I got to thinking about something tonight on my way home from the woods as I was pondering where I might hunt on Saturday. I have a stand that I am particularly fond of. Its one of those sets that always eventually seems to produce, year in and year out. I got to thinking. If only hunted that stand one day a week, would I be over hunting it? This stand has it all, a perfect route in and out of it without being busted, etc. I realize that deer can and will pattern you if you hunt the same spot too often, especially on consecutive days. But 7 days apart seems like a bit of a stretch IMO. Thoughts?
Given, anytime you hunt it, you're going to leave something, but, with a good entrance/exit and the right wind, I would not have a problem with once a week. I hunt some stands more than that. The wind is the big determinant for me. For instance, I only have one stand for a N wind. If I have 3 days straight of N wind, I'll hunt that stand all three days. BUT, this is a stand that I can slip in and out VERY easy. Good luck.
I hear ya about the wind. The problem with a lot of my stands, is that the wind changes so often (thermals). I can pick a stand in the morning because of a N wind and by 9am its blowing out of the west and by noon its out of the southwest. This one stand, I'm just itchin' to get into this season for some reason. I usually leave it alone until the last week in Oct and the rut.
Wind is everything...if you're not blowing scent throughout the property - I'd have no probem hunting a spot multiple times per week. Some guys fail to realize that there is only a small time frame that certain spots are really good...I'd rather fail by trying to hard (and enjoy the heck out of it), then to avoid a good spot and let the deer dance around my stand everyday (while I wish I was sitting there)...you gotta be there to shoot 'em.
^^This. I'm like Ben, I have a great stand (the one I shot my 9 point out of last year, and the one I blew a perfect opportunity on an 8 in this year) that can be hunted with a S/SSW/W wind. I have a great entry and exit that allows me to slip in and out very easily. I would have to go back and check my journal from last year, but I would venture to say I hunted it about 7 times during the first three weeks last year until I shot my buck. I didn't sit ONE time of those 7 and not see deer.
I will hunt the same stand for a week straight if a big buck is in the area. people are too cautious. gotta take a risk, the buck you are after will eventually mess up and offer you a shot. I think guys put deer on to high of a pedastle and give them too much credit. I have bumped deer walking in to my stand, only to have them come back a little while later. I hear my bro and his friends always talking about the wind, the weather and so on. I dont buy that crap. I believe if its going to happen, its going to happen. Hunt til you kill him.
If your wind is blowing off the property away from the deer, and you don't get busted on stand...you could hunt it every day without being patterned IMO. For my best setup, any wind with North in it, and for afternoon sets a West wind works equally as well (for killing the deer, as a west wind blows scent into the cut corn field they eventually end up in at night and I risk being winded later that night). With northern winds, my scent is blowing back towards the house on the property away from where the deer are, and I have no chance of being winded during entry/exit, and an extremely low chance of being winded on stand. If I have a cold front blow in with any type of North winds, this stand is almost fail proof....also helps that cold fronts seem to stir the deer more as well. Thank god for the cold front and record low temps we got on opening weekend. I agree some guys can be overly cautious, but on the flip side ignoring wind/weather all together is equally as unproductive.
Word. Strike while the iron's hot. I shot my best buck on Nov. 6th, 2007. I saw him, there, on the 2nd and 3rd, also. I'd have hunted him the 4th and 5th, if I didn't have other obligations.
I probably "overhunt" my stands but I still have good results seeing bucks in range when I've hunted that stand for a few days straight. I believe as long as the wind blows the way I need it and I keep entering/exiting where the deer do NOT come from then I can justify hunting the same stand day in and day out. Also, when the rut is near or in full swing I don't worry about deer patterning me especially since a buck may walk by any moment that hasn't stepped foot on that property until that time. Works for me.
Word, Word, that buck is in the area for a reason and wont be long. You have to try and make things happen. (with full precautions)
