Let me preface this by saying that I was all set on my sit tonight based off of last nights sit. However, I have another friend who was hunting on our ground last evening in a different spot (rarely does this happen), and what he saw has me second guessing somethings. First, the map: All corn as identified has been cut as of last week. Now, stand number 2 was a set I hung this summer and stayed out of until last night. I spotted a heavy 8 with a doe out in the corn about 30 minutes after dark on my drive out the other evening. This inside corner is in between two VERY thick areas, with the bulk of the deer coming from the bedding area to the west (painted in blue). I decided to sit this last night with the S wind, and sure enough, 6 deer (3 fawns and 3 doe) came from the bedding area to the west and followed the red trail out into the inside corner. Not a single sign of a buck around (except for the rubs right along the edge of the inside corner). I was set on sitting this again one more night to see what happens. However, a buddy of mine was hunting spot number 1, also an inside corner. He had a wide 8 come up out of the hollow (the red trail going straight is the path he took), and stop at 50yds, but never presented a shot. 6 more doe came through and went down into the hollow he said (that's the path zig zagging north to south. This stand is on an inside corner of a cut field as well, and it's at the top of a ridge that runs parallel to this deep hollow of thick brush and stands of hemlocks. The wind is a hair better for stand 1 (supposed to be a SE wind tonight), but I keep telling myself to not chase sightings this time of year, because, frankly, the buck he saw could be on another property by that time this evening. Am I crazy here? Number 2 I'm confident of where the deer are coming from, so part of me just says to stick it out and as long as I'm near doe, eventually I have to see something (even if he's a scrub). Thoughts?
If your wind truly is SE tonight, and your buddy saw a good buck at Stand #1 last night, that's where I'd be hunting. The bucks aren't in full-blown crusing mode yet, so they're still sticking to their core areas fairly regularly and checking the local doe groups. If he was there last night, there's a good chance he may be there tonight. And your wind is way better for that stand. If anything comes ouf the bedding and gets into that field by Stand #2 without you getting a shot at it, you're likely done for.
I'd agree with the stand 1 option as well. If he's bedding in or near that hollow and scent checking the bedding area a SE wind would put that stand in a good location while blowing your scent into the open field. Only downside it sounds like is the stand may be just a touch too far off his preferred travel route.
Yep, I have never been able to scout much further E than that stand location since it's right on our property line. I do know that it gets THICK at the bottom of that hollow to the south and east. VERY thick. I've always assumed/guessed that this would be the closest "core" area for a buck near our property, since I don't believe there are any within the boundaries of our 90 acres.
Nope, not a tree thicker than about 4" in that whole area. Really thick autumn olive and scrub walnuts.
Just got in (short walk to truck and short drive home). Hunted #1 Didn't see anything but turkeys (surprise). Did hear some sparring on the other side of the hollow. Oh, and the doe that scared the crap out of me at the base of my tree when I got down (couldn't see her, and never heard her sneak up). Got back to the truck and could barely make out the shadows of the group feeding in the cut corn that I saw last night from #2...I'm assuming they took the same route. Then again, with the ESE wind tonight, Justin was probably spot on, and I would have just pushed necessary scent around. Duke, my entry for #1 is to cut across the cut corn and enter to the NW of the stand. This is the only option for this location, and I don't hunt this stand buy once or twice a season due to this fact since I do run the risk of bumping deer on the way out. Turns out it doesn't matter. This season is wearing on me, that's for sure. Lots of doe, very few bucks.
