Alright all you topo map gurus, where would you sit? If you need to know anything else, just ask away. Thanks in advance!
Assuming it's all wooded I'd put a stand close to that pond on the south end of the ridge and another at the very beginning of the ridge where those two draws come together. But there's no substitute for boots on the ground.
The light shade of green is really close to showing the timber. I would be coming in from the south as well. I will show you where I have a stand right now and was thinking about putting one up where you mentioned by the pond.
Alright, the blue dot is where I have a stand already. The yellow highlighted area is a nice bedding area. It is a decently thick flat where they can get down in the ravines quick and easy if need be. The black circle area is where there is a really good acorn crop this year. They are all over the ground around my tree. The red lines are trails. It is uncanny how they are usually found where there is terrain change on a topo map. They all lead to a grass field where they feed all year round. I want to try and stay out of that stand until the rut activity starts heating up a little bit, but may try to sneak in if the wind is perfect (straight N or N, NE) early season and hunt over the acorns. A stand by the pond will be good for early season. I would be able to sneak in without pushing deer and hunt over the ag fields and pond during the hot days of the season.
If I were going in to hunt this property blind with only a topo to use, I would assume the best bedding would be in black and my stand sights would be in blue. I did a black line from the blue as to where I'd want the wind to blow.
The blue spots are where I would look and set up. Going off where you said there was trails too. on top i would find where they are crossing the creek and set up over it.
Three recommendations: 1) augment the topo with aerial pics 2) scout your assumptions 3) check out the area closest to the head of the stream.
Where you have your bedding areas, they are on north facing hillsides. Would they bed on these hillsides during the warmer months then on south facing hillsides in the colder months? When walking this property after season last year, I did not find any beds on the north facing hillsides but they were all over where I highlighted yellow, on the flat and south facing hillsides. Is that just because it was cold? I will post an aerial pic as well.
