I picked up a bow for the first time last fall. Due to my late start, I just hunted a couple of friends' properties, both of which were not ideal for hunting. Never even saw a deer on the properties. It was more of just a time to get out and relax. By the end of the season, though, I was ready to kill something, and never even got a shot. Fast forward to this year, I've been working hard to find a new spot, and finally gained permission last weekend on a spot that looks amazing. My dad and I are the only ones who will be hunting there (apparently I'm somehow related to the landowner and had no idea). My problem is, everything looks so good, I'm not sure where to start. We have three stands, and I'll be hanging a couple cameras as well, this weekend. Haven't had a real chance to scout, but we're getting close to the season. Based on this picture, where would you suggest setting up my 3 stands? I have my ideas, but everything about this is new to me. All I know is just from reading.
The best advice I can give is get some trail cameras. I just started relying heavily on cameras this year and it is giving me confidence and better tips than any other tool I have.
Yes, I'll be hanging cams. I only have 2 reliable ones, at the moment, but I'll be adding to the arsenal in the near future. Based on what I'm looking at, though, there are more spots than I can cover. I'm just looking for ideas of where others would start. I agree, seeing lots of activity on a camera makes me feel a lot more confident, and I'm hoping find that spot as quickly as possible. Don't want to waste my time, hanging cams in useless spots.
Rubs should be showing up in the next couple weeks. Also look for bedding areas on or near the property, then food sources...then place cams/stands in between. Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2
How big is the piece of land? Might be worth taking a little time for a quick scouting walkthrough and try to spot trails, water, food sources, acorns....you know the usual stuff and try to get those cameras out. Give it a week and check your pics and try to narrow down where to hang your sets. Do you have any pics of the place? I am kinda in the same spot as I literally just got my lease and we spend Tuesday prepping. Not nearly enough time IMO but you work with what ya got. Obviously next year will be better. GL
It looks like the pic is posted, to me. I'm not sure what to do, if others can't see it. If I messed that up, can someone let me know. It's a 1/2 mile x 1/2 mile piece of property, with all kinds of places that looked good on the quick once over w/the farmer.
Hang some cameras and you should get an idea on where to put the stands. Good luck to you this season, I hope you get one down!
I'd really dive into looking at the aerial photo of the property. Google Earth or Bing Maps are useful tools. Remember, deer are a creature of the edge. They love to frequent transition areas. This can be transitions from hardwoods to swamps, or just simply woods to a field edge or one type of trees transitioning to another. I'd first start by finding edges or transitions within the property's interior. Starting points should be on transition lines, in a corner or point of heavy cover extending into thinner cover or where you can see up and down a transition line from a piece of high ground if there is elevation to work with. Think of your first stand locations as observation posts. Maybe set up an observation stand overlooking a food source like acorns from a vein of hardwoods or even one or two oaks in an area. When you witness a deer that you want to kill using a certain area or trail, then note the conditions and move your stand and set up on them based on what you actually see them do. My most successful stand locations from the past 20 years of hunting are nothing more than refined locations I've developed from my starting points. My best advice for new property is observe, then refine and adjust as the deer movement dictates. Start on the transitions and go from there. You never know either, you may get lucky and kill something from the first tree you pick. It happened for me on a 4.5 yr old 10 pt in 2004.
