Need help planning my strategy for opening day. First hunt ever and on public land (briefly scouted 3 spots). To top it off, I get off work at 3:00P, so it has to be an evening hunt. I got myself a brand new climbing stand. Should I go right in after work and find a spot to set up my stand, or focus on a ground attack? FYI, I'm on eastern time, so sunset is around 7:30 Thanks! Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk 2
do you have any idea (even via satellite) where the bedding areas area vs. summer food pattern sources may be? I'd set up in between them but a bit closer to the food if the wind is right. you don't need snow to see a well worn trail.
Find the food source!!! Plots? corn? acorns? Set up along a path going toward the food or at the food. As soon as you get home, get cleaned up and head out. Ground or stand will work. Make sure you stay out until its pitch black. Itll start getting active around 6 so keep an eye out.
Yeah, two of my spots are near corn, bordered by thick timber. One has a creek, and one has a river to the south. The third spot has thick timber, acorns, a creek, and a marshy area. Thanks!
Can you post a picture of the property youll be hunting. Just like a google map picture. That will help a lot. Without seeing the property I would lean toward the the corner of the corn field. Set in like 50 yards or where the trail is. The marsh also sounds like a great spot. If its thick theyll probably be bedded down so sit on outside of thick stuff. Just find a tree in a couple of areas and play the wind. Good Luck
Hope pics aren't too small. Yellow is area of interest. Red is access route. Opening day winds are supposed to be WSW in the afternoon, and changing to SSE in the evening at 2 MPH. Thanks
Looks like you've done some homework already. Personally, I'd probably stay on the ground to be mobile in changing conditions. If you do still hunt ... walk very very slowly. Good luck!
All spots sound excellent, they have food, water, and cover sources. The great thing about climbers is that they are versatile and can easily be moved from tree to tree on any given day, not to mention you can climb as high as you want/need to avoid scent detection. Like you said earlier, you have a good understanding of wind direction that day, just make sure you play it right. hunting from the ground can be tricky if there is a breeze. It basically puts you on the radar of any animal that walks through the woods. you can be seen and winded easier, but it does give you the option of mobility. I live on EST also, I like to give myself a good four hour sit before dark if I'm hunting in the evening, but I'm also the type of hunter that will sit from sun up to sun down. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to let the woods settle down before the deer begin to move again. sounds like you have a few sweet spots. Good luck!
Cool, thanks. Being that they are predicting winds out of the South now, I think the River Rd spot (the one with multiple fields) will be the best. The wind will be in my face while walking in. Then I have several field edges to choose from. What do you think? Sent from my HTC Glacier using Tapatalk 2
