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How to find funnels??

Amarty734

Amarty734

Active Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2019
Messages
128
Location
Southeast Michigan
I always struggled to locate funnels on maps and during scouting unless they are painfully obvious. Can you guys show me examples of what some different funnels look like on a satellite image? I'd like to find some funnels between different bedding areas. I'm hunting mostly public in an area with a lot of swamp and a few large CRP fields. I know deer are bedding in both of these, but they're so large I don't know how to hunt them best. This one CRP in particular that is 25 acres in size, I bumped 4 deer bedded in it Saturday, but have no clue how to hunt it. it seems like they could be anywhere inside that sea of chest high weeds. I put a camera on the one funnel as shown on the picture. Any suggestions on this spot or examples of funnels would be appreciated.crp.png
 
hedge rows, inside and outside corners. The SW corner of the CRP field. The partial hedge row on the west side of the CRP field with the inside corner. Narrow bands of differing vegetation or vegetation density. Of course edges and vegetative transitions. If it's fairly flat look for swales or ditches/depressions that they can run down. It doesn't take much change in topography to hide deer movement. I see an outside corner to the south of the crp field made by the woods and the swamp. Ground work will tell you how their using each one. Look for rubs on the south end of the crp field near both corners. I see a triangle of lighter density on the SE side of the crp field that has one point near the SE corner. It looks like it forms an intersection of woods right at the SE corner of the crp field. I see some shadowed edges in this photo. If I find a band of woods that I want to hunt at a particular time and all other things are equal I'll take the shaded side every time. With one exception, the late season when it's cold. Then I'll hunt the southern exposures. I'm sure i'm missing some stuff. I'll want to take a look at all of those spots and let the sign dictate where to hunt and when
 
I look for pinch’s then see if the land scape chokes it down enough for a main trail. They take the path of less resistance always long as it’s safe. I put arrows on a few spots I could see being pinch points an funnels.
DCCDBADE-BA2B-44C7-9BEC-C2A3BEC75A76.jpeg
 
Find the spot mark it on ONX get you a wind app like scout look find your scent cone. Scout look is 80% it doesn’t show thermals an stuff but with very little effort you can determine the prevailing wind an then determine what’s needed for each spot.
 
Look at a topo map of the area you are hunting especially if you have ridges in the area. Saddles should be pretty easy to find especially if you have two ridges running parallel to one another
 
Inside corners are natural funnels that appear to be missing in your definitions. So are parallel trails, fence crossings, very minute terrain features - a great way to check out funnels is to take a dog for a walk in post seasons - watch where they move through and you will see "funnels" that just guide movement patterns.
 
Question for all - Do you hunt funnels most of the time, when you search for new hunting locations?
 
redhawk said:
Do you hunt funnels most of the time, when you search for new hunting locations?
Click to expand...


not sure who this is directed to? During the rut absolutely. Other times of year i will look for them close to bedding - deer are creatures of structure - they like to use edges and "funnels" IMO so yes even then I try to set up as close as I can to where they bed and try to capitalize on normal movement habits. I don't like the term funnel as much as natural movement corridors - it can be a gas pipeline, weed field, river, ridge, gulley, fence, even a highway
 
Craziest i saw was a small brush lined ditch between two parking lots - very effective at funneling deer.
 
Looks like BCHunter covered most of the funnels. Do you have any maps that show different elevations?
 
I read an article some years back, the title was "Stem Density". It changed the way I look at vegetation. Over the years watching deer move confirmed the info in that article. It doesn't take much of a difference all other things being equal. They're always thinking about concealment. If a buck isn't in it himself he'll use it to cruise the edge if he's scent checking. I'm always looking for the set that gets me inside without giving away the outside, if I had to put numbers to it I'd take 10 yds off the edge to the inside and still be able to shoot 10 yds to the outside. My effective range is about 20yds.
 
redhawk said:
Question for all - Do you hunt funnels most of the time, when you search for new hunting locations?
Click to expand...

I know I'm months late to this party, but I'll chime in anyways. Funnels are some of the most common and easiest to spot terrain features due to Google-Scouting. So they can be hunted first when approaching new properties. I've done so myself in the past. However, they work best during the rut and if they occur between bedding and an obvious food source. Experiences may vary, but all other things considered, I figure a guy could do worse hunting no "funnel" at all.
 
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