Best advice early rut

[Mattyq2402]

Got my plane ticket, got a buddy coming with me who has never hunted Ohio. He got access to a private piece in the hills but its a little different compared to my ground which is typical ridges with drop offs, more of a gradual decline that turns into a big flat. Im looking for your slam dunk tactics for the earlier ish rut. Theres standing corn on the adjacent property, i feel like bucks will be working to and from the ag but there is a county road that divides it up.

Whats your top tactics? Anyone good with mapping out ambush locations?

 

[rhagenw]

Learn predominant wind direction, find doe bedding areas then look for subtle cruising trails that allows bucks to wind check the does...in my experience be wary to setup in the low areas in hill country (Most likely places to see sign) because of the falling thermals dumping scent in those areas

 

[Mattyq2402]

Hillmap - Backcountry Maps for the Obsessed

www.hillmap.com

Here is the ground, if it works.... Ive never hunted it before but its close and i share bucks with the landowner. I know there is some solid security cover, do u guys reccomend getting into the inyerior of the cover or hunt downwind of it on edge?

See any funnels? Corn and beans are to the west of the big field u see, nothi g is planted in the big field fyi. Just curiois since we wont be able to do boots on the ground

 

[Mattyq2402]

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[Outdoorguy86]

Here are the spots I thought would work well, depending on wind. I’ve hunting plenty of country similar to this, but never in Ohio. The first pic shows three good travel corridors that bucks should be cruising to look for does. The second should a good travel corridor and a field edge combination that should be good. I would probably set my stand 20 yards into the woods on that location... depending on trails and other sign.
Both these travel corridors would be all day sits, especially during the rut.

 

[Mattyq2402]

Our predominant winds are NW,N, and I always seem to get lucky with a NE for my place. I like that bench you circled on the first pic, also looks like theres a good spot for a west on that second circle from first pic.

What wind would u key in on the second pic on? More of a SW?

 

[Outdoorguy86]

For the second pic, you could hunt either NW-NE and S wind. For a north wind, you could get the primary and secondary trails between you and the field. The bucks will cruise the secondary trail, so you’ll just need to ensure you are down wind of that. For south wind, Hunt closer to the field edge... I would not hunt a SW or SE wind as your scent will be blowing to the field edge. I typically don’t care if my scent is pushed out into the middle of a field as I rarely see deer in the very middle. But, where I am the fields are pretty large, so depending on the field size that might not be the same for this area.

 

[Outdoorguy86]

I’m sure some people will chime in with more experience than I, but those are the areas I would start with and work my way out from there. Do you have the opportunity to scout the area before hand?

 

[Mattyq2402]

I’m sure some people will chime in with more experience than I, but those are the areas I would start with and work my way out from there. Do you have the opportunity to scout the area before hand?

Unfortunately not, we live on the Az/Mexico line so its blind. My parents own the top of the hill so im covered, i just want to give me buddy the best chance i can.

 

[TNbowhunter]

On a W or NW wind, I'd bet big money that you'd find bucks bedded on the steep hillside just east of the small field on the east side of the property. From there, the could see down into the drainage and also catch the scent of predators approaching from uphill. It would be very tough to get in there undetected, which is exactly why I think big bucks would use it. Your best best would probably be coming south from the northernmost bend in Sharps Run Rd, crossing the creek, and easing up the north side of the hill to reach the trail I presume is coming up out of that block of woods. Wind would need to be very steady for this strategy to work, but it could be money. There are other great places around the property, but that's the first one that caught my eye.

 

[Allegheny Tom]

What are you calling "early-ish" rut?
That exact time frame may make a difference on how you hunt it.
Depending on the farming conditions, that corn may, or may not be picked by the time you hunt, which could effect how you hunt it.

 

[Outdoorguy86]

On a W or NW wind, I'd bet big money that you'd find bucks bedded on the steep hillside just east of the small field on the east side of the property. From there, the could see down into the drainage and also catch the scent of predators approaching from uphill. It would be very tough to get in there undetected, which is exactly why I think big bucks would use it. Your best best would probably be coming south from the northernmost bend in Sharps Run Rd, crossing the creek, and easing up the north side of the hill to reach the trail I presume is coming up out of that block of woods. Wind would need to be very steady for this strategy to work, but it could be money. There are other great places around the property, but that's the first one that caught my eye.

Looks like a good spot to me as well. Right off the ENE side of the steep hill is a small flat spot that could definitely hold some bucks

 

[Mattyq2402]

The corn is for deer, owner of the property with corn and beans usually leaves it standing or at least pockets of it standing.

Hunt is Nov 1 thru 8 so its right between pre rut and rut. I usually see a handful of does paired up with bucks by this time.

Any way u guys could put a pin on the map i linked? Ive got too many ideas coming to fast! Definately want to take a kook at where u guys are referencing

 

[Allegheny Tom]

The corn is for deer, owner of the property with corn and beans usually leaves it standing or at least pockets of it standing.

Hunt is Nov 1 thru 8 so its right between pre rut and rut. I usually see a handful of does paired up with bucks by this time.

Any way u guys could put a pin on the map i linked? Ive got too many ideas coming to fast! Definately want to take a kook at where u guys are referencing

Im gonna look a little later when I'm at my computer. Cell phone screens are not the best for cyber scouting.

 

[Mattyq2402]

Ill do the same on my end.

My end goal is to have wind based location for him so he doesnt have to worry. Hes in the process of shopping for his first saddle now, it will be a little stressful going in blind, in the dark on day one so I really appreciate you guys chiming in.

On a property this size-235 acres would u guys scout it during the hunt and hunt sign or is that too risky on a piece this size

 

[Mattyq2402]

Hillmap - Backcountry Maps for the Obsessed

www.hillmap.com

I was messing around on my onx and this was as close as i could get on the prop lines

 

[Allegheny Tom]

Ill do the same on my end.

My end goal is to have wind based location for him so he doesnt have to worry. Hes in the process of shopping for his first saddle now, it will be a little stressful going in blind, in the dark on day one so I really appreciate you guys chiming in.

On a property this size-235 acres would u guys scout it during the hunt and hunt sign or is that too risky on a piece this size

My wife is hogging the computer...I will look at your property tomorrow after church (yep, going to church...screw the lock down).

For wind predicting, I highly recommend the app Windy.com
Its just a tool. It wont always tell you what the actual surface wind is doing, but it will show you what the prevailing wind is doing. Learning how terrain and structure effect the prevailing wind is huge for predicting surface wind.

 

[shwacker]

Any south winds make this an easy approach from the north and during that time the bucks and does will cruise that corridor. Yeah, bottoms are worse for thermals. But that bottom is so wide that a south wind would prob negate it, maybe not. But I’d def throw a hunt or two at it. That time of year it’s hard to hunt his bed and you don’t know where he’ll be or what other bucks are coming from the neighbors anyway.


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[Mattyq2402]

Shwacker, i like the area of the black circle, u hunt it only on souths???? Any locations on the southern side of the road you would key in on for a north

 

[shwacker]

Someone else did the black circle, I’m lazy and just added to that pic, I added the yellow. I think what others mentioned is true and good advice. I just noticed nobody mentioned the bottom, and I realize the supposed thermal issue, but I find that more with a tight bottom. That’s a wide bottom section and creates a pinch/travel corridor between those fields with does moving through towards food sources I assure you plenty of bucks will travel it and you’ll be tight to them in there. Find the sign but I’m not scared to hunt the bottom but that hillside that drops from the higher elevation field toward the bottom is probably a prime spot. And the yellow circles I made are more toward the outside corners so that’d be my preference. Looks like a solid piece of property and you’ll be in prime time. I’m sure y’all will have a great hunt and likely tag out depending on how selective you are.


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