The Expandables - Official team 29 thread.

Looking good jamin. That long beard needs an arrow!

 

Sorry to hear about you boy I8mytarget! Nasty looking cut!

Some good looking bucks JaminWI!! Hope you catch up to them!

 

Yeah, wish I would have seen that gobbler during hunting season. There's a lot of turkey hunting pressure in my area so the mature gobblers turn into ghosts after about the first week.

 

Try covert. They are great

 

Recommend a particular model? I like to keep my cams in the $100-150 range. Allows me to buy more and don't feel so bad if they are stolen or get damaged.

 

Since we're talking gear, any of you use the Hawk brand tree hanger bow arms? I have some older HSS(?) ones that have separate screws and it's just too much clutter to carry around. Looking at either the extendable Hawk or the 24" solid? I'm thinking the compactness of the extendable model may be nice for packing in, but I like the gear hooks of the solid arm model.

Dilemmas. Any experience with Hawk products in general?

 

The mp-8 is a great cam by covert and it's 125$

 

Stealth Cam people may want to check their local Fleet Farms if they're looking for cameras.

 

I think cabelas is running a special on these cams also.

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Okay, trying to plan my spot for opener this Sat. I plan on hunting the afternoon and am looking to set up on a field edge over soybeans and corn.

Wind is predicted to be NNW ~10mph. I'm trying to figure out which side of the field to set up on. Do you guys prefer your scent blowing out into the field, or behind you back into the woods? Basically I'm trying to figure out if I should be on the north or south side of the field.

Either location will have a hillside back behind the stand up to a ridge. All regular bedding areas.

Here's a quick shot from GE. Red line is an old snowmobile trail that heads up the hillside. I'm thinking of using my run and gun LW hanger to set up at one of the blue arrow locations most likely.


Here's a macro view of the terrain.

 

I would rather push my scent into the field. Deer will be less alarmed since they will be coming out of the woods into the field. With the terrain it looks like a ridge that leads right to it from the west. That's where I would figure they would be coming from or out of the fence line to the north east.

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Over the couple years I've been trying to hunt this piece of land they pop out from all over. I've tried setting up ground blinds to intercept them and they walk out from the opposite side.

If I had to say most often, it would be off the north hillside and from the ridge to the west (as you pointed out).

I've harvested deer here during gun season because I can cover the field. However I've never had any luck bow hunting this pocket because I have no way to funnel the deer into bow range.

 

Have you tried scooting back further into the woods on the west and trying to get them 50-100 yards back? Rather than hunting the field hunt back in the woods.

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We actually just put a ladder stand back there to the west this year for my FIL and nephew this season.

I just always read to hunt field edges in the afternoon early in the season.

Maybe I'll just play it by ear. I always thought the snowmobile trail would be a slam dunk spot because people always talk about deer taking the path of least resistance and hunting old logging roads.

Appreciate your help Dunlap.

 

If that the tree line running east to west on the north side of that field that would be the route I would figure they're taking. I would also try that logging trail or snowmobile trail I seen a lot of activity on old logging roads

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Everything I've researched says bucks will stage up to 500 yards from feeding areas and start to move 10-15 min before dark.

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Going out on opening day, Monday night. Its awfully hot this year but hopefully ill see some movement when the sun begins to set

 

I would set up at the middle arrow, if that keeps you down wind from the snow mobile trail. I would rather my scent blow over a empty field than over woods where deer might be bedding.

 

I agree. I've decided to either set up there tomorrow or up in the NE corner where the tree row connects with the woods. Going to wait and see what the wind is doing and where I can find a good tree.

I appreciate everyone's input.

Edit: typo

 

Good luck tomorrow!