Thoughts on hunting property and where to hunt

[Saltwater60]

My parent bought some property and I decided to hunt. Honestly it’s not the best property for hunting because it’s very long and thin and the wind direction is mostly wrong.
Here is a PDF of the property and I’d like some thoughts on where/how to hunt it. There are deer there, but mostly they travel through or bed down. There’s not much food, but I’m planning on adding some food trees for deer. There are some wild apples just not much left after mid October. The wind is usually w or wsw
It’s in a little valley so the sides are pretty steep and hard to hunt. You can not be quiet getting in or out and the property to the south is not ours so I have a hard time doing much there. I can hunt it, just not sure about a stand or anything permanent.
I have a stand set up and the wind blows at my face, but the deer come at my back a lot and then I don’t see them. I thought they would be coming out of the field more, but they have been going more west of the trail to my stand. I’m going to start coming in the creek side of my stand since I’ve bumped a few deer out of there. The property is very brushy and I have limited site lines. I may put a stand at the creeks edge where it says blind, but I would be facing the way the wind is blowing. I’m just hoping I could see a deer to the left or right of me, but the site lines are limited.
Thoughts suggestions? I’m a bit frustrated these days. I’ve put a lot of time and effort in and come up empty.

 

[1075tech]

If it was the only place I had to go but could set up a more "permanent" spot....

Take time in the off season to clear a path to your preferred spot. Make it at least wide enough for a quad - just in case.

If possible, build or buy an elevated, enclosed hunting box for your primary spot. Put up a couple of treestands in others

 

[fresch]

Got a pic after leaves fall?
The game trails pop out.

 

[stokes]

Dont be overly concerned with the wind direction.You sit with the wind in your face all day and see nothing coming from that direction.Meanwhile that big ten pointer that was coming from behind makes a quick left and you never see him.No matter which way you face your scent is carried somewhere, pontentially making a deer change direction, maybe in your direction.How many acres?Cant say much from that picture except to do your scouting and try to figure out where and which direction the herd moves thru the property, find rubs early season and set your stand in a busy area.I personally dont like stand hunting, I keep moving all day.

 

[SmallGameAddict]

As @1075tech stated, I'd blaze a trail by hand if I had to, or with tractor and brush hog, which allowed quieter access to your stand.

I'd hunt the brushy area of the creek any day. Find an elevated spot against a good sized tree. With some snow you'll be in like Flynn. Anything that moves is toast.

You'll earn that deer getting it out of there.

 

[Saltwater60]

As @1075tech stated, I'd blaze a trail by hand if I had to, or with tractor and brush hog, which allowed quieter access to your stand.

I'd hunt the brushy area of the creek any day. Find an elevated spot against a good sized tree. With some snow you'll be in like Flynn. Anything that moves is toast.

You'll earn that deer getting it out of there.

I do need to blaze some trials. I planned to do that this year and failed to.
my stand is against a large tree and right off a few deer trails. They seem to be going to the left of me around the brush the other way. My plan is to cut a few see through spots there so I can punch through there and see.
As stokes said I do plan to make a nice 4’x8’ raised wood box stand so that I can monitor the path the stand is on and the path they are currently taking, but wood was so expensive this year I abandoned that idea also I’m worried about scent pushing right to where the deer are.

as for how many acres we own 9 acres and it’s in a thin triangle of the field to where the tree line cuts into the field north of the property. We also own to the creek, but only a bit past in a few areas. I’m also limited by the 500’ rule because the three trailers at the front of the property that are someone else’s for now. We are trying to buy that property/hope to buy it some day.

 

[Carlos Hathcock]

Don't worry too much about the wind. Plant fruit trees if you want but investigate how long they need to grow before they bear the fruit you're looking for. The biggest problem our group seems to talk about right now is the lack of hunters in numbers, which in years past were the motivators for getting deer up and moving around during the day.

 

[Saltwater60]

Dont be overly concerned with the wind direction.You sit with the wind in your face all day and see nothing coming from that direction.Meanwhile that big ten pointer that was coming from behind makes a quick left and you never see him.No matter which way you face your scent is carried somewhere, pontentially making a deer change direction, maybe in your direction.How many acres?Cant say much from that picture except to do your scouting and try to figure out where and which direction the herd moves thru the property, find rubs early season and set your stand in a busy area.I personally dont like stand hunting, I keep moving all day.

I was moving all day and the issue is it’s so brushy all I would ever see was a white tail and could never figure out where the body was to get a good shot.
Right now up on the hill there are 3-4 areas of scrapes that k can see from my stand and lots of traffic at the ravine.
They travel both ways honestly. I’ve seen them on my camera coming from down the hill in front of my stand or from behind me. I sit in the blind and I’ve seen them cross both ways as well. For the most part I think it’s a matter of right time right place.
My plan is to set up a wood stand on the hill right of the field at the north.
keep my current stand where it is, but punch some holes in some brush.
I would like to add another stand essentially right behind mine and a bit down stream and face the other direction.
thoights?

 

[1075tech]

I’m also limited by the 500’ rule

That goes away if you have owner/occupant permission. I once had a stand 10' off a guys lawn, maybe 100' from his house. He didn't hunt but didn't care that I did. Even helped me put one in the back of my truck

 

[Tisto]

Have you considered just driving up and down rt 219 or 400 several times ? Pro tip : buy an old Bonneville or some similar vehicle first. Smashing your daily driver for a little venison is a bad idea.

 

[Saltwater60]

Have you considered just driving up and down rt 219 or 400 several times ? Pro tip : buy an old Bonneville or some similar vehicle first. Smashing your daily driver for a little venison is a bad idea.

What truly pisses me off is every time I leave there is a huge field about 1-10th of a mile from where I hunt and there must be 20-30 deer in there every night I pass by. Ugh.

 

[Saltwater60]

That goes away if you have owner/occupant permission. I once had a stand 10' off a guys lawn, maybe 100' from his house. He didn't hunt but didn't care that I did. Even helped me put one in the back of my truck

Thanks I am aware of that. It’s a rental property and the tenants do not last long. The guy that owns the property hates guns and gets pissed if I target shoot. The guy that stays in the trailer hunts over bait out his window on my parents property in their driveway. He shot a baby deer last year on their property. I’m not super particular about the 500 ft rule, but I’m careful and keep my distance. One good spot is maybe a bit closer than 500’ and I’ll hunt that this weekend.

 

[Bustedknees]

Looks nice, how many acres ?
If the farmers plant corn or soybeans you'll have a honey hole.

 

[stokes]

Have you considered just driving up and down rt 219 or 400 several times ? Pro tip : buy an old Bonneville or some similar vehicle first. Smashing your daily driver for a little venison is a bad idea.

My good friends father, a Polish immigrant and his buddy from Poland, neither could speak a lick of English,back in the 70's had a "hunting cabin" near Ellenville.They had an old pickup with a couple railroad ties tied to the front bumper and would cruise the back roads making road kill.These two got deer every year and never stepped foot in the woods or picked up a rifle.Bastards never shared any of it

 

[Saltwater60]

Looks nice, how many acres ?
If the farmers plant corn or soybeans you'll have a honey hole.

9 acres. He plants some corn. I need to add food trees. I plan to try some mulberries, plums, apples, and chestnuts. I have no clearings for any grains or anything that’s annual.

 

[Xae289]

Have you heard of still hunting? It's where you move through the woods extremely slowly. A few quiet paces, stop, observe, wait, observe, move, rinse and repeat.

If stand hunting hasn't been working, plot a trail you can move quietly and extremely slowly through throughout the day. Take the day to do it. Try to move in places where you have a good line of sight. Try to keep the sun to your back. Stay close to trees/brush and make sure nothing silhouettes your outline.

All of the property prep before next season will certainly be excellent, but if you want to try something different now, try still hunting. It's the only way I've ever seen deer on the limited time I've spent hunting public land (like 10 days). Unfortunately, I was always armed with a smoothbore shotgun or handgun due to area restrictions, so I could never get close enough to take a shot I was confortable with. With a rifle, rifled muzzleloader, or even rifled shotgun, at least 2 of the 3 would be meat.

 

[Saltwater60]

Have you heard of still hunting? It's where you move through the woods extremely slowly. A few quiet paces, stop, observe, wait, observe, move, rinse and repeat.

If stand hunting hasn't been working, plot a trail you can move quietly and extremely slowly through throughout the day. Take the day to do it. Try to move in places where you have a good line of sight. Try to keep the sun to your back. Stay close to trees/brush and make sure nothing silhouettes your outline.

All of the property prep before next season will certainly be excellent, but if you want to try something different now, try still hunting. It's the only way I've ever seen deer on the limited time I've spent hunting public land (like 10 days). Unfortunately, I was always armed with a smoothbore shotgun or handgun due to area restrictions, so I could never get close enough to take a shot I was confortable with. With a rifle, rifled muzzleloader, or even rifled shotgun, at least 2 of the 3 would be meat.

Thanks. I have tried it and as of now it’s just too noisy for me to do this successfully. Also lots of brush around and little changes in grade on the property. I have tried it on some of the logging roads but I get spotted to early and they jump me before I get a good site or shot off. Also many of the roads of your walk them cause your scent to be blown where the deer bed down.
There’s a spot or two I’d like to do this next year on, but I need to cut paths and take all the old pine branches out of. They are burrows under years of leaves and line needles. You just can’t see them.

 

[MoMan]

and right off a few deer trails.

I'm not sure what you consider; "right off"!
But, often times, hunters set their stand too close to active deer trails. Make sure you are far enough off of the trail to aid in your concealment. You just need to be close enough so you can see the deer activity, AND make the shot. This will also open up your view to a wider area.

 

[Saltwater60]

I'm not sure what you consider; "right off"!
But, often times, hunters set their stand too close to active deer trails. Make sure you are far enough off of the trail to aid in your concealment. You just need to be close enough so you can see the deer activity, AND make the shot. This will also open up your view to a wider area.

I’m sure I was too close more than once and that’s why they have changed where I thought they would be. That’s also why I need to start using the back entry to my stand. I have to cross a few deer trails to get there and walk past a bedding location.
If I can walk in the back way I will walk down a creek and only cross one deer trail and that’s where my scent will be blown anyway.

 

[Saltwater60]

Looking at the weather for Sunday they say the wind will be out of the south so that will change my direction. This is the first time this has occurred this season so I want to set up my blind so I can hunt either side this weekend. I know there are tons of deer in the section behind where I normally hunt but my scent goes that way. No way to get in quietly from the top since it’s all wooded and a very steep cliff. Also lots of springs and very wet areas where you sink in.

 

[Robin]

Even though you seem to think things out very thoroughly you are not seeing anything. Next time, think it all out, reach your conclusions and do the opposite.
One thing I would reiterate to my kids, we are born predators trust your instincts. The little savages picked up things pretty quick. While thinking things out is a good thing, it must be tempered with that feral instinct. It may not always pan out but that's how we learn.
Good luck Salt!!!!
Robin

 

[Saltwater60]

Even though you seem to think things out very thoroughly you are not seeing anything. Next time, think it all out, reach your conclusions and do the opposite.
One thing I would reiterate to my kids, we are born predators trust your instincts. The little savages picked up things pretty quick. While thinking things out is a good thing, it must be tempered with that feral instinct. It may not always pan out but that's how we learn.
Good luck Salt!!!!
Robin

Oh I’m still learning and learning a lot every time I go out. Last year and this year are the only two years I really put any effort into hunting.
Funny you mention instincts because that’s pretty much what I’m going off of. I have no one around that area that can help really. A buddy who hunts a lot just bought property not too far away so I’m going to ask him to walk it with me in spring. He’s hunted his whole life and is very good at it.
I did see three deer one weekend just set up in the wrong spot so no shot.

I think part of it this year is there’s lots of activity where I’m hunting. My parents are working on their cabin and I found out my mom walks the road every time they are out there, she walks the creeks, and busts up beaver dams, and the guy up the road is rebuilding his cabin. He doesn’t stay so he drives in and out multiple times, drives a 4-wheeler, and now has a bucket loader.
I think I’ll walk up the hill on Saturday evening and sit in the stand up there since that’s off the beaten path.
I think my main thing is I need to change my way I’m getting into my stand. I cross three deer paths getting there then I have to walk pretty much right along one to get to my stand. I think that’s what’s causing them to head elsewhere. I figured I see them walking down the hill and have a shot before they scented me.

 

[stokes]

Just because you can see a worn deer trail doesnt mean that they religiously follow that exact path every time they pass.You see one or 2 walking along the worn path but there may be 10 more spread about moving in the same direction just not on that worn path. As for scent,I think you worry too much.Just because a deer scents you wont automatically mean he's heading for the hills.Biggest buck I ever shot was walking towards me with the wind in his face and coming from behind me,he was about 150 yds out and steady walking, I continued moving slowly towards him and he towards me, he looked alerted but not spooked.I shot that fucker at about 30 yds.8 pointer with the thickest rack I ever saw.In fact the ranger who saw it didnt believe I shot it in the Catskills, thought I shot it in the ADK's.Over that 10 min period he smelled me, saw me and heard me many times, would stop and look intently right at me and just kept coming.Now I'm not saying this behavior is typical, but I hunt with a pistol and move all day trying to get close enough.Dont always have favorable winds and I have seen far more deer that hear me and actually move closer to see what the noise is about.When spooked they almost always circle back after running scared to continue in the direction they were going.If I was you I would not be so concerned about what hears you and scents you as you move into your stand.When I was 13 my grandfather started letting me tag along on hunts every year,he always told me that if you try to be too sneaky they can sense that, always told me to just move cautiously and in the 50 years since then I've found this to be the case most of the time.Another scent story here.Back in the 80's I went on a bear hunt in Canada, it was my first and all the guys had been there before,They all had zip lock bags to piss in, they then said to walk a good way from the stand and dump it, bears have a great sense of smell.Made sense till I was sitting in the stand, pissed in the bag and realized I would create a disturbance walking thru the quiet woods, so I tossed it behind me to the ground.I then just pissed right out of the stand.I'm a chain smoker and do not refrain from smoking.So just before dark, I'm sitting in the tree stand, wind in my face, I hear a sound behind me, look back and here comes a bear, right into my scent, which included the smoke that I had in my mouth and right over the one piss bag I used not to mention the dozen or so leaks I took all day and the cigarette butts all over the ground below me.Went right below me, stopped under me gave a sniff and kept moving.Got about 50 yds out and I coughed to make him stop and hopefully give me a better pose, perfect profile and he now hangs on the wall.Dont over think things, just get out there,take what precautions you can but dont fret if you have the wind at your back sometimes or you are rustling the leaves as you move.Ever hear a skwerl in the leaves?They are louder than you or me and they dont spook the deer.

 

[Saltwater60]

Just because you can see a worn deer trail doesnt mean that they religiously follow that exact path every time they pass.You see one or 2 walking along the worn path but there may be 10 more spread about moving in the same direction just not on that worn path. As for scent,I think you worry too much.Just because a deer scents you wont automatically mean he's heading for the hills.Biggest buck I ever shot was walking towards me with the wind in his face and coming from behind me,he was about 150 yds out and steady walking, I continued moving slowly towards him and he towards me, he looked alerted but not spooked.I shot that fucker at about 30 yds.8 pointer with the thickest rack I ever saw.In fact the ranger who saw it didnt believe I shot it in the Catskills, thought I shot it in the ADK's.Over that 10 min period he smelled me, saw me and heard me many times, would stop and look intently right at me and just kept coming.Now I'm not saying this behavior is typical, but I hunt with a pistol and move all day trying to get close enough.Dont always have favorable winds and I have seen far more deer that hear me and actually move closer to see what the noise is about.When spooked they almost always circle back after running scared to continue in the direction they were going.If I was you I would not be so concerned about what hears you and scents you as you move into your stand.When I was 13 my grandfather started letting me tag along on hunts every year,he always told me that if you try to be too sneaky they can sense that, always told me to just move cautiously and in the 50 years since then I've found this to be the case most of the time.Another scent story here.Back in the 80's I went on a bear hunt in Canada, it was my first and all the guys had been there before,They all had zip lock bags to piss in, they then said to walk a good way from the stand and dump it, bears have a great sense of smell.Made sense till I was sitting in the stand, pissed in the bag and realized I would create a disturbance walking thru the quiet woods, so I tossed it behind me to the ground.I then just pissed right out of the stand.I'm a chain smoker and do not refrain from smoking.So just before dark, I'm sitting in the tree stand, wind in my face, I hear a sound behind me, look back and here comes a bear, right into my scent, which included the smoke that I had in my mouth and right over the one piss bag I used not to mention the dozen or so leaks I took all day and the cigarette butts all over the ground below me.Went right below me, stopped under me gave a sniff and kept moving.Got about 50 yds out and I coughed to make him stop and hopefully give me a better pose, perfect profile and he now hangs on the wall.Dont over think things, just get out there,take what precautions you can but dont fret if you have the wind at your back sometimes or you are rustling the leaves as you move.Ever hear a skwerl in the leaves?They are louder than you or me and they dont spook the deer.

Thanks for this. I do worry so much about scent.
I wash my clothes after every hunt and store them outside until immediately before use. I use scent neutralizer for dryer sheets, I use scent sprays, and deer piss as cover scents.

I have what I feel like is a pretty good plan for this weekend. My buddy isn’t coming because of personal issues. It would be his first time out with me, but was looking forward to it.
I do want another stand facing the other direction since that’s where much of the deer and deer action is.

 

[stokes]

Deer piss, eh? Think about this, most domesticated dogs can pick out a single scent in a mix with 100's of other smells.Think a feral deer whose life depends on it cant do the same?Hmmm, this guy must be ok, he smells like I pissed on him.

 

[MoMan]

I'm not sure if the rut is pretty much done up there, but I will say that buck with a boner is only searching for 1 smell. He puts everything else on the back burner, his intent is to get him some! I think @stokes brings up a bunch of really good points.
@Saltwater60 Good luck this weekend. Hang in there, and learn every time you are in the woods. Hunting is more about the experience, than the kill!!

 

[Saltwater60]

I'm not sure if the rut is pretty much done up there, but I will say that buck with a boner is only searching for 1 smell. He puts everything else on the back burner, his intent is to get him some! I think @stokes brings up a bunch of really good points.
@Saltwater60 Good luck this weekend. Hang in there, and learn every time you are in the woods. Hunting is more about the experience, than the kill!!

I agree. I just get a bit frustrated at times when I put so much effort in and come up empty.
The rut by me I think happened mod-November since while driving around I saw a lot of deer walking around in the middle of the day. I did t really see it in the woods so much as the side of the road.
Im thinking the secondary rut might just be starting up around me, but more so next weekend.
I’ve got some plans for next season for sure. Sadly it’s a year away. I wish I’d have done more to prepare for this season, but I didn’t know then what I know now. Happens to the best of us I’m sure.
Thanks all and you’ll be among the first to know if I connect.

 

[SmallGameAddict]

I agree. I just get a bit frustrated at times when I put so much effort in and come up empty.
The rut by me I think happened mod-November since while driving around I saw a lot of deer walking around in the middle of the day. I did t really see it in the woods so much as the side of the road.
Im thinking the secondary rut might just be starting up around me, but more so next weekend.
I’ve got some plans for next season for sure. Sadly it’s a year away. I wish I’d have done more to prepare for this season, but I didn’t know then what I know now. Happens to the best of us I’m sure.
Thanks all and you’ll be among the first to know if I connect.

Part of the program. Learn from mistakes. Plan/prepare for next year.

 

[stokes]

"I wish I’d have done more to prepare for this season, but I didn’t know then what I know now. Happens to the best of us I’m sure." Hindsight is always 20/20,you look back and think "I shoulda done xyz" so next year you do xyz and the deer does "uvw" so you realize that maybe xyz was wrong.Everything you "shoulda done" is totally reliant on what the deer does, and that changes day to day.Like I said, I dont stand hunt,but if I was to do it on the property you describe, 9 acres is not a lot, I would set up as close to where you can get a good view of the trails you describe and sit and watch for them all around, you will see many sightings will come off the trail, close by but not just on the clear path.You can do all the prep you read about but in the end it comes down to being in the right place at the right time.Just because you go a few years without bagging a deer doesnt mean you did anything wrong at all.

 

[Saltwater60]

"I wish I’d have done more to prepare for this season, but I didn’t know then what I know now. Happens to the best of us I’m sure." Hindsight is always 20/20,you look back and think "I shoulda done xyz" so next year you do xyz and the deer does "uvw" so you realize that maybe xyz was wrong.Everything you "shoulda done" is totally reliant on what the deer does, and that changes day to day.Like I said, I dont stand hunt,but if I was to do it on the property you describe, 9 acres is not a lot, I would set up as close to where you can get a good view of the trails you describe and sit and watch for them all around, you will see many sightings will come off the trail, close by but not just on the clear path.You can do all the prep you read about but in the end it comes down to being in the right place at the right time.Just because you go a few years without bagging a deer doesnt mean you did anything wrong at all.

Thanks buddy. That last statement means a lot and is what I needed to hear.