Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

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Waddams
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Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Waddams » Tue Jul 20, 2021 5:18 am

So I got on my onxmap, snipped into Bluebeam, and overlayed a bunch of stuff. Got the aerial, topo overlaid, and some information I gleaned based on experiences in the area shown last season. I'm asking for help from people to help me more accurately narrow down where to scout. The area is southeast, in Georgia. It stayed hot and green into November last year. All of the ridges and higher elevations have a good amount of oaks. I also found everywhere I went in there last year plenty of wild muscodines, greenbriar, etc. Lots of cover, lots of browse. I've also looked at the Google Earth historical aerials to identify edges and transitions. So I've tried to relay what I think is relevant information, and then ask the questions at the end. Sorry for the length! First attempt at attaching a pic - hopefully it comes out okay on the post.

My experiences here last year were:
-Green area with red cross hatching - lots of other hunters. I ran into lots of guys along the road, found lots of old stands, hunter sign (ie - trash left over, etc.). The brighter green area in particular, I found 5 stands in there. In 2 sits, I never saw a deer in there, morning or evening, high or low elevation.

-The red dashed line is basically a ridge line that one can walk up and down instead of crossing ravines that are pretty steep and deep. I've followed it from the end near point 3 up to about half way behind private farm field last season. The rest of it is me adding based on contours.

-Point 1 - had a buck sighting here pre-rut. Was in my stand, it was gun season, I was facing the field about 150 yds back. Doe got up, milled around, buck trotted up, then they both took off running. Was a buck only day, and the buck was in thick enough stuff that while he was slow moving he was never exposed enough for a shot, and once he took off he was moving too quick for me to reliably to put a clean shot into him.

-Point 2 - was getting up on to check out the ridge (pre-rut), bumped what was either 4 or 6 pointer who was almost on the ridge crest in thick cover watching the entrance road (green highlighted, and it usually had 4-5 trucks on it during the season).

-I never saw any sign that any hunters were heading up to points 1 and 2. No trash, no sign, no disturbances, etc. I did find small scrapes and fresh rubs exactly on the ridge line, though. There's a smaller ditch that doesn't show that parallels the green highlighted road btwn the road and ridgeline. It's got a few crossing points but not many. I figure it keeps the lazy guys off the ridge. It's also pretty thick up there. I carried a pair of pruning snips with me to cut my way through.

-Point 3 - almost every time I drove in, there 4-5 does staged here, standing around either waiting for more dark to head over the farm field adjacent, or just coming back from a night in the field, depending on when I was driving by.

-For the ridge line along points 1 and 2, I found rut rubs and scrapes along the side away from the road when stumbling through, spaced all along the slope. They were towards the upper height as you'd expect. Did not find any trails along the elevation line. At least not well worn trails. I imagine they were not using the same foot path and were instead varying a little the elevation they traveled at.

To the west of the farm field next to Point 1, I've not been back in that area yet. I did drive by several times, never saw a truck on the side of the road there. It seemed very heavy hunter concentration in the green area, but nowhere else. The ridge lines to the western area in particular interest me now. I'm thinking to stay away from the green highlighted area due to all the pressure, and maybe try to slip in to the west, thinking that the pressure might bump deer around this western side of the farm field. This western side is where I'm really interested in opinions on if you see good bedding potential, can someone please comment on that?

Am also wondering if the non-green red hatched area further to the west that overlaps another road looks like a good area to scout as well? There are two high points around that intersection, would make good observation. The purple road does get a fair bit of traffic.
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Tennhunter3
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Tue Jul 20, 2021 5:36 am

I can see why you had a buck sighting on point one.
It has multiple wind bedding in that area.
Has a good drainage leading upto multiple bedding points and easy escape or to wind change.

Water is nearby and chances are that area has alot of different terrain features and edges.

The general area around that holds everything a buck needs to survive.

Plus a low natural funnel on private between the lake and field. The left white circle looks really good .
Sets up perfect for a cold front rut cruising crosswind and probably bedding too.

Also bedding is probably in that area on a southerly wind blowing towards the north. That little spot looks great if noones pressuring it.


If I were scout this map I would look near where I circled yellow and white for bedding.
Screenshot_20210719-123131_Painter.jpg
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Last edited by Tennhunter3 on Tue Jul 20, 2021 5:47 am, edited 4 times in total.
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Tennhunter3
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Tue Jul 20, 2021 5:39 am

I like the small circle here.
Most places where public meets private their will be different types of transitions and buck trails along them quite often.

The big circle i would scout it may or may not be decent.
Its eye catchy and appears could be bedded on at least 3 wind directions. If its really open it probably won't be good.
If it were me I would walk it out of curiosity.

The southern yellow is very interesting.
Possible bench a drainage entry with steep sides.
Probably thick cover and noone could get too that area without being seen. All the way over to your red line could hold bedding and transitions along that property line.

Screenshot_20210719-123314_Painter.jpg
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Waddams
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Waddams » Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:40 am

Thank you.

I might post a few more similar images of other areas both that I've either hunted or am interested in hunting.
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:23 am

Theirs many on here better at reading properties then me.
Hopefully my input will help in some way.

Bucks can hill bed and smell that field , private hunter.
Like this and smell any doe that crossed or ate their.

Screenshot_20210719-163611_Painter.jpg
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:45 am

Farm style bedding is the other option.
If a hunter hunts that north ridge the buck would smell him while watching the field for danger.

On a wind blowing east to west any hunter that comes in off that road down that point will get busted. While the buck beds watching the field edge.

The bucks can easily slip down into that thick drainage to his north and be gone. These are the reasons that area appeals to me.

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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Waddams » Tue Jul 20, 2021 9:45 am

I'll take any advice anyone on here wants to offer and am thankful for your time!

2nd aerial:
-Have had a devil of a time figuring out where to look for big buck beds here. It's the only place I've managed to get a few big bucks on camera. 1 daylight pic of 2 together, and the rest at night. Lots of does, and a good stable of small to medium bucks running around as well.

-Green dashed lines are gravel tractor paths that are used to reach the openings. They plant them for quail in the fall, then around Thanksgiving go back there, mow, and plow 'em to dirt.

-There are several hunt clubs close by - all out of state guys that seem to have no job in the fall. Lots of pressure, it doesn't really let up during the work week.

-I tried to focus on going deeper down the pennisula to get away from the other guys, without much luck.

-After thinking about it more, with the way the wind blows, I'm wondering the bucks stay more around the green area, in thick cover during daylight. They can hear vehicles pull up to the parking area, scent for does down the peninsula, and avoid the numerous stands that are on the private land.

I'd love to get on one of these big boys. In prior scouting, I've found the fabled four finger tracks, big droppings, etc. Never managed to even get a sniff of a shot chance. I guess there's a reason their big, their smart! The big deer pics were taken at the yellow highlighted text box. I got several more after that but they all went to night time.

All the deer I've seen or got on camera where moving in a manner that suggested bedding on the SW shore, towards the entrance/parking area. One guy in parking lot also said he'd seen them cruise the NW shore during rut scenting for does as well. The area is pretty thick, but there is a mix of open hardwoods vs. thick pine and other areas with thick undergrowth. At the moment, I've got an spot to try that I haven't before that's where a lot of that comes together just a bit up from the one clear game trail crossing the tracks I found.

Again, any input/ideas is appreciated!
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Tue Jul 20, 2021 10:50 am

Never hunted a area like that.
I'm probably way off.
I do think their would be cruising on the northern slope with the right wind.

If you are getting pics in daylight the bedding is most likely close.

I really like the west peninsula it would be very secure for bucks to bed. And by your wind directions they can bed any wind on that peninsula and feel secure.

Here would be the areas I looked but they might be in one of those tucked little island,peninsulas somewhere. I have no experience in that type of terrain.

Not sure if we have any beast that are experienced in that type of terrain.

Most likely though it is a single bedding area for every wind and it will be a spot they feel secure on every wind.

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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Tue Jul 20, 2021 11:15 am

By where you mention doe bedding and your primary wind directions.

I would expect something like this at least a trail of some sort through your yellow box to scent check doe. It gives a crosswind of that doe bedding area.

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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Waddams » Thu Jul 22, 2021 4:50 am

I ran cameras in several areas around the scrapes. Caught were the bucks would cruise through to scent check and got them working the scrapes in various areas. It was always at night. They'd approach from the southern shore, cross the RR at a spot where there's an easy cut to get up an embankment from the RR, and then fan out. I'd get a buck heading up the cut at 11pm or midnight, then see him later at another camera either cruising thru scent checking or working a scrape, all during night hours. Then I'd get him back on camera heading back down that embankment cut usually an hour or two before legal shooting hours. I'm pretty sure I saw one of the big ones while on his circuit one morning before legal shooting light. Big blacker shape moving through the woods in the dark. He hit a field corner where a little early morning moonlight let me see him just a bit better, then disappeared in the direction of that cut. I've always thought he was heading back to his bedding spot on the south shore to hunker down for the day.
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Tennhunter3 » Thu Jul 22, 2021 8:34 am

Looked for bedding on one of those peninsulas on the southern shore?
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Waddams » Fri Jul 23, 2021 4:33 am

I did once when I figured out they kept going and coming from the southern shore peninsulas. Took me a while. Didn't get a whole lot of ground covered. And I had no idea what to be looking for. Did find tracks in a few spots, but don't remember seeing rubs or scrapes away from the scrape lines I marked before. I need to find time to go back and just trek the whole shore line to the tip of the peninsula.

In other forrays through there, I have found several spots in thick areas where I'd come on a spot with all the grass matted down, droppings, etc. Have always thought it was where one of a few doe groups where bedding - was always 10-15 in diameter, one big area. And I was up a tree once and saw 4 does get up out of one and go trotted off while blowing over and over again. I figure they caught my scent in some kind of swirling action. I never knew they were there until they got up. Was about 100 yds off.

For that southern shore line, the winds always seem to blow from the lake down the peninsula. Never seen 'em blow anywhere else. A buck bedding on the south shore could pick up scent from anything on the peninsula all the way to end, so I'd been wondering if they were bedding close to the mainland portion, near shore edge, where they can hear the parking area and scent most of the peninsula. I've never been in that area, it's on the to do list to go check it out.
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby btsnhos » Fri Jul 30, 2021 3:26 am

Tennhunter3 wrote:I can see why you had a buck sighting on point one.
It has multiple wind bedding in that area.
Has a good drainage leading upto multiple bedding points and easy escape or to wind change.

Water is nearby and chances are that area has alot of different terrain features and edges.

The general area around that holds everything a buck needs to survive.

Plus a low natural funnel on private between the lake and field. The left white circle looks really good .
Sets up perfect for a cold front rut cruising crosswind and probably bedding too.

Also bedding is probably in that area on a southerly wind blowing towards the north. That little spot looks great if noones pressuring it.


If I were scout this map I would look near where I circled yellow and white for bedding.
Screenshot_20210719-123131_Painter.jpg


Not trying to hijack this thread but can you expand on why you think point one has multiple wind bedding areas? Is it because, like you posted, the drainage, water, etc? You mention the multiple bedding points, which bedding points are you seeing?
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Ognennyy » Fri Jul 30, 2021 4:20 am

Tennhunter3 wrote:I can see why you had a buck sighting on point one.
It has multiple wind bedding in that area.
Has a good drainage leading upto multiple bedding points and easy escape or to wind change.

Water is nearby and chances are that area has alot of different terrain features and edges.

The general area around that holds everything a buck needs to survive.

Plus a low natural funnel on private between the lake and field. The left white circle looks really good .
Sets up perfect for a cold front rut cruising crosswind and probably bedding too.

Also bedding is probably in that area on a southerly wind blowing towards the north. That little spot looks great if noones pressuring it.


If I were scout this map I would look near where I circled yellow and white for bedding.
Screenshot_20210719-123131_Painter.jpg



Out of curiosity why are you so keyed in on southern winds? OP didn't state where in the country he is.
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Re: Newbie Asking for Help with an Area

Unread postby Waddams » Fri Jul 30, 2021 8:28 am

Ognennyy wrote:
Tennhunter3 wrote:I can see why you had a buck sighting on point one.
It has multiple wind bedding in that area.
Has a good drainage leading upto multiple bedding points and easy escape or to wind change.

Water is nearby and chances are that area has alot of different terrain features and edges.

The general area around that holds everything a buck needs to survive.

Plus a low natural funnel on private between the lake and field. The left white circle looks really good .
Sets up perfect for a cold front rut cruising crosswind and probably bedding too.

Also bedding is probably in that area on a southerly wind blowing towards the north. That little spot looks great if noones pressuring it.


If I were scout this map I would look near where I circled yellow and white for bedding.
Screenshot_20210719-123131_Painter.jpg



Out of curiosity why are you so keyed in on southern winds? OP didn't state where in the country he is.


I'm in Georgia. The winds 65% of the time come out of the north and/or east, or somewhere in between. They do, sometimes, shift to out of a more westerly direction. Rarer but not unheard of they come from south. Most of the time when they do, there's some big out of the ordinary weather event occurring like a huge multi-state storm system, hurricane, etc. that's passing by somewhere and mixing things up. At least, that's been my experience so far.

That said, the first spot I asked about isn't hill country but it's got a lot of draws and ravines over an extended area. Especially in low winds, it swirls and shifts a lot. Prevailing can be out of general direction, then you get hit in the face with a gust that's completely opposite. Then back to prevailing.

The second spot, it's much more consistently out of north and east. I can't remember a time I was on that finger sticking out in that lake where it wasn't.


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