Tonight I was set up on the edge of some thick THICK pines, using the pines as a dead zone. They are too thick for underbrush to grow so you can see a ways under them. They don't let much light in so it looks almost dark during the day. Here's my question; how do deer use these? Do the like? Dislike? Are these good dead zones? Thanks for the tips!!!
Here in the south we have A lot of pine plantation's. Thick pines provide really good cover and bedding for the deer. These areas are really good for creating a sanctuary only to intrude to recover deer. One of my favorite Stands is set up on the edge of about a 200 acre pine ticket. I like the transition from pine to hardwoods in my experience deer love to travel these types of edges. I've killed many of deer this way. Good luck and hunt it with the right wind.
I hunted a newer section of young pines the last couple years that describes exactly what you are talking about. I put a ground blind in there because the trees were not quite tall enough to use a lean to, or lock on. The first year, I had at one point 8-9 different bucks coming through and eating at the feeder... I saw a really big 9 that I was after the first year that got 10 yards from me but just didn't present a shot. Like @aAL fulldraw was saying They use a lot of this for bedding, quick cover to jump back into and will make trails going in and out to the hardwoods. I never really had any luck inside the hard pines, I felt like they knew when I was coming in maybe due to being their bedding areas? I just never really ever saw a lot in my time in there... they were always on camera when I wasn't in there. I would try and find something on the outer edges of this where they are coming in and out to set up. Good luck though!
Hey guys thanks for the input!!!! The pines your referencing, do they have under growth? These pines do not have a under growth so if you bend over you can almost see through to the other side.... I always knew they liked pines but was thinking they liked undergrowth in the pines, but this is the first pine thicket I've set up on. Would you use them as a dead zone? Thanks guys!!! I'm getting the fever-can't wait for the rut!!!!
The pines I'm referring to do not have very much under growth at all. These are 9 year old pines they are as thick as hair on a dogs back. What are you referring to as a "dead zone "?
i have a friend that hunts NW WI all in red pine country, not like a plantation, but all red pines with some scrub oak mixed in and does very well. but it sounds like yours is thicker, i would treat it as a bedding area or an area they will use during nasty weather!
Up north the large pine areas are what we call deer yards in the winter. Deer will bed and take refuge there because the snow and wind less. I don't hunt them in the fall. There is no feed, the ground is super noisy and deer have better places to bed
Any edges between habitat changes are deer ambush sites. But from my experiences, deer prefer to bed in pines that have thick undergrowth.
Spot on. Same in NC. I'm not sure what OP means about dead zone, but if you mean no deer are there, that is probably not the case. It's more likely the bedroom for deer. Best of luck!
Edges and transitions in cover works for deer, grouse, fish, etc. I love the white cedar swamp/thickets in northern WI and MN food and cover all in one spot but very thick and hard to move thru but the shelter is hard to beat, better than pine, I will say this a white pine plantation is going to hold more deer than a red pine plantation.
In my experience it depends on how thick and at what height the branches are. If they are really close together with low hanging branches it can get to thick for even the deer to use. There is an area of pines almost like big Christmas trees to the south of my stand. some parts of it are like that, if you bend down you can see a ways under the branches, but you would need a saw to actually get in. I've never seen a bed in them or even deer tracks in and out. Squirrels, grouse and rabbits love it though. But in the areas where it is a little thinner where deer can find a seam, the will travel in and out and bed under the overhanging branches, especially once the snow starts to fly.
The pine blocks I hunt were planted in the Great Depression so we’re talking about 80+ yr old trees. They are every bit of 40-50 ft tall and the bad news is they are dying so it’s dangerous to be in them. I had one crash 50 yds from my stand while hunting. Scared the snot outta me. It woulda killed me for sure. But. The pines I’m talking about do hold deer. It’s about 5 or 6” mattress of needles on the floor beneath them so you can sneak through them without a sound. Which is probably why the deer like them too. When it snows you can count the beds. Very thin underbrush so when bedded they have a good vantage point. Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
We got lots of pines in Tennessee but most of the places I hunt don't have many at all. I would compare them to cedar thickets that I hunt - you got to sit down to see very far under the canopy, the ground is very quiet, not much food for the deer, but they love to bed and travel through these thickets because of the safety it provides. I've killed a bunch of deer with a rifle while sitting on the ground in cedar glades. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
Thanks for the input! When I say dead zone I mean an area that is unlikely to be used by the deer; so you're not as worried about your scent. Like setting up on the edge of a pond and having your scent blow across the pond.....
I went to the other side of the pines and set up about 10 yards in the brush facing the pines, with a side wind , saw 9 deer in one evening ......I had pines all wrong! Might be new favorite set up :-)
