How many of you guys have had success hunting the trail above a deep cut in hill country?
If you did, what part of the season (early,rut,late), and were you hunting the leeward or windward side?
How close were you to known buck or doe bedding?
I did a lot of post season scouting and found some potentially good deep cuts between doe bedding areas on some private land. I am not sure if I should wait until November or throw a hunt at it in early season. Any advice or answers to the questions above would be appreciated. Thanks.
Deep Cuts in Hill Country
- Mountainman26
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- Ashreve93
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
I've had a little success hunting this style before I discovered beast tactics. I only saw one mature deer hunting this way, most were 1.5 y.o. with an occasional 2.5. I hunted it in rut, roughly 1st week of November. I think if you can find a mature rut bed next to one, a buck may use it just before dark to jump on the opportunity to chase a doe. But the one mature buck I saw was father down hill than the rest of the deer. It was before I focused on wind and thermals, so I have no idea why he was lower.
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- rfickes87
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
I haven't really hunted a spot like this that i can recall.
But i did just see a few of these while scouting in spring. I did see a lot of deer crap and buck rubs concentrated in these areas. But it never got me too excited honestly. My gut reaction to what i saw was that i thought it was night sign. Now, if there would be good bedding nearby then surely that does make a difference. Within 200 yards id say then yeah maybe walk right up the cut and set up a stand and hunt it.
Id even feel safe putting a camera in these areas and shouldn't really spook any deer. But then again its an area that is the path for least resistance for hunters too. Human scent might make deer travel though areas more at night and daytime.
But i did just see a few of these while scouting in spring. I did see a lot of deer crap and buck rubs concentrated in these areas. But it never got me too excited honestly. My gut reaction to what i saw was that i thought it was night sign. Now, if there would be good bedding nearby then surely that does make a difference. Within 200 yards id say then yeah maybe walk right up the cut and set up a stand and hunt it.
Id even feel safe putting a camera in these areas and shouldn't really spook any deer. But then again its an area that is the path for least resistance for hunters too. Human scent might make deer travel though areas more at night and daytime.
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
During the rut they can be dynamite especially when they are between buck and doe bedding. My favorite is when I find a deep cut that connects to a very small narrow bench in the mountains.
- jwilkstn
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
I hunt this type of setup alot. My experience is that each one hunts differently. I have a few that are dynamite in October with white oaks nearby and bucks move in and hit them early and late in easy shooting light. Others see no mature buck activity until the rut when they are strictly funnels from A to B. I recommend you analyze the surrounding habitat to determine when to focus on that spot.
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- Boogieman1
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
The cut is where it's at! The deeper the better for not only restricting travel but your evening thermal to drop in it. The header naturally funnels all game movement and gives u a restriction to blow into as well as a sneaky low impact entrance /exit. They produce all season but I wait for the rut for a virgin sit on some cruising bucks. All cuts are not created equal there must be a reason for the buck to use it. The longer the ridge line the better with various doe groups bedding along it. I prefer running a camera a year in advance so I have an idea of caliber of bucks and proper timing of "daylight" travel.
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
Rut... Unless it lays out close to buck bedding.
- <DK>
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
AJB wrote:During the rut they can be dynamite especially when they are between buck and doe bedding. My favorite is when I find a deep cut that connects to a very small narrow bench in the mountains.
dan wrote:Rut... Unless it lays out close to buck bedding.
x2
- Ditz
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
Boogieman1 wrote:The cut is where it's at! The deeper the better for not only restricting travel but your evening thermal to drop in it. The header naturally funnels all game movement and gives u a restriction to blow into as well as a sneaky low impact entrance /exit. They produce all season but I wait for the rut for a virgin sit on some cruising bucks. All cuts are not created equal there must be a reason for the buck to use it. The longer the ridge line the better with various doe groups bedding along it. I prefer running a camera a year in advance so I have an idea of caliber of bucks and proper timing of "daylight" travel.
I found a spot like this last spring and am planning on using this exact strategy during the rut. You would be hunting this when it is the leeward side, and I think the key is sliding in there just as the thermals change in the evening and begin pulling your scent down into the cut, and away from the bedding/trails. I picked a tree right at the top of the cut to put my stand which is about 25-30 yards downhill from the trail that connects the buck and doe bedding. I have not actually hunted this spot yet so can't report on the success of it, but that is the plan. Seems like it could be a great set up. I'm sure others will chime in with more experience hunting these deep cuts in hill country.
- Mountainman26
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
The deep cuts that I have in mind would need a north or northwest wind to be leeward. The closest known buck bedding is about 200 yards away to the west. I may slip in there and put a camera on it for the season and check it when I give it a hunt in November.
- Jeff25
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Re: Deep Cuts in Hill Country
I’ve had decent success hunting them in the rut. But wouldn’t hunt them otherwise.
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