Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Discuss deer hunting tactics, Deer behavior. Post your Hunting Stories, Pictures, and Questions/Answers.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


crossfitcarpenter
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby crossfitcarpenter » Fri Oct 12, 2018 11:31 pm

I am hunting a public river bottom from October 27-30. The chase will be on in the area and I've decided to access by kayak and hunt down the river. I have spots scouted up to about 6 miles in, but I have 20 miles of river bottom to play with. I'm thinking I should still hunt between the scouted spots and set up on hot sign if I find it. Does anyone have any pointers or opinions on this tactic?


User avatar
WMAn
Posts: 16
Joined: Sat Sep 29, 2018 6:22 am
Location: Tennessee
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby WMAn » Wed Oct 17, 2018 12:24 am

Saw this last week and thought about it while we floated a river on Saturday.

What's the river banks like? Cut, steep, or gently sloping?

A few observations on the river we floated - The does often bed within sight of the water. Floating along quietly, they will stand up from their bed and remain motionless as you float by. So just floating long stretches of river may give you sightings to serve as a starting place.

Also, places where small creeks and ditches enter the river function sort of like the deep cuts that are referenced on the Hillcountry DVD. Bucks cruising the river bank will have to cut in from the river 25 to 30 yards to cross the ditch. This can serve as a good ambush point. You can also access from the river up the creek checking for fresh tracks without leaving a lot of scent if there is water in the ditch, creek.

The one big advantage of accessing from the river is the ability to leave little scent. You give this advantage up if you come off the water and still hunt down the bank. Another variation of your tactic, would be to identify spots through cyber scouting. Then simply walk from the river to the top of the bank and see what you can see. If it looks good explore further or adjust based on what you see.

All of the above would work on the river I have in mind but might not work on your river.
User avatar
brancher147
500 Club
Posts: 1414
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:46 am
Location: West Virginia
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby brancher147 » Wed Oct 17, 2018 12:49 am

Don’t go too fast. Pay attention to detail. Do not push too far in trying to setup on bedding. Bucks will be cruising, let them come to you.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
User avatar
bowfreak8
500 Club
Posts: 599
Joined: Tue Jul 18, 2017 2:58 am
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby bowfreak8 » Wed Oct 17, 2018 2:02 am

Sounds like it should be an awesome hunt. I'd say go slow and do a lot of stopping/listening/glassing.
crossfitcarpenter
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby crossfitcarpenter » Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:52 am

WMAn wrote:Saw this last week and thought about it while we floated a river on Saturday.

What's the river banks like? Cut, steep, or gently sloping?

A few observations on the river we floated - The does often bed within sight of the water. Floating along quietly, they will stand up from their bed and remain motionless as you float by. So just floating long stretches of river may give you sightings to serve as a starting place.

Also, places where small creeks and ditches enter the river function sort of like the deep cuts that are referenced on the Hillcountry DVD. Bucks cruising the river bank will have to cut in from the river 25 to 30 yards to cross the ditch. This can serve as a good ambush point. You can also access from the river up the creek checking for fresh tracks without leaving a lot of scent if there is water in the ditch, creek.

The one big advantage of accessing from the river is the ability to leave little scent. You give this advantage up if you come off the water and still hunt down the bank. Another variation of your tactic, would be to identify spots through cyber scouting. Then simply walk from the river to the top of the bank and see what you can see. If it looks good explore further or adjust based on what you see.

All of the above would work on the river I have in mind but might not work on your river.

Thanks man, the banks are deep cut on the outside curves and sloping on the inside.
crossfitcarpenter
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby crossfitcarpenter » Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:55 am

brancher147 wrote:Don’t go too fast. Pay attention to detail. Do not push too far in trying to setup on bedding. Bucks will be cruising, let them come to you.

I cant wait for the chase I saw the biggest deer track I've ever seen yesterday on a marsh about 3/4 mile from the river and tracked it to a fresh scrape so Im super pumped at this point.
crossfitcarpenter
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby crossfitcarpenter » Wed Oct 17, 2018 4:57 am

bowfreak8 wrote:Sounds like it should be an awesome hunt. I'd say go slow and do a lot of stopping/listening/glassing.

Its my first time hunting mobile like this so Im ready. My goal is to atleast encounter a mature buck.
User avatar
PK_
500 Club
Posts: 6894
Joined: Tue Nov 20, 2012 5:10 am
Location: Just Off
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby PK_ » Wed Oct 17, 2018 6:33 am

Don’t overthink it. River + rut cruising = easy hunting. Setup on a pinch with the right wind. 3 days to hunt I wouldn’t burn much if any daylight walking around looking for ‘sign’.

Just my .02
No Shortcuts. No Excuses. No Regrets.
Everybody's selling dreams. I'm too cheap to buy one.
Rich M wrote:Typically, hunting FL has been like getting a root canal
User avatar
greenhorndave
500 Club
Posts: 13819
Joined: Tue Oct 09, 2018 11:23 am
Location: SE WI
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby greenhorndave » Wed Oct 17, 2018 7:13 am

crossfitcarpenter wrote:
bowfreak8 wrote:Sounds like it should be an awesome hunt. I'd say go slow and do a lot of stopping/listening/glassing.

Its my first time hunting mobile like this so Im ready. My goal is to atleast encounter a mature buck.


That sounds super cool and along the lines of a few things I want to try.

Good luck and looking forward to an update whenever you are able to do it.
----------
Sometimes when things get tough, weird or both, you just need to remember this...
https://youtu.be/d4tSE2w53ts
User avatar
SamPotter
500 Club
Posts: 1233
Joined: Thu Oct 25, 2012 1:01 am
Location: CT, NY, now IA
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby SamPotter » Wed Oct 17, 2018 7:47 am

Definitely the right time of year to be hunting scrapes, etc. A week or 2 later and the scrapes will go dead. Sounds like a great tactic provided you can keep the wind at your advantage at all times and deer densities are decent.
crossfitcarpenter
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby crossfitcarpenter » Wed Oct 17, 2018 8:38 pm

PK_ wrote:Don’t overthink it. River + rut cruising = easy hunting. Setup on a pinch with the right wind. 3 days to hunt I wouldn’t burn much if any daylight walking around looking for ‘sign’.

Just my .02

If no one else is there that will be perfect, people are getting good at find pinch points on Google earth.
crossfitcarpenter
Posts: 54
Joined: Sat Jun 23, 2018 8:41 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Still Hunting and setting up on hot sign?

Unread postby crossfitcarpenter » Wed Oct 17, 2018 8:40 pm

greenhorndave wrote:
crossfitcarpenter wrote:
bowfreak8 wrote:Sounds like it should be an awesome hunt. I'd say go slow and do a lot of stopping/listening/glassing.

Its my first time hunting mobile like this so Im ready. My goal is to atleast encounter a mature buck.


That sounds super cool and along the lines of a few things I want to try.

Good luck and looking forward to an update whenever you are able to do it.

I'll definitely let yall know how it goes.


  • Advertisement

Return to “Deer Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: theAdmiral and 92 guests