Mountain/Hill Country hunters, what results have you had hunting at mid elevation? I understand the top 1/3 is mostly discussed here.
Most of the terrain I hunt goes like this:
-Rolling CRP (most human activity at top, but still light pressure)
-A transition of brush and young growth at the military crest (top 1/3, easy to access quietly)
-Relatively open timber and down falls on a steep 30-35 degree slope (Mid-elevation)
-Creek bottom with varying bank width
This is a low deer density area. I've been running trail cameras on the military crest trails for months. Results are underwhelming. Bear, and a deer passing through maybe once a week (Almost always a shooter). I don't care for those odds. Is the military crest strategy tailored to rut cruising?
Hunting mid elevation would be higher impact for me. Louder to get into, steep, etc. And I don't know how you'd play the wind, given that deer could approach from any direction.
Hunting Mid-Elevation
- pewpewpew
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Re: Hunting Mid-Elevation
1/3 is a guidline. Let your observations, and your scouting be the determining factor. If in doubt throw some stands at both and see what happens. The hardest part about hunting the "middle" is the rising thermals if deer are above you.
- pewpewpew
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Re: Hunting Mid-Elevation
Thanks for the input. I'll report back my findings in the future.
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Re: Hunting Mid-Elevation
From the beds I've found, the top 1/3 is a starting point for scouting. Some beds are lower. It depends on how the hill lays out. It seems like the closer you get to the heads of ravines (the crows foot) bedding seems to get lower. Down along the valleys, 1/3 is more typical. Let the bed locations and wind tell you where to hunt.
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Re: Hunting Mid-Elevation
Look for your soft transitions too.
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Re: Hunting Mid-Elevation
Also, they tend to bed and cruise lower on rounded hills.
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