Hunting near busy highways

[TNbowhunter]

I’m looking for advice/stories about how folks hunt near a busy highway like an interstate. I recently obtained permission to hunt a property that basically borders a busy section of interstate, and I definitely haven’t cracked the code on these deer yet. I’ve seen a decent amount of deer sign (tracks, rubs, scrapes, and scat) all over the property, but the best bedding seems to be the marshy/scrubby side of the property bordering the road. I’ve hunted the edge of that stuff where the deer would have to pass if leaving the bedding area, but no luck (been quiet, hunted favorable winds, etc.).
Have any of y’all figured out a good way to hunt a property like this? I’m at the tail end of my season, and I’m just flat-out stumped...

 

[kyler1945]

Deer can’t recognize that interstate traffic means people that might want to eat them. It’s more likely that they equate traffic with protection - no people ever come from the interstate. So my guess is they’re bedding tight to that side of the property if the terrain complies.

be aware in case you’re thinking of trying it- you will be ticketed or towed if you park on interstate throughway to access. Not telling you not to, just an fyi.

I would look at walking in well away from where you suspect deer to be, punch all the way through to the interstate throughway, walk up to where you think they are, then punch back in and set up for an earrrrrly morning hunt to catch them coming back to bed.

I also suspect that car noise will give them a false sense of security during middle of day and they move around freely in that bedding area.

Get in there with them. Especially if you have the same permission next year. Go cover every square inch now

 

[Brickz]

I’ve noticed deer like the edge of the highway given the habitat is thick enough. What does the neighboring property like? How many acres are you working with? If it’s all you have right now though don’t give up. Good luck!

 

[Exhumis]

I hunt a property that borders an interstate and very busy county highway. I set myself up to be as far away from the roads as possible, I'm probably 200 yards and there's a far amount of thick trees between the road and where I set up. This is so any deer I shoot *should drop well before it makes it to the roads and the trees and super thick brush *should help to discourage/slow it down. I won't get any closer than that. I'd say he cautious, last thing you want is to have a deer run up onto the interstate and cause an accident. Or expire next to the road and you be some persons YouTube upload of a mean hunter dragging a poor deer off into the woods. Is it possible to get the deer to bend in their travel corridor? That's what I did with my property, I put out some feed, gradually a bit at a time to get them to bend away from the road.
If you can't do it safely it might just be one of those properties you can't hunt.

 

[Swampman]

I had my most exciting hunt this year on the ground about 40 yards off of a very busy County Road. I knew from previous scouting that a group of does bed only 20 yards off of the road along a small lake. I walked along the road past the beds and used the traffic noise to get within 40 yards of the beds in early November. I ended up in the middle of 4 bucks chasing a hot doe around. I never got a shot at the buck I wanted out of the group but had multiple opportunities at the doe and 2 of the smaller bucks. This is public land and no one hunts this area because it is so close to a busy road. The deer did not care.

Good luck with your hunt. I am guessing the deer bed close to that interstate as has already been said.

 

[bj139]

Pennsylvania used to make it illegal for hunters to park on Interstates to go in the woods and hunt. They changed their policy several decades ago and the deer-car accident rate went down on the Interstates. They actually did a good thing and it achieved what they thought it would.

 

[Recurveaholic]

I agree with @kyler1945 get in early and catch them coming back to bed and set up in a spot where if you don't get a chance first thing you can stay and try to catch them browsing in the middle of the day!!

 

[Tr33_n1nj@]

I know ALDOT plants some of the best food plots in Alabama. They may be bedding and feeding by the road and never need to go to the interior of the property.

 

[dalton916]

I have a spot I hunt along an interstate and they don’t snug up to the highway. There’s an amazing amount of natural food in the area and they bed with the food between them and the road. Have to stay vigilant with your eyes because there’s an ungodly amount of noise and you will not hear a deer before you see. Ever.

 

[Jefferson10940]

I hunt the side of a highway often, it’s noisy for sure but you’ll be amazed how you can separate road noise from deer noise. When you say a favorable wind, you mean for you? So blowing from bedding to you? The deer around me like to walk w wind in their face to scent check on way out. They may be traveling the opposite direction than you are set up? I rarely see a decent buck walking with wind at his back. I know this goes against what a lot of hunters say, but it’s what I’ve noticed.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TNbowhunter]

I hunt the side of a highway often, it’s noisy for sure but you’ll be amazed how you can separate road noise from deer noise. When you say a favorable wind, you mean for you? So blowing from bedding to you? The deer around me like to walk w wind in their face to scent check on way out. They may be traveling the opposite direction than you are set up? I rarely see a decent buck walking with wind at his back. I know this goes against what a lot of hunters say, but it’s what I’ve noticed.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

My best “favorable wind” in my eyes is when it’s just off from where I expect the deer to come from. For example, if I think they’re traveling from bedding west of me to food east of me, my favorite winds are SE and NE because they still feel like they’re walking into the wind, but my scent doesn’t hit them square on. I’ve also tried hunting the opposite, but just can’t nail it down.

 

[TNbowhunter]

I have a spot I hunt along an interstate and they don’t snug up to the highway. There’s an amazing amount of natural food in the area and they bed with the food between them and the road. Have to stay vigilant with your eyes because there’s an ungodly amount of noise and you will not hear a deer before you see. Ever.

Yeah, it’s definitely not the “peace and quiet” hunt where I spend most of my time praying or resting my eyes while listening intently. Haha

 

[TNbowhunter]

I’ve noticed deer like the edge of the highway given the habitat is thick enough. What does the neighboring property like? How many acres are you working with? If it’s all you have right now though don’t give up. Good luck!

It’s a fairly suburban area, and this is the “big woods” in the area at probably 20-40 acres. I’m banking on them being in the thick stuff... just have to figure out how to get in right without blowing them out of there.

 

[TNbowhunter]

Deer can’t recognize that interstate traffic means people that might want to eat them. It’s more likely that they equate traffic with protection - no people ever come from the interstate. So my guess is they’re bedding tight to that side of the property if the terrain complies.

be aware in case you’re thinking of trying it- you will be ticketed or towed if you park on interstate throughway to access. Not telling you not to, just an fyi.

I would look at walking in well away from where you suspect deer to be, punch all the way through to the interstate throughway, walk up to where you think they are, then punch back in and set up for an earrrrrly morning hunt to catch them coming back to bed.

I also suspect that car noise will give them a false sense of security during middle of day and they move around freely in that bedding area.

Get in there with them. Especially if you have the same permission next year. Go cover every square inch now

Are you saying I should try what I’ve heard called elsewhere a “bump and dump”? And I don’t mind getting in early, but are we talking an hour before sunrise or 3am early?

 

[dalton916]

Yeah, it’s definitely not the “peace and quiet” hunt where I spend most of my time praying or resting my eyes while listening intently. Haha

Yessir. Mix in a bridge and a stream of tractor trailers and you enter a whole new realm of noise, lol. It will give you a whole new perspective about being close behind big trucks while driving when you hear all the crap on those things rattling and clanging over the bridge.

 

[slonstdy]

A few times this year I hunted within 80 yds of a busy highway because of all the deer I would see feeding at 02:30 at this one location while driving to work. I refer to that spot now as my "honey hole" because almost every sit I had an opportunity to take a deer but more so because of the two shooter bucks I saw multiple times. They are bedding within 30 yds of the guardrail at their back in mountain laurel on a rocky ridge that runs parallel to the roadway about 15' higher in elevation than the surrounding area and with a west wind usually blowing in their direction.
The noise from the vehicles rushing past makes it difficult to hear them coming but at the same time it helps cover my entry.

 

[Brickz]

It’s a fairly suburban area, and this is the “big woods” in the area at probably 20-40 acres. I’m banking on them being in the thick stuff... just have to figure out how to get in right without blowing them out of there.

Go in slow and quiet. Take some pruners and clear a better path if it’s too thick to be quiet in.

 

[robstewart]

There’s a really great bedding area where I hunt and it’s right up against the property border at the busiest road nearby.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BigAl]

Same for me on honey holes next to the road. I've got 2 places where the deer travel along the road and its loud but the deer use it almost daily on one spot and the other is just plain overlooked but low traffic. Deer get used to the noise and if you find a way to get in without bumping any or your scent getting to them either ground or wind direction you could have a great spot to have! Entrance is huge. But I'd love the challenge of what you are trying to hunt if you've got deer there but if you alert them to your presence you are going to have a terrible time getting a shot as you already know.

 

[philsanchez76]

@TNbowhunter you mention you “recently” got this permission. When did you first lay eyes on all the sign? I only ask cuz as a fellow middle Tennessee hunter, there’s a big difference between October/November sign and late season December/January sign. Is it possible those deer have vacated the area? I only ask because this has happened to me quite a bit come mid December and on here in Tennessee. I have a much easier time nailing down great early and mid season spots. Late season has always been tough. I guess I’m saying, just make sure those deer are indeed in there this time of year.