Moving my Treestand??? Should I so early in the season

Hello Everyone,
Okay so this is my first season and I scouted out the land and thought that were I placed my tree stand was going to be a pretty good spot. Now here is the thing I put out my trail cam, that I was able to get last week, in an area that I thought they would be and got nothing. Now my tree stand is on a hill and at the bottom of the hill is where I wanted to hunt and the top of the hill is almost about foot level with me. I'm already about 18' in the air already so going higher wouldn't be an option. Now when I was sitting in my tree stand one day just getting comfortable and getting familiar with how to move and where everything was a big doe walked along this trail that was sure enough on the top of the hill like 15 yards away from me... Now my question is should I forget about that lower area that I saw no activity and move it higher on the hill or should I sit tight and see what happens and maybe move it a week or two into season?

 

Just wanting to make sure, you can't go higher because of the limited amount of sticks or steps you have? or comfrotable? Both valid reasons. I've hunted similar situations with a hillside before and actually 2 stands positioned on hills this season. I went about 27 feet in the one and the other about 28. Now I'm comfortable with that, however if not comfortable going that high I would NEVER say go that high. In this case if 18 is the height and the hill top keeps busting you it's a gut call. What sign is there at the base or lower down the hill that attracted you to this spot in the first place?

I've seen over the years scrapes pop up all along the sides of a hill by my parent's property...and mature (old) bucks will typically come into these scrapes from high ground (especially in high pressure situations).

Another thing to consider is if the deer are bedding on top or along an edge at the top of the hillside...any information on that?

This is the beauty of hunting, learning the ropes and learning each place you hunt. I got a new property this year, and while I'm confident in the 4 placements we've made, I know this year is also going to be a huge recon year for my father and I there.

 

I don't have enough height on my ladder unfortunately i would probably be okay at 25' its just i have no way of getting up that high. Also the tree starts to thin out considerably at that height as well.

Now the bottom spot is a little bit of a clearing next to a stream that goes down a ways and meets up with a river. I also saw what i thought was a trail that went down through that area and then across the little stream. Maybe i should be a little more patient and see what show up on the camera this week.

There is a good chance that they are bedding on the other side of the hill/ridge because there is a open field with a lot of high grass and thorn bushes. I have yet to see any major rubs but i have tried to put out a mock scrape or two in the area to try to increase movement around my stand. I also forgot to mention that there is a deer trail going along the ridge on the side that my tree stand is on and the big doe used that trail when moving past me.

 

How far up the hill is this run behind you that the doe used? if you moved up above that how far would that put you from a shot to the base like you desired initially? Sounds like you're in a good spot though...whats on down across the stream you speak of?

 

I was looking at a tree that is further up the hill that would have good potential for that trail, but it would take out the possibility of making that shot down at the base of the hill. The stream is in a valley so the other side of the stream is similar to the side I'm on but on that side are some houses. I could always do a little more scouting tomorrow and see if that tree a little higher on the hill would be more beneficial because you always see a lot more when your about 20' in the air.

 

It's true...I feel you got a decent location...part of the joy of hunting is just figuring it out. Good luck!

 

Thank you for the help here i really appreciate it ill keep you posted on how it all works out. Im pulling the card for my trail cam at the bottom of the hill on wed or thursday. At which point ill move my camera up to the tree im thinking about moving my treestand and see what kind of movement i get up at the top of the hill...

 

So i moved my trail cam yesterday to the top of the hill and see what is coming through that area. Lets hope its something big and then ill decide on the new placement of my stand from there... Lets hope its not a totally dead area but only time will tell...

 

Keep us posted..!

 

Will do i looked at the 1 picture i got after three days of it being out. It was just a doe so i know deer are in the area lets just hope they use the trail on the ridge line to my left more often. The only downside to that is i might need to move my treestand in that case but we shall see...

 

So I got some good news for the past couple times when I leave my treestand and go over the ridge into the field I have been seeing more and more doe. Started with 2 then 3 and today there were 9 and what seemed like a 6 pointer (it was 150 yards away). Now I'm strongly thinking about moving my stand because they eat in this field and there is a tree line right next to the field. When I walk by this field at 200-400 pm there are no deer then around 500-630 it is littered with doe and where there are doe there will be bucks... so what do you think? Go for it and move?

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If you're talking moving right to the field edge I say no but that's me. I love hunting the spots the deer are using to get to the fields. Deer by nature, or at least most, will get on edge before entering a field unless unpressured or completely 100% sure of safety. hunting the trails leading to the field or spots where deer may slow down approaching the field are places I love.

 

Good point I'll keep scouting before I decide if I want to move

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And so it begins now you need more stands and more cameras :D Have fun !!

 

Lol I was afraid this was going to happen hahaha

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Sounds like you have a good spot, but hunting your good spot doesn't mean you have to be right on top of it. Try back tracking the run the doe came down to find an intersection with a few more runs and set up there, catch them on the way to your creek " spot "

 

This happens to me every year. I was already looking at treestands today.

 

here let me try and post a picture of the land lay out and that way you guys understand what is going on more so you can help me better on a position to place my stand... Now if i can only figure out how to post it...

 

Okay i figured it out.
Alright now let me try to explain this the best i can.

Silver/White= The land I can hunt
Purple= the field i have seen all the deer
Yellow line = This is where they go into the woods from the field (Im afraid that might be were they are bedding)
blue dot= someone has setup a ghetto wooden tree fort (Treestand) right there.
Red Dot= where my treestand is currently
Green Dot = where im thinking about moving my treestand
Pink Line= The ridge line



Also between the blue and red dot is a large ridge line going from East to West along the tree line mostly.
What I like about my green dot is that i wont spook them if that is a bedding area because im far enough away where i can get in and out of the stand without interrupting their safe zone. What bothers me is that idiot with the jacked up idea of a treestand will probably spook them off. (I saw him and he was wearing new balance sneakers on his hunt) I mean to each their own but he doesn't seem to serious about this stuff. Thank you for the help guys

 

Here is the Topo of the area. If not the spot i have shown above i was thinking maybe i could get on this ridge line where i marked and see what kind of action is going on there because that water is right there... I have a hard time believing that the deer are bedding down in that small area but what do i know im new at this...