I used to only use ladder stands so it was a pain to move them from one location to another so I ended up sitting in the same tree(s) quite often. This year I bought a climber and I have been loving the freedom to set up anywhere I want (provided there are some decent trees in the area). To all of the other guys/girls that use portable stands, how often do you go back to the same tree assuming wind conditions are favorable? Or do you just find another tree in the same general area? Or what circumstances help you make that decision (saw deer, shot a deer, educated a deer, etc)? Thanks again, Mike
It really depends. Some deer are more sensitive to repeated intrusion. However, I think most of us give the deer more credit than they deserve here. If you hunt the same tree once a week, say on weekends, I can't see that being a pattern-able approach IMO. This of course depends on whether you blow deer out as you go to and from the stand and if you spook any while on stand. If you do, you might want to leave it cool off for a bit longer than usual. But, deer, at least to my knowledge, don't have a calendar and can't tell you if its Saturday or Tuesday. I have stand that I hunt quite often, its my "honey hole" setup. I have hunted this stand almost every weekend since season started (known big bucks in the area) and have seen more than enough deer to keep me coming back. I don't usually do this, as I like a change in scenery once in a while but this season, knowing what is in the area, warrants the approach. The only other time I will "over-hunt" a stand is during the rut. I have a stand that is dynamite during the rut that I will hunt every day for a week, even if I spook a deer. It's simply too good to not hunt it during that time. If you hunt a stand once a week, keep your scent down, get in there without blowing deer out and get after em'.
It really depends on what part of the season it is, how many properties I have permission on and how many stands are on that property, how much I've hunted the property recently, and hunting pressure in the area. Unfortunately for me this year, I only have one property because I just got transferred to the area, and huntable state land in NE Illinois is nonexistent. Leaves me pretty much stuck to my 3 stand sites and my ground blind. Sweet.
I've hunted a particular stand on my property quite aggressively and often this season, and have seen deer EVERY sit, but one, including 7 different bucks. I'm considering backing off a bit today and tomorrow while the temps start to drop. There is a frequent large doe group bedding in the area, and honestly, I can't see how bucks aren't going to be showing up here with regularity starting in a few days. Like Muzzy, once I see the signs, I'm hitting it every single night that the wind allows me.
I think a big part is entry and exit to your treestand. If this is a quiet and ambushing approach and the wind is right, I feel it is ok to hunt out of the same tree. I have and never got busted and continued to see deer. If your seeing activity why move if the conditions are right!
usually i get into an area where i know the bucks are and hunt hunt it till the wind is bad or until i see activity saying i gotta move to another tree. hope that helps.
I have one property to hunt and it is only a small funnel area with about 10-20 yards of timber skirting the river. My stands and ground blind are all within 200 yards of each other along the river. I hunt the main ladder stand a lot and I am sure more than what I should but when you have no other choice what do you do-NOT HUNT! Well, telling me to stay out of the woods is like telling me I have to wear a dress for a month! NOT HAPPENING! I have killed multiple deer from that stand 5 years for the past 7 years. I have killed multiple deer out of all of my stands for 6 years out of 11. This is my 12 year and I have one down already. I have killed 2 deer within the same hunt out of a stand 3 years with others to be killed later in the year. My buddy that hunts the property south of me just killed a 150 lbs and 130 lbs does friday night. So with all that said you just have to do what you think is best. I think that my stand can be hunted a lot due to being a funnel area that that is the only woods that go through that property. I have trail cam of big bucks all season but they are all at night. I have claimed a 10 pointer and I have missed some monsters out there too from the same stand. One miss was last year thanks to a berry bush that went floating down river after my shot. Here is the picture of the buck! If you look right behind the first buck you can see my ladder stand that I am talking about! Here is the guy I am after this year! Pic taken end of September!
