I need some help on how to read this land to place a new stand. As you can see I am hunting public land. I have only been out once and managed to see two Does and one Buck that was just way to small. That was hunting from the ground while actually just leaning against a terrace. The fields are a mixture of corn and beans this year with only a few small patches of corn not harvested. All grass is about waist tall on me at 5 foot 10 inches. My last go I located plenty of rubs in a small area and beds surrounding them, but the wind never seems to allow me to hunt that area. thanks for any help guys. also the last time I went i actually drove around the whole area and found what seemed to be only one other person hunting. White dots are parking ares blue line is creek/small pond Red is boundary lines
I would find a little sliver of woods that connects that creek to the area around it. There is a ^ v shaped point on the middle left side of the map, thats the area I would start.
anyone else? that area is all just bedding mainly along with most the timber along side the creek. I get no signs of anything in there except beds and paths that lead to areas that the wind doesn't play well with. seems to always be a south southwest wind.
If you know where the beds are... And you know where the food is... Then you have your answer. Set up between the bedding and the maind food source and you should be in good shape.
Otherwise set up on a good edge over any fields still standing and watch. See where the deer are moving and go there. There doesn't appear to be an awful lot of woods for them to go to, so your options narrow down quickly.
no there really isn't at all. I have started to notice more now that most tree lines in SW Iowa are small dividers between fields, and along creek lines. most fields are used to their full growing potential. My last time out I walked all the way to the southwest field in between the boundary line and the small pond. There is where i saw about 7 fresh rubs all within about a 40 or so foot radius. I ventured north a bit following the creek and that's when all the bedding and really tall grass comes in I couldn't stay due to wind so I ventured back to the original spot and thats where i saw my two does and a broken off 3 point buck.
IMO, I would try the area where the wood lines make the 90 degree corner to the right, seems like that area is in proximity to where you're seeing the rub lines and could be utilized as a staging area prior to them entering the fields. In addition it seems to be the most densely wooded which would give you some options with stand placement. But I'm in PA so I may be totally off.
well guys i picked a spot and got my stand up today. Decided on a tree just off to the east of the pond. The paths seem heavily used as there is very little if any grass at all on them. They lead from a bedding spot to another one and branch off in three ways to the field. So we will see how this goes.
