Alright, I have all but one stand hung. I'm down to three choices that were spots I picked out from walking post-season. I really can't pick one over the other, but the goal of these locations is strictly buck stands. I have stands hung that I'm pretty confident will put me on does during the early part of the season. After last season, which was the first in which I kept a journal, I know I wasn't hunting where the bucks were, so most spots I'm hanging this year are spots I've never hunted before. Here's the topo of the spots: Here's a corresponding aerial map (the eastern border indicated is actually a bit too far to the west. It extends a bit further than indicated. Ignore the other numbered spots: None of these spots sport any real abundance of deer sign, but I'm not too concerned about that. Spot #1 is a terrain transition from open oak/maple hardwoods to thick hemlocks. I know the bed in those hemlocks back off the property line, and with the food plot to the south of this, and a logging road to the west, this area seems like it might be a larger funnel/staging area. The only issue I have with this location, is its proximity to my ladder stand in the food plot to the south. Other than that, this looks promising. Great exit route as well. Spot #2 is an area a few of you recommended taking a look at back in March when I posted these maps. There are two old skidder trails, and this is one of them. It travels NW of the stand location down into a hollow of thick pines. I KNOW from years past and scouting this winter that they bed in here (mostly doe), but every year without fail a nice buck will show himself in that SE corner of the field, and they come into it from this area. My only issue with this stand is the exit route isn't all that ideal, visibility is LOW, and the fact that does are bedding in the pines (which again, for early season buck hunting, I'm not sure that's where I want to be). Spot #3 is a spot I was able to observe for the first time during rifle season. As you can see in the topo, this is as the bottom of a VERY steep ridge, with a bit of a drainage/spring fed stream at the bottom. It's VERY thick (mostly scrub walnuts,and briars, but the deer were crossing from our side over onto the neighbors at this spot. They bed up on the western side on top where the pines are. Most likely by archery season, that drainage will be dry or just a trickle, so it's not a abundant water source, but if they travel like they did last December, they may still be crossing in this location. I have a great entry/exit route. Problem is, all of the deer I saw in here last December were doe and 1.5yr olds. So, with one stand left to hang, give me your thoughts.
Woithout seeing it I would have to say go with 2. The way th terrain is ajacent to the field that's why I would hunt there.
I would agree, without seeing the terrain first hand, #2 is where I would go. I would probably also consider moving number 3 option just a little to the west. Looks like there might be a ridge in that area that may be used as a rub line.
