So interesting night thus far... I get home from work and I'm shooting my bow and my brother in law stops by. Were outside passing the time with a few cold ones and he brings up his farm. Now I knew that they always had "some land" not far from our family farm, but never brought up hunting it to him as I figured his dad and brother (he doesn't hunt) would be out there and didn't want to get in their way. Anyways he brings up the fact that they have right around 500 ACRES!!!! Now most of it is fields/pastures, but looking at an aerial map of it there is a large wooded area that looks EXTREMELY promising with a large creek running through the middle of it, with 2 ponds, and small valleys throughout it. I ask how many people hunt out there and he said as far as he knew one family friend had 1 stand out there last year, but he wasn't sure if he was coming back this year or not. Apparently his dad and brother go a county over each year to hunt. He is going to double check with his dad, but said that as far as he cared I had full access to the whole property! You want to talk about a jaw dropper. Now season starts in a week here in Illinois. My weekends are usually filled with me sitting in a stand, and I don't like to do much if any in season scouting. Is it worth trying to tackle this new property this year, or just wait it out this year and check it out after seasons over?
No, not worth it. But I'll help you out and check it out, do a little hunting on it and learn the deer patterns on it for you. I promise not to shoot more than two bucks off it. I'm just here to help.
Haha thanks for the offer Christine. Maybe this can be my excuse to buy more trail cameras and treestands. Once my bro in law gets back to me with a positive answer I'm going to drive out there at dusk and see if anything is out in the bean fields and slip in with a camera or 2 at some point.
Hunt it this year, go in, and be mobile! I hunt new spots almost on a daily basis. I've sat 17 times this year, hunted in areas I've never hunted befroe and have not sat in the same tree twice! Killed a doe on Tuesday in an area I've never hunted before, missed a buck the day before, same area. I scouted it out that morning while squirrel hunting, it paid off! Good luck and congrats on the new land!
Set up a couple of observation stands off from where you think the hot spots might be. Once you sit those a couple of times fine tune your set ups where they need to be. Also if you find an oak raining acorns climb a tree and get ready. From what I can tell not all oaks have acorns but some are loaded, if you find one dropping, hunt it NOW!
Of course hunt it. I'll be doing the same this fall, I just got access to another 300 acres, however I won't be the only one hunting it. I will be like you in trying to learn how the deer interact on this property.
i would too..im hunting tomorrow morning in a spot i have never hunted, but i like the way it looks...trails everywhere coming out into a sunflower field and small cornfield strip that the state plated, to feed deer, i just so happen to find a nice tree i can climb about 15 yards in that sees over top this field...should be a good stand tomorrow if wind holds true
get to know it this yr and be REALLY ready for next yr.... on those days the wind is wrong for your other set-ups, maybe a rainy day or just on your way home from work (till daylight savings) swing by and check it out. ps dont forget your bow, portable, sticks and a knife!!!!!!!!!!!!
