I wonder the same things. Here’s a marked up picture of the aerial view and a little history of the area. The areas outlined in red are all bedding the small chunk just sw of the stand is all grown up crp and small saplings, NASTY little area. The big section to the east is the main bedding area on the property that I only hunt the outskirts because there is no good way to get in without bumping deer, there are multiple creeks that converge at the big inside corner to the east of the stand. The strip of woods on the east side is a big deep bottom that also flattens out where the creeks come together at the inside corner. Where the two bedding areas pinch down real tight together I have a stand for a north type wind. I killed a cruising buck in that pinch last year on November 4. The stand in the point I can hunt pretty much on any wind but a north type wind. So on the 1st there was a fairly strong SSW wind which is as good as it can be for this stand. I have never killed a deer from this stand but I could have killed multiple foes and should have killed a 140-150 type buck two years ago but I totally botched it and shot right over him. It was a similar situation but it was on November 15. That deer came from the west and heading east scent checking the small bedding area. The deer that I shot on Tuesday came from the big bottom on the east side of the property. I’m guessing he was just doing the same thing that he has been doing all summer on a night time feeding pattern. (Marked in blue is where I’m guessing he came out before heading to my stand 150 yards across the open field.) I was definitely in the right place at the right time on my opening day hunt, and I was lucky enough to capitalize on the opportunity that I was given! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Heading out this evening... First front moving in of the season. 78 for a high today. 46 tomorrow morning. Going to hunt the same stand tonight that I will hunt tomorrow morning - probably just leave my bow and gear in tree! I always feel like those first couple hunts can be a little clunky - especially that first morning hunt of the year. With the NE wind, this early in the year and no real "target bucks" to speak of this is likely the best set up for observing and maybe getting lucky.
Get after it man! Good luck to you and everyone else heading out! Sent from my iPhone using Bowhunting.com Forums
Tucked in! A look to my north. Behind me to my west. And heavy cover to my my south east. All of our beans are rapidly turning - I went to the greenest I could find really. Be shocked to see something cruising through here tonight - just glad to be in the stand.
Quite slow this evening... 1 doe off in the distance. Nothing else. Going to sit the same stand in the morning. It just works well for this N wind and observing what is or isn’t going on. I aint going in the sauce until it’s time.
Welp... A little slow. 1 doe last night. 7-9 doe and fawn this morning. Not sure if a few of them didn't just circle off one field and back onto another. Nothing really too close either - observation stand was just that! Don't think I did any damage the last 2 days so that is a win I suppose. Will probably not hunt again until Sunday morning or defiantly Sunday evening as weather looks really solid.
Tomorrow evening will be my first sit of the season. Really looking forward to it! Finally got the cooler temps I was waiting for.
Tomorrow is opening day!!! Its about as good as it can get too, about a 30 degree temp drop from thur-sat, and acrons are dropping like crazy. Im pretty sure I know where Im gonna sit (near a persimmon tree), but I may try to go read a card and check out a spot by a fence opening on a field. Hmmm
Good luck out there guys. Sounds like some great conditions to get out. I was hoping things would be looking good to get out again. Checked cards today. Not what I hoped for. Still very quiet besides a couple does. Only couple nocturnal pics of bucks again. Won’t be pressing to get out yet. Few other things taking attention anyway. Hope it pays off, usually I push getting out and push stuff away, now hoping to get conditions right first. Well see. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
I'm out for the VT opener. Front went through yesterday afternoon. Today is calm, a chilly 30 with blue skys. Hopefully something will come eat the plot or the apples that have fallen
Welp - wanted to sleep in. Didn’t - woke up at about 6:40 am & wife said go hunt! So here I am. Picked the quickest stand to get to since I was getting into the woods late as it was... Never hunted this set before but it’s got 3 ridges or veins that run through the middle of it and Im at the end of one of them overlooking an acorn buffet. So far I’ve seen 2 doe and 2 fawns. Expectations remain pretty low.
I only saw a spike that walked 15yrds from me Sat evening, but I checked my cams and found this guy on one of them. Really nice brow tines and fairly wide! I shall kill him if given the chance. It'll keep me in the woods either way.
Looks plenty wide. Very nice looking buck. Hope he gives you a shot. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks! Yep, for my woods he's a pretty good buck. Just knowing he's in the area gives me some confidence.
