Team 3 2019

[Tim W]

Well team sorry for my lack of contribution but two of the properties I hunt are now void of any deer due to construction and land clearing... go figure! ... they were my go to spots here in NC and over the years I took them for granted and didn’t scout any public or try to secure any other properties, lessons learned the hard way. My Ohio trip is coming up so there’s still hope that I can contribute. Thanks for pulling my dead weight at the moment.


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[hokiehunter373]

Stud of a buck and that’s crazy about the nock.

My little dude has been under the weather the last few days and had to get him checked out in ER today. He’s ok, minus some pneumonia, and we’re home now but needless to say I haven’t been hunting. Hoping to ramp it up the end of the month through November.


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[hokiehunter373]

Congrats on the stag, @redsquirrel


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[BRAVEHEART]

@BackSpasm Awesome! Great buck!

 

[redsquirrel]

Congrats on the stag, @redsquirrel


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Thanks!

 

[BRAVEHEART]

Nice!

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[MJH]

Ok guys help me with a hunt plan.
Below is a patch of public ground in the Red box. The access is in the top corner just off the map - up is North. There is a main trail that travels along the north western border. The rest of the area is forest, shrubs and cattails.



In the zoomed in are below, I found a buck bed under an isolated tree circled in red. Obviously the blue circled island looks like a dynamite bedding spot. There is no way to get to it without waders, and I haven't been out there yet (I will during the winter).

The prevailing wind here is NW, but we see plenty of W and SW as well. Of course it can come from other directions. At this point, I can't identify where specifically the deer are accessing the blue island. I need to scout it more, but right now I don't have that info. Assuming there is bedding on the blue island, what should be my plan?

1. Get aggressive and get over to that island with waders on way early AM and wait (under which wind - S?). The water is too deep North of the island for deer to walk. W, S & E I believe deer will be able to get over to the Blue island.
2. Setup East or SE of the island and try to rattle a buck off (on a N wind)
3. Try to get a canoe down to the island from the North - I am not sure if that will work
4. Parachute in with an arrow knocked?
5. Other?

 

[BackSpasm]

Ok guys help me with a hunt plan.
Below is a patch of public ground in the Red box. The access is in the top corner just off the map - up is North. There is a main trail that travels along the north western border. The rest of the area is forest, shrubs and cattails.
View attachment 18476


In the zoomed in are below, I found a buck bed under an isolated tree circled in red. Obviously the blue circled island looks like a dynamite bedding spot. There is no way to get to it without waders, and I haven't been out there yet (I will during the winter).

The prevailing wind here is NW, but we see plenty of W and SW as well. Of course it can come from other directions. At this point, I can't identify where specifically the deer are accessing the blue island. I need to scout it more, but right now I don't have that info. Assuming there is bedding on the blue island, what should be my plan?

1. Get aggressive and get over to that island with waders on way early AM and wait (under which wind - S?). The water is too deep North of the island for deer to walk. W, S & E I believe deer will be able to get over to the Blue island.
2. Setup East or SE of the island and try to rattle a buck off (on a N wind)
3. Parachute in with an arrow knocked?
4. Other?


View attachment 18478

I would get on google earth pro and look at this area on historical imagery. See if you can find images from a different season other than summer which may reveal access trails from the air (them seem to pop out in habitat like this. You can even see what looks like one or two coming north out of the bedding on the photo you sent. I would think the way they use this area will be affected by how much water is in that swamp and what the path of least resistance in and out is at that time. To me this is a scout ahead of time with a plan in your head in the day and set up on fresh/best sign given an acceptable wind and wait for them to get up.... but there are a whole lot of variables here


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[Kurt]

Being a paratrooper myself I say parachute in with the arrow. I think he would want to try to scent check that island before he went out there to bed. If he's bedding under that tree now, maybe he feels secure there with the existing pressure. NW winds will get the wind in his face with a possible escape to the island should he be pushed out. The NW wind is bad for access from the trails to the N and NW. Not knowing what the sign is or visibility is from the photo, I'd take a conservative approach. I'd sit that inside corner just N and W of the tree with the bed on a WSW wind. Final answer.

 

[hokiehunter373]

Being a paratrooper myself I say parachute in with the arrow. I think he would want to try to scent check that island before he went out there to bed. If he's bedding under that tree now, maybe he feels secure there with the existing pressure. NW winds will get the wind in his face with a possible escape to the island should he be pushed out. The NW wind is bad for access from the trails to the N and NW. Not knowing what the sign is or visibility is from the photo, I'd take a conservative approach. I'd sit that inside corner just N and W of the tree with the bed on a WSW wind. Final answer.

I like this answer but I'd also ask what is the field to the East of the blue circle? Any crops? What are acorns like? WHY do you think you found that bed where it is? Why would he be there again? Is there any way to walk along the road to the E and then walk S down along the boundary line?

 

[MJH]

I like this answer but I'd also ask what is the field to the East of the blue circle? Any crops? What are acorns like? WHY do you think you found that bed where it is? Why would he be there again? Is there any way to walk along the road to the E and then walk S down along the boundary line?

- I don't know what is currently in that crop field. I saw it through the trees but could not verify what was in. It was no corn. Likely it is fallow.
- The fields to the south hold horses. I don't think the deer are going to travel through there.
- There are fields just to the SW that have standing corn right now - and there is considerable agriculture nearby.
- in the timber to the west of the blue island I did not find appreciable acorns. The general acorn crop up here this year was good.
- you can walk down the road on the East. You can't legally get across the bottom without trespassing on private.
- I don't know that there is a buck on the blue island. What I know is that this is some of the most isolated ground in the immediate area.

 

[hokiehunter373]

- I don't know what is currently in that crop field. I saw it through the trees but could not verify what was in. It was no corn. Likely it is fallow.
- The fields to the south hold horses. I don't think the deer are going to travel through there.
- There are fields just to the SW that have standing corn right now - and there is considerable agriculture nearby.
- in the timber to the west of the blue island I did not find appreciable acorns. The general acorn crop up here this year was good.
- you can walk down the road on the East. You can't legally get across the bottom without trespassing on private.
- I don't know that there is a buck on the blue island. What I know is that this is some of the most isolated ground in the immediate area.

When I was asking about the bed I was talking about your red circle


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[MJH]

When I was asking about the bed I was talking about your red circle

Here is the bed under the tree at the red circle. I don't know that a buck was there recently, but there was hair in the bed. The trees in the background are the blue island. The water around this is boot high. There is deeper water nearby and North.

 

[hokiehunter373]

I keep thinking the blue would be doe bedding and the buck in the red circle would use whatever advantageous wind to check the downwind side of that blue circle. The prevailing NW wind would seem to make sense for him. You already stated access is from that way so he can smell anything coming in. Then he can walk on the S side of that blue island to wind check. I keep thinking that you need to access somehow from the NE and set up on the S side of the blue island although it seems like that would be difficult from what you've said. Knowing that, it makes me REALLY think that's how you should come in lol. But that's without seeing what the piece looks like and how everything is rolling through there.

 

[MJH]

I keep thinking the blue would be doe bedding and the buck in the red circle would use whatever advantageous wind to check the downwind side of that blue circle. The prevailing NW wind would seem to make sense for him. You already stated access is from that way so he can smell anything coming in. Then he can walk on the S side of that blue island to wind check. I keep thinking that you need to access somehow from the NE and set up on the S side of the blue island although it seems like that would be difficult from what you've said. Knowing that, it makes me REALLY think that's how you should come in lol. But that's without seeing what the piece looks like and how everything is rolling through there.

Well I might be able to access from the NE and get to the S in a canoe - or I approach the landowner to the South for access permission.

With that said, this Sat is calling for a S wind which would make that access from the West possible. I'll have to think about that.

For clarity, this is not in my main prime time area - those spots are already figured, prepped and waiting for the rut. This is in another unit I have not hunted before and am just learning.

I appreciate the ideas guys - thanks.

 

[Kurt]

With a S wind I would cut over to the swamp edge from that W trail asap and quietly stalk hunt the edge of the swamp until you were close enough to the red circle to make a set. That's what I was thinking when I suggested that inside corner. Maybe you can get closer than that? If it looks promising, I wouldn't blow it up first thing. If others will be pressuring the spot as the season progresses then I would take more chances with it sooner. Please keep us posted if you get in there.

 

[MJH]

With a S wind I would cut over to the swamp edge from that W trail asap and quietly stalk hunt the edge of the swamp until you were close enough to the red circle to make a set. That's what I was thinking when I suggested that inside corner. Maybe you can get closer than that? If it looks promising, I wouldn't blow it up first thing. If others will be pressuring the spot as the season progresses then I would take more chances with it sooner. Please keep us posted if you get in there.

Yes this would be my plan on that S wind. There is timber that I can climb near the red circled bed (in this case NW of it) on firm land - probably as close as 60 yards from the bed. Obviously this would be an afternoon setup.

Two questions:
- Given all this, what time should I target getting in there - 2pm?
- I have a lot of success rattling and grunting up here. It is getting close to that time in the season now. On this sit, my instinct tells me to sit tight until late then let a set go 30min before sundown. Thoughts?

 

[ThePennsylvanian]

Ok guys help me with a hunt plan.
Below is a patch of public ground in the Red box. The access is in the top corner just off the map - up is North. There is a main trail that travels along the north western border. The rest of the area is forest, shrubs and cattails.
View attachment 18476


In the zoomed in are below, I found a buck bed under an isolated tree circled in red. Obviously the blue circled island looks like a dynamite bedding spot. There is no way to get to it without waders, and I haven't been out there yet (I will during the winter).

The prevailing wind here is NW, but we see plenty of W and SW as well. Of course it can come from other directions. At this point, I can't identify where specifically the deer are accessing the blue island. I need to scout it more, but right now I don't have that info. Assuming there is bedding on the blue island, what should be my plan?

1. Get aggressive and get over to that island with waders on way early AM and wait (under which wind - S?). The water is too deep North of the island for deer to walk. W, S & E I believe deer will be able to get over to the Blue island.
2. Setup East or SE of the island and try to rattle a buck off (on a N wind)
3. Try to get a canoe down to the island from the North - I am not sure if that will work
4. Parachute in with an arrow knocked?
5. Other?


View attachment 18478

Obviously I'm not an expert, and this is an opinion. That said, your setup for this guy depends on your plans for this property in the future, meaning if you dont care about putting pressure on him and possibly blowing him out for the season, get aggressive. Hunt a wind that largely favors him, maybe have a observation sit where you can view that particular bed from a far then get in real tight to him under similar conditions. If you dont want to potentially blow him out, scout the fringes of the property and looks for runs, scrapes, faint trails that cross major trails and so on. Then formulate a plan of attack.
My personal thought would be an observation sit, then I could see if the bed is wind based, and confirm direction of travel. I'd try to see that island as well because that could be a spot hes drawn to now because like @hokiehunter373 stated, I'd bet that's holding does!
What ever approach you take, dont over think it, just hunt smart! And have fun! Good luck keep us posted!

 

[MJH]

Team 3 - sorry for overloading our contest thread with the above tactics conversation.

Obviously I'm not an expert, and this is an opinion. That said, your setup for this guy depends on your plans for this property in the future, meaning if you dont care about putting pressure on him and possibly blowing him out for the season, get aggressive. Hunt a wind that largely favors him, maybe have a observation sit where you can view that particular bed from a far then get in real tight to him under similar conditions. If you dont want to potentially blow him out, scout the fringes of the property and looks for runs, scrapes, faint trails that cross major trails and so on. Then formulate a plan of attack.
My personal thought would be an observation sit, then I could see if the bed is wind based, and confirm direction of travel. I'd try to see that island as well because that could be a spot hes drawn to now because like @hokiehunter373 stated, I'd bet that's holding does!
What ever approach you take, dont over think it, just hunt smart! And have fun! Good luck keep us posted!

I have always kind of laughed when hearing about observation sits. Up here, the deer density is way lower than what you guys have, so an observation sit just seems like a preposterous waste of time (there's a good chance you won't observe a damn thing). With that said, this location sets up well for this. I am pretty sure I can get high up a tree well away from that island and put glass on it. The only issue will be actually seeing the deer travel through the cattails - which might be hard.

To your other point, this isn't a spot I care about. It is on accessible public land and the gun hunt is a couple of weeks away. I figure it will be dusted once the Orange Army rolls through. I think I am going to get aggressive on this spot once or twice max in the next two weeks. Again, this is a secondary location for me so if I can learn something here for next season, that in itself is a win. If I get too close and blow something out, I'll still be able to call that a win too. If I get lucky and drop the king of the north coming off that island, well then I'll be a hero (at least in my own mind).

Thank you for your great suggestions and advice guys. Sorry for hijacking our team thread on this tactics dialogue - my hunting buddies up here are all great dudes but they don't offer much sophistication in the pursuit - mostly they wake up out of a pile of beer cans, load their guns and hit the hills.

 

[hokiehunter373]

Team 3 - sorry for overloading our contest thread with the above tactics conversation.


I have always kind of laughed when hearing about observation sits. Up here, the deer density is way lower than what you guys have, so an observation sit just seems like a preposterous waste of time (there's a good chance you won't observe a damn thing). With that said, this location sets up well for this. I am pretty sure I can get high up a tree well away from that island and put glass on it. The only issue will be actually seeing the deer travel through the cattails - which might be hard.

To your other point, this isn't a spot I care about. It is on accessible public land and the gun hunt is a couple of weeks away. I figure it will be dusted once the Orange Army rolls through. I think I am going to get aggressive on this spot once or twice max in the next two weeks. Again, this is a secondary location for me so if I can learn something here for next season, that in itself is a win. If I get too close and blow something out, I'll still be able to call that a win too. If I get lucky and drop the king of the north coming off that island, well then I'll be a hero (at least in my own mind).

Thank you for your great suggestions and advice guys. Sorry for hijacking our team thread on this tactics dialogue - my hunting buddies up here are all great dudes but they don't offer much sophistication in the pursuit - mostly they wake up out of a pile of beer cans, load their guns and hit the hills.

It sounds like you've got a great plan laid out. Also, I can't speak for the others, but don't apologize for the tactics talk. I live for these convos and having them could lead to you putting points on the board for us. This is my first year in the SH contest but from other contests I've been in I feel like that's the best part of the team. Getting input from others and getting it done. Good luck and keep us posted!