The 1/3 elevation rule

[BCR1985]

If the highest elevation on a mountain property is 1500 feet according to a topo map, Is the elevation line to focus on 1000 feet? A property I've got my eye on has various mountain elevations ranging from 900 feet, 1300 feet, 1500 feet, etc. Should the 1/3 rule be applied to whichever hill/mountain youre focusing on or should you be looking at the highest elevation on the entire property? Ex: 900 ft hill = 600 ft focus area, 1500 ft hill =1000 ft focus area

[WV Bowhunter]

I've found it not to be an exact rule but a very good guideline. I've found terrian features such as a military creast around that 1/3 down from the top is where the sign is. I also think that the travel line can change based on the wind and thermals. I've found good sign higher and lower on the hills. You'll know it when you find it.

[Brad]

It's usually higher if it's anything , I would say that 1/3 to 1/4 of the way is generally about where it's at though.

[elk yinzer]

I believe the rule was developed around the top 1/3 of the change in elevation. The "hill country" in Western PA that I hunt hills run 200-300 feet in scope I find that rule much more applicable than the mountain country where the hills or mountains can run up to 1,000 feet elevation change. I still find deer up top on our ridges but I find the sweet spot tends to be a bit lower and more dependent on other habitat factors generally.

[elk yinzer]

2x post

[RidgeGhost]

Yinzer kinda said it, but focus on the upper 1/3 of the elevation from the lowest point to the ridge line, not the total elevation. If your highest elevation is 1500ft, I doubt the ridge starts at sea level, probably more like 1100ft. So in that case you would focus around 1350ft and up.

[seazofcheeze]

Yinzer kinda said it, but focus on the upper 1/3 of the elevation from the lowest point to the ridge line, not the total elevation. If your highest elevation is 1500ft, I doubt the ridge starts at sea level, probably more like 1100ft. So in that case you would focus around 1350ft and up.

x2.

Formula to calculate the 1/3 from the top is as follows:
((Highest elevation-lowest elevation)*0.6667)+lowest elevation. So, to put some numbers to the example, if your mountain starts at 1000 feet and goes up to 1500, your primary cruising/bedding elevation would be calculated as follows ((1500-1000)*0.6667)+1000=1,333ft.

[rempse2]

I like to use the profile feature on Caltopo. I'll take a cross section of a ridge staring at the lowest point in the valley and draw a line thru the ridge to the lowest point on the other side. I'll look over the profile looking for the drop off on the leeward side just below the military crest then plot the point on my GPS. I'll do this drill across the ridge in several locations and plot the points in the GPS. This serves as my staring point then it's time to hit the woods and connect the dots. I've had good luck using this method. If the beds are there it usually puts me in the general vicinity to be able to find them.

[BassBoysLLP]

I've found it not to be an exact rule but a very good guideline. I've found terrian features such as a military creast around that 1/3 down from the top is where the sign is. I also think that the travel line can change based on the wind and thermals. I've found good sign higher and lower on the hills. You'll know it when you find it.

Bingo. Don't get caught up in the elevation. Study the topo. A military crest is a thermal edge. You can see these edges by studying aerials and topos.

[Kraftd]

Get out and drop a lot of milkweed too. Only way to really dial it in fine for specific locations and wind/thermal conditions. Get the Hill Country DVD, goes over it very well in there.

[Brad]

This is one of those scenarios where I consider having more accuracy at longer range a huge asset. My #1 killer of big bucks has been hunting the thermal tunnel because it's so predictable. I feel it is my absolute strongest skill set.

I go in blind to these a lot because as I said it's predictable more times than not. Sometimes you are off a few yards and need to stretch out the shot on a buck up above you on the ridge or way down below you. Having that extra 5-10 yard ability is very nice in those situations. Also, practice shooting up and down steep inclines, your bow will shoot higher than normal it seems like even at the same yardage as on level ground. You would think it would hit lower on uphill shots but in my experience it doesn't. I practice my treestand shots from a 2 man ladder stand in the back yard, put the target up there and step back and shoot up hill.

[BCR1985]

Thanks for all the insight. So to recap, as discussed in hill country bucks dvd, the 1/3 from the top of the ridge deals with whatever particular hill/mountain you're focusing in on? So for a mountain that has the highest point as 900 feet according to the topo map, I should be scouting at the 600 foot line give or take?

Perhaps this is a better question so as not to confuse anyone with what i'm asking. The piece of state land I'm hunting is very rugged, lots of mountains. According to the topo, each hill has its own highest point. The highest mountain on the whole property is about 1500 feet. Should I be focusing on the highest mountain a third of the way down? If there are three mountains on a piece of property and they all have different max heights, do you choose the tallest of the mountains? Should my focus be at the 1000 ft mark? Will a mature buck gravitate to the tallest mountain in hill country? Please let me know if I'm not being clear.

[rempse2]

You should look at the leeward 1/3 of each mountain as being potential bedding areas. It is not height dependant.

[elk yinzer]

Thanks for all the insight. So to recap, as discussed in hill country bucks dvd, the 1/3 from the top of the ridge deals with whatever particular hill/mountain you're focusing in on? So for a mountain that has the highest point as 900 feet according to the topo map, I should be scouting at the 600 foot line give or take?

Perhaps this is a better question so as not to confuse anyone with what i'm asking. The piece of state land I'm hunting is very rugged, lots of mountains. According to the topo, each hill has its own highest point. The highest mountain on the whole property is about 1500 feet. Should I be focusing on the highest mountain a third of the way down? If there are three mountains on a piece of property and they all have different max heights, do you choose the tallest of the mountains? Should my focus be at the 1000 ft mark? Will a mature buck gravitate to the tallest mountain in hill country? Please let me know if I'm not being clear.

I don't know at what point a hill techincally becomes a mountain but as I said awhile back I haven't found the 1/3 rule to stick quite as well in the mountains where you are talking ridges that can be 1,000'+.

As an example one of my honey holes is a long ridge that runs for hundreds of miles, but in my section from the very bottom to the top is about 1,200' to 2,400'. That's a 1,200' ridge. Using the 1/3 rule bucks should only be above 2,000' elevation. I don't hunt the creek bottom but I have good several good buck beds/military crests/stand locations from 1,400' all the way to the top. What I consider my "best" stand location on that ridge I just checked and it is at 1,660'

Deer simply don't travel all that far in a day and a mountain that size they would be disregarding a whole lot of good habitat, and some of the best habitat, if they only lived on the top 1/3.

[<DK>]

I've found it not to be an exact rule but a very good guideline. I've found terrian features such as a military creast around that 1/3 down from the top is where the sign is. I also think that the travel line can change based on the wind and thermals. I've found good sign higher and lower on the hills. You'll know it when you find it.

Good post!!

The 1/3 elevation rule is a generalization to get started w most hill country scenarios. Transitions, back cover, wind conditions and terrain changes all affect where youll find them. They dont all follow the rules but most bucks like the higher elevation. Pay close attention to topo lines that spread further apart bc these spots can be good. There can also be benches where half way down the hill it can flatten out to create a shelf, not all of these can be seen on a map. Try to concentrate on the ingredients. Dont underestimate an obstacle in front of them either. Good sign can be tough to find in some cases so judge the length of the bed and find hairs if you can. If you want to go hardcore... Setup right over the beds so you can shoot to them in the mornings.