When i set up on trails, I like to set up within my preferred range; 15-20 yards. Ideally I find where two (or more) trails converge and try to set up for a slight quartering away shots.
All depends on where I can find a suitable tree. The tree I choose this year where I killed my buck was actually right on the trail. My thought process was that those trails are doe trails as bucks generally don't use the trails as much as does. Of course he proved my theory wrong as he came out of the ditch right on the trail and walked right towards me.
5-10 yards for me. The higher up I appear the better and I figure the further from the trail the easier they can spot you because you appear closer to eye level. Before someone blows me up, this is just my opinion and what I do and it seems to work.
Depends on location and cover, this past year my stand was sitting on a trail that made a "T" with another path about 20 yards away. perfect intersection mad my shot this past year very simple.
I am not going to argue with you because we all know there is more than one technique that works. I will say the only deer to bust me in many years was last year and it was mature buck that came straight in. Finally at 5 yards he turned and as I started to draw he snapped his head up and looked right at me LOL. They don't get old for no reason though.
I think the reason I make it work is because I don't look straight at the path to where I could shoot whether they come from one side or the other. I sit angled, almost parallel, with the path to my side. I wait until the deer passes me and then if they don't present a shot naturally I can grunt with my mouth so when they turn back I have a quartering away shot. BUT, the problem with this method is that I limit myself to only the deer going in one particular direction on the path. So I help myself in one aspect by getting closer for a closer shot but I hurt myself by limiting opportunities. It's bitten me in the butt a few times when having a deer walk straight in to me and never having a chance to shoot but it's also helped me stay close for the shots I do end up taking.
Why the paranoia? lol I hunt 10-20yrds out, but 25+ feet up. These are Public land deer, they're hip.
I sit in a tree right on the trail. When they walk under me I jump on them and tackle them to the ground.
It depends. I will sit about 10 yards off a trail and other times it's about 30. It really depends on what you're comfortable with and what cover you have.
I usually try to get 20 to 25 yards back but it also depends on the availability of a good tall tree and cover, if any of them lack I try to limit my closeness to no closer than 15 yards if I cant get a good tree along the trail I'm wanting to hunt I go to a ground blind.
Longbow1104, You will get more responses if you make your own thread and dont hijack others. Just a tip...
