This Saturdays hunt. Need a little insight and advice.

[virginiashadow]

Due to an incredibly demanding new job work schedule I have been turned into a weekend warrior hunter (which means Saturdays and holidays here in VA due to no Sunday hunting). I have recently been given permission to hunt a block of woods that receives no hunting pressure that I know of. I buzz scouted it two weeks ago. I found a decent amount of rubs/acorns/cover on the upper 2/3rd of the hills. I got in and out quickly and will be hunting it for the first time this year, this Saturday. I will be hunting it all day. Saturday is the beginning of blackpowder season here in Virginia so I am going to assume there will be blackpowder pressure pushing the deer onto the property. I will be bowhunting. I chose three stand sites labelled 1, 2, and 3.

Stand 3=I am not sure how the deer are going to be moving/how they normally bed/or what the pressure will do, but stand 3 sticks out to me as a decent bedding spot based on the wind.

Stand 2=Good elevation, small saddle, block of timber between two open areas

Stand 1=Decent elevation, small saddle, cover edgeline corner close

[BigHunt]

well it looks to me and a good plan

[dan]

Based on that map alone, if I were hunting there for one day, I would be in the area of spot #3

[Stanley]

Hope the wind stays N/NW for you.

[virginiashadow]

I hope the wind stays N or NW as well. The temps are supposed to drop from a high of 70 today to about 45, cloudy, and drizzly on Saturday. I am working until 10pm on Friday night but I am going to get up at 4am and try to get set up for an all day hunt. I have high hopes and need some R and R. I am thinking #3 as well Dan. I found a lone bed(lightly used from appearances) close to spot #3.

[Edcyclopedia]

Considering you never hunted it and really don't have but one quick scouting episode I think I would try #2 based on the wind and Assumming you will acess from the dotted road.

Reasoning - 1) Why poison the area with scent with the unknowns.
2) Scent will carry over the access road, a "normal scent area".
3) You can glass both sides of your findings to adjust for future sits based on that days results.

Good luck any which way you choose it!

[virginiashadow]

Thanks Ed. I was actually thinking of hunting spot #2 in the morning and moving over near spot 3 in the afternoon.

[dan]

Thanks Ed. I was actually thinking of hunting spot #2 in the morning and moving over near spot 3 in the afternoon.

I would go for broke... Once you hunt that area they know they are being hunted in that area... I also think that if you shift to area 3 mid day your going to kick out bedded deer you might of been able to shoot had you been there when they arrived.
Good luck in what ever you do.

[virginiashadow]

Thanks Dan, I really do appreciate it. My first thought on that entire property was spot 3. It had ample cover up and down the southeast of that hill, and a good amount of acorns. I figured those deer(if not pressured) could move short distances in there and eat/bed all day. I am going to move in on spot 3 and see how the morning pans out before reassessing.

[KMStone]

Shadow, looks like a good plan to me. I just wanted to mention that muzzleloader season doesn't begin here in Virginia this year until Sat, Nov 5. So, you won't have to factor in the blackpowder pressure for your hunt this Sat.

[virginiashadow]

KM, thanks buddy. For some reason I thought it was coming in this weekend. I might only get to hunt until noon or so on Saturday on the private land spot I mapped out above. I will readjust to my public land spot for the afternoon.

[virginiashadow]

Well I hunted for 4 hours in friggin miserable conditions this morning. Wet snow, sleet, and the pouring freezing rain. I packed it up after the winds kicked up and the rain was blasting sideways. As I got down I saw 2 new ladder stands within 30-50 yards of my stand site. I talked with my friend and he said a guy was up there a couple of days earlier putting the stands up. I bet he tromped his scent all over the place. I did not see a thing. IF I hunt that property again I will move down to spot 2 or 3 and get hundreds of yards away from his spot. I wish I would have known that going in this morning. The rain continues to pour so this afternoons hunt is done. TOUGH hunting year for me.

[cwoods]

Keep at it VA, no need to hold your low.

[virginiashadow]

Keep at it VA, no need to hold your low.

Thanks buddy. I am an optimist and keep pushing forward. I knew this season was going to be tough due to my new job and it's training requirements pretty much keeping me out of the woods Mon-Fri. However, even knowing that in the pre-season does not make it easy to stomach. I WILL get it done!