I just received permission to hunt this 13 acre woodlot, but I can't get in to scout the area until August. Where would you guys start looking for stand locations? It's a steep hillside with a small creek at the bottom. The field to the south is usually planted with corn. Landowner says the property to the west gets lots of hunting pressure. Thanks for the help!
Where's your access point? Close to the corn in the early season would be good, but not if you have to traverse the entire property to get there. Sent from my SCH-I535 using Tapatalk
Yeah, as of right now I would have to walk all the way down the hill. I plan to talk with the neighbors (bottom right) to see if I could walk in from their road.
Ya man deer love to travel drainages and if you can be next to the food source you'd have a nice spot Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
I would also like to add, if you could you may be able to plant a small food plot on top where you walk in. Just a thought. Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk
http://www.mappingsupport.com/p/gmap4.php Why don't you use this to post a better topo map, would help a lot. Change the type of map on the upper right.
I'd focus on the ridges, steep hillsides are notorious for swirling winds...thats why deer love to travel the drainages. I'd locate one of the ridges that offers some view into the drainages below and easy, quick access from your entry and hunt it hard in the AM and stay late. My idea would be to try to ambush them coming back in to bedding after feeding all night. Good luck on recovery....
It will produce if hunting right is what I suspect he meant...it really does appear to be a little gem!
Tyni hit it. You're familiar with the property, if you shoot a deer and it goes into the low lying areas (and it probably will)....it'll be a long hard slog getting it to the truck! Haha, it's an occupational hazard but worth the effort.
I think the key is gaining access from the bottom right....really be nice to them...and even explain if they desire no deer will ever been seen drug back to vehicle....better to be able to access from there but drag a harvest all the way to the top than not be able to and have it not go as well....I think even if access can't be had you should be able to get something off this property!
Gotcha! That's what I thought you were going for. There is an old logging road that goes down that middle ridge...I'll have to make friends with somebody that owns a 4 wheeler.
My setup is similar. I don't have the steep elevation you have but what everyone has mentioned is spot on. Base on the topo my advice would be a setup slightly NW of the 700 el notation. I would hunt the lowest point of those funnels. Primo location brutha!!
I would get other opinions but this is where I would setup; on or around the star. Scribbly line is my route in.
You might want to consider setting a stand close to the creek early season, those deer have to get water some time, and if the creek is close to the corn than thats perfect, thats where I would set a camera and see what passes by.
Hey Josh, so glad you found some places to hunt. A lot of good recommendations have already been made. But, a key thing you mentioned that you can really use to your advantage is the pressure from the neighboring property. If you can pattern when they get into their stands, if you sneak in about 20-30 minutes before you might just get lucky when they spook the deer right to you. As others said, try to find the shortest path in without putting your scent everywhere and you will be just fine because it looks like you've got a good slope funnel and the deer will be all around in that bottom.
