcropping funnels etc. Lots of transition lines. Seems the bucks prefer the marsh with the creek in the middle, while the does prefer the cedar swamp. Downwind of this swamp has been good to me during the rut both gun and bow! I've had my best success on the transition lines!

[Wlog]

Bump.

It takes some branching out to know what you're looking for, if that makes sense. Not every public property or private for that matter has the ingredients to produce. You have to see some crappy and mediocre ground to recognize the good stuff when you see it.

Since I found this site in 2012 and started applying the tactics in my scouting I have gotten better at knowing when to move on from an area and when to stick with an area. It becomes easier to recognize the necessary ingredients.

[tgreeno]

More spots are always better in my eyes! I don't think you can ever have too many spots. Some areas may turn on/off throughout the years. Learning every detail of a spot seems like a better off-season task.

[Mike32]

I would try to find as many spots as possible. I don't think you can have to many places scouted to hunt. I've been scouting and prepping tree's on public land from 20 Minutes too an hour from my house.

[Lockdown]

Nice bump Wlog!

Great topic

[MikePerry]

the more good areas you find the better in my opinion. To me exploring new ground is half the fun to figuring out these beautiful critters, i love to hop around, you'll always have fresh hunts, worked for me over 30 years now and I'm always looking for more new places to hunt and trying to learn new tactics, it never gets old.