Hunting low seems impossible.

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Tennhunter3
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Hunting low seems impossible.

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Fri Oct 13, 2017 3:05 am

A few times lately I've walked in and setup on points problem is wind swirls on these points.

I can't backup and setup if I hunt off to the side or into the bottom it's windswirl. Several hunts lately ive felt like this I can't go forwards backwards or setup on point. And I leave the area I intended to hunt.

Most of the pm bucks I am seeing are moving in bottoms currently. They are running below these points scent checking what's up top right before dark before walking uphill to feed on acorns.

Several of the areas I'm hunting seem impossible to hunt until the rut when bucks start running the thermal tunnel.

What do you guys do in these situations?


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Jeff G
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Re: Hunting low seems impossible.

Unread postby Jeff G » Fri Oct 13, 2017 3:12 am

In a situation where it swirls. I go up higher. You need the predominant wind current to suck your scent up and carry it away.
dan
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Re: Hunting low seems impossible.

Unread postby dan » Fri Oct 13, 2017 4:16 am

Thermals are real predictable... Its about the only "constant" in hill country. One thing is for sure, when th3e area gets shaded in the evening, thermals are going to drop. You can go in late, and take advantage of that, but you can't go in until they start falling, and that's usually the last hour or so of light... The only other thing you can try is getting a good steady wind that blows right down the guts (not into or over a hill)... Otherwise best to let them have the area until they come out, or an opportunity with thermals or wind direction presents itself. After about the 15th of oct. I would consider hunting mornings near there bedding, rather than evenings. If you have a ton of territory, you can bust em out of the bottoms and then hunt them high.
Tennhunter3
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Re: Hunting low seems impossible.

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Fri Oct 13, 2017 2:15 pm

dan wrote:Thermals are real predictable... Its about the only "constant" in hill country. One thing is for sure, when th3e area gets shaded in the evening, thermals are going to drop. You can go in late, and take advantage of that, but you can't go in until they start falling, and that's usually the last hour or so of light... The only other thing you can try is getting a good steady wind that blows right down the guts (not into or over a hill)... Otherwise best to let them have the area until they come out, or an opportunity with thermals or wind direction presents itself. After about the 15th of oct. I would consider hunting mornings near there bedding, rather than evenings. If you have a ton of territory, you can bust em out of the bottoms and then hunt them high.



Thanks Dan that is a good idea I had not considered. Busting all the surrounding bottoms might stack them up high.

The way bedding is it's midway down the point that stretches about 250 yards up high is road.
So for this buck I attempted to hunt the point and expected buck to walk side hill down feeding on oaks. Really threw me a curveball when he came in low. The buck did what I least expected.

Thanks for the great advice I'll try busting the bottom. Should make him either avoid the area entirely or move where I want him too.
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mauser06
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Re: Hunting low seems impossible.

Unread postby mauser06 » Fri Oct 13, 2017 5:10 pm

That's a frustrating scenario...I've been there in reverse. I didn't know jack about thermals so I was just dumbfounded. Had a buck with big feet crushing a scrape. I knew it was morning.

I think it was 3 mornings in a row. Crunch crunch crunch. Here he comes. I'd see legs in and out of the hemlocks. Soon as he got close he would blow and be gone.

Dumbfounded. Wind was in my face and 3 mornings in a row the wind switches right when that buck comes to the scrape. I gave up and let him have his scrape lol.


Now...I know a little more. He was waiting till the thermals kicked in... literally it was like clockwork.

Now...i know to avoid that trap at all cost. Bad part was there were several trees that would have resulted in him being killable now that I know what was happening.

I never killed that buck. But he taught me more than any killed buck has because it didn't take me long to research it and get the answers (probably the year I joined this site..).

It's crazy to me that they know these things.

Bottoms are plain tough. Like Dan said, wait till the wind blows hard down the gut...but, in that case they may not use that travel route...getting high is another option....

I have a rut spot that is a bottom...it's tough. Still learning it. Excited to get back there this year. I got a shot last year and passed another buck and boogered it badly tracking the one I shot. This year...with more knowledge and hopefully only one track job to a dead buck...I should have some good hunts in there.


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