So I joined this site with hopes of reading the many threads regarding the ins and outs of bowhunting... I don't respond to many threads because honestly I don't feel like I have anything to offer in most cases. So I sit back, read, and try to think how I could put the information that is being discussed to use in my own situations. I think I have gathered quite a bit of information since joining (much to the dismay of my boss).. I've probably been in stand a total of 20-25 times this fall with only seeing does and fawns. I have never had a lot of luck seeing or harvesting deer but I love the challenge. This past weekend I was hunting a stand that I have pictures of a decent 8 pointer coming in. I made a mock scrape a few weeks back and used code blue in the scrape. Almost immediately I had pictures of the 8 pointer and 2 small bucks checking in on the scrape at various times of night. There is a house not to far from my stand (200 yards or so through the woods) that I know feeds the deer. There is one particular "funnel" area that the deer pass through that is about 100 yards north of my stand. So as i sat in my stand Saturday night and watched deer traveling in, out, and around the funnel area I thought that maybe I should move my stand closer. After a quiet, rainy morning Sunday I decided that I would make the move. In doing so I grabbed my trail camera that was set over the mock scrape and moved it to the new trail. After all was moved and set I went back home to check the card I switched out and found a new buck had decided to check out my scrape. Which was about 25 yards from the stand I just moved... I apologize for this long thread but I'm wondering what your thoughts are about moving the stand. I know I moved closer to the funnel area that I know the deer use, but I moved away from the scrape that I had 4 bucks visiting periodically... Did I make an ill-advised decision?
I have stands based on where I get daytime pictures of bucks. By the looks of it, you were not getting any daytime pictures at the scrape. With the rut coming up shortly, I too probably would have moved my stand closer to the funnel. A funnel usually means does, which means bucks this time of year. Good luck
Could you make a new mock scrape at the new stand location? You'll see scrapes go cold soon then heat back up after the rut, I think you made a good move.
I did make a new scrape by the new stand on one of, what I think is, the main trails leading into the funnel. I used code red this time instead of code blue. I am hoping to check my camera within the next few days and possibly hunt on Thursday evening. I guess I'll see then if the move paid off at all.
