In And Out Of Hunting Areas
Deer Hunting Tips – Many hunters make the mistake of placing stands or blinds without considering how they will get in and out of the hunting area. In reality, it does little good to find an excellent hunting location if it does not provide safe access for the hunter. The hunters will be detected and the area will be avoided by the deer.
Proper Planning
The key to proper planning is to realize that the entry and exit route of the hunter may not be the same. For example, if hunting along a field edge during the evening, the hunter may be able to walk along the edges going to their stands without alarming deer. However, when leaving the stand, the deer may be in the field which would require a different exit route to avoid spooking the deer. Proper planning is necessary.
Stand Set Up
When an area to be hunted is located, prior to placing any stand, the hunter should first find the best routes for entering and exiting. This will require a mental change for many hunters. More often than not, hunters will place stands with little consideration as to how they will enter or exit such locations.
Always remember to factor in how you will get to and from each area when considering a good stand set up. Good luck and be safe.
Related: Deer Hunting Tips
Deer Hunting Pressured Areas
Deer Hunting Tips – High pressured areas can make for some tough deer hunting. Deer will often change their activities or even become strictly nocturnal making them even more difficult to hunt. However, there are a few things that a hunter can do to improve the odds of seeing deer.
Go Deeper
Many hunters don’t take full advantage of the property they are hunting. They hunt relatively close to their vehicles only moving a few hundred yards or so away. When the pressure is on an area, go deeper into the woods than other hunters. Deer will often change their travel areas so getting away from others can be productive.
Stay Longer
As with any hunting situation, the more time spent afield will only increase the opportunity for success. Especially with pressured areas, staying a few extra hours or even hunting all day may be the best approach. Make sure to have adequate supplies and a comfortable stand to help with staying focused.
Hunt Midday
Another idea is to change the normal deer hunting schedule. Most hunters will use the morning and evening approach. While these times have always been considered the best, taking a different plan into the woods for pressured areas may up the ante. Try a nine to three or something similar. This way you will already be on stand when others are coming in or out.
Hunt Mid Week
When the pressure is on, deer sometimes will detect certain activities and lay low for a few days. Most hunters use the weekends as their primary deer hunting days. When possible, try setting up a mid week hunt. Often this will catch the deer movement being a little more active.
Hunt The Weather
Many hunters prefer to stay home when the weather is rough. This means less pressure on the deer. Although the conditions may not be great, deer hunting in rain, wind, or snow may provide another opportunity for those brave enough to endure. Make sure to use proper gear for comfort.
These deer hunting tips are provided as helpful suggestions for pressured areas. Be patient and go the extra distance for success. Good luck and be safe.
.
Deer Hunting Travel Zones
Deer Hunting Tips- A travel zone is an area that connects a bedding area to a food source area. They will at times provide a safer set up than deer hunting food or bedding areas. They often allow for easier access by the hunter which reduces the chances of being detected by the deer.
Locating
The simplest way to locate travel zones is to first find the current food sources or bedding areas. Work your way back from these areas to find the travel zones. Try to find places that have several intersecting trails that come together that head back to either the beds or feeding spots. These such areas offer good deer hunting travel zone set ups.
Buck Sign
Also look for any buck activity such as early rubs or scrapes. This type of sign will help pinpoint a set up location. Don’t be overly alarmed if such sign is not observed. Not all areas will have it. This does not that the bucks are not using these areas.
Terrain
The terrain will also help influence travel zones. There may be creeks, funnels, ridges, ditches or other terrain that is preferred by bucks. Any type of terrain that narrowly controls possible deer movement should be considered. Remember that deer will take advantage of easy access routes. Make note of such findings as they are often deciding factors as the best locations for deer hunting.
Use these deer hunting tips for selecting travel zone set ups. Remember to adjust for the wind and use proper scent control. Be safe and good luck.
Related Articles: Deer Hunting
.
All Day Deer Hunting
Deer Hunting Tips- For the most part, hunting the mornings and evenings will always be the best times to hunt deer. These are the times when deer are most active during daylight. However, there will be exceptions when deer hunting all day might be a good idea.
Limited Time Or Season
One such instance is for those that have a short deer hunting season or little time off. Some states only have a few weeks that are provided to hunt deer. If you happen to live in one of those states, or if you are limited due to work or other obligations, by all means stay in the woods.
Hunting Pressure
Another situation can be related to how much hunting pressure a particular area has. If there is a lot of pressure that keeps the deer on their feet, it would be wise to stay afield as much as possible. The odds of seeing deer will often be slightly increased as hunters move around through the woods.
Weather
Some weather conditions will also dictate midday deer movement. For example, a long cold front that give way to a few days of warming temperatures often results in a little more activity during the midday hours. Pay attention to forecast and plan on staying a little longer on such days.
Rutting Periods
The rutting periods are by far the best times of the year to spend as much time deer hunting as possible. Day time deer activity increases due to bucks searching out receptive does. This provides the hunter with increased opportunities of observing additional deer movement. If no other time of the season, planning to hunt all day during the rut will greatly increase the chances of seeing more deer.
Be Prepared
One thing to remember when deciding on an all day hunt is to be prepared. Make sure to have adequate clothing, food and water, and a comfortable stand or seat. Staying in the woods all day is not an easy task. It requires a bit of mental focus. However, if done under the right situations, it may be a worthy cause.
Take advantage of these deer hunting tips for improved success in the field. Good luck and be safe.
Related Articles: Deer Hunting
.
Limit Deer Stand Hunting
Deer Hunting Tips – Tree stands are a very valuable tool when it comes to deer hunting. They provide the hunter with the ability to rise above both the sight levels and smell levels of deer. This reduces the chances of being detected by the deer.
The key to successful tree stand use is limiting how often the stand is used in any given deer hunting area. Over use will counteract the many advantages that they provide. It is better to hunt sparingly as opposed to hunting the same spot repeatedly.
Constant hunting of the same area will add pressure and alarm the deer. Instead, locate a variety of stand set up locations and switch from one place to another. This limits pressure and keeps the deer less alarmed.
Depending upon the size of the property, simply moving a few hundred yards away can make all the difference. In preparation, several different stands can be used or only one stand that is moved to each location.
If using the rotating single tree stand technique, simply prepare each individual area for the set up. This includes any trimmings that may be needed. That way when the time comes to move, the transition will be fairly simple.
How often one rotates depend mainly upon deer movement. On average, after three straight days in one area it may be best to relocate. Sometimes moving every other day may be effective.
Once one set up is moved, give that area several days before returning. Remember that deer can and will pattern hunters. Staying away for awhile helps reduce this from occurring.
Use these deer hunting tips and see if they will improve your hunting results. Be safe and good luck.
Related Articles: Tree Stands Deer Hunting Tips
.
3 Key Deer Hunting Strategies
Deer Hunting Tips- There are numerous techniques that can be used for hunting whitetails. From rubs and scrapes to watering holes and travel zones. But there are three key strategies that provide the basic foundation for the season.
Food
By far the most common factor during the entire season is the search for food. Regardless of the time of year, food more than any thing else dictates deer movement. Even during the rutting period, the hunter should spend as much time as possible monitoring and focusing on hunting the available food sources. Whether it be acorns, field crops, or other browse, find the food and find the deer.
Bedding
In most cases, deer bedding areas are generally located near the current food supply. Beds often are some where within a 250 yard range of the food. Depending on cover and pressure, beds may be within 25 yards. Locating the food source and back tracking the travel areas will provide information needed to find such bedding areas. Many times it is better to hunt the travel zones that lead away from the beds such as funnels, creek banks, or ditches. Hunt close but not too close to a bed.
Rut
The rut provides the hunter with a great chance at a mature buck harvest. Many hunters refuse to hunt any other time of the year. The sightings of bucks are considered more frequent during the rut. Bucks will be on the move more often searching for a receptive doe. The key to finding the bucks is to locate the does. This is when hunting a current food source comes back into play. The does will feed, the bucks will follow.
Take advantage of these deer hunting tips for continued success. Be safe, good luck. and enjoy your next hunting experience.
Related Articles: Deer Hunting
.
Deer Hunting Cut Overs
Deer Hunting Tips: Cut Overs
Cut overs or clear cuts as they are also called, often can provide ideal deer hunting locations. After the first year that the land has been cut, there will be an abundance of browse foods available as well as adequate cover for the deer.
The initial first season of a cut over will normally be used as a food source assuming it has had time to begin new growth. It may also be used as a travel zone leading from a bedding area to another feeding area if the under growth isn’t available yet.
Deer Hunting New Cut Overs
In order to prepare for hunting, walk the edges of the cut over searching for trails, rubs, and scrapes. It may be possible to place stands along the outer edges. However, often it will be better to back track the trails or buck signs leading to the cut over.
Locate the best and most obvious signs of buck use and place stands 50 yards or so away from the cut over. After a few days of hunting you should see deer. If not, move the stands another 50-100 yards further away from the cut over. Continue this process until sightings occur.
Deer Hunting Older Cut Overs
After a few seasons the cut over will not only hold browse for feeding but also provide excellent bedding sources. There will be enough cover available so the deer will spend more time during day light. Hunting these locations can provide both excitement as well as frustrations. There will be more deer but they will be harder to see.
Stands
The hunter must be able to see so a stand placed on any remaining tree left after cutting occurred may be used providing deer activity is nearby. This is also a good time to place tripod stands through out the cut over. They are more versatile in such terrain. Obviously you wilh be looking for the best available buck sign preor to placement* This can be tricky since the food is every where.
Drives
Another idea that can be used for deer hunting cut overs is to set up controlled man drives. This requires several other hunters for best practices. Depending upon the size, it may require several persons walking and several persons setting up on the perimeters. Obviously extra caution should be applied for safety.
Still Hunting
Still hunting such locations will be difficult but very possible. There will be limited visibility so a slow approach with the use of binoculars and scent control is most important. Walk into the wind to reduce detection. This approach can be very effective on days with steady winds. It will help reduce any noise by the hunter. It will require the hunter to be extremely observant.
Try these deer hunting tips for cut overs and see if they can be used in your area. Good luck and be safe.
Related Articles: Deer Hunting
.
Deer Hunting Isolated Areas
Deer hunting isolated areas can at times offer an excellent opportunity at harvesting a nice buck. The seclusion of such places often provide cover and a sense of security. The key is to find such areas that have a nearby food source.
The locations of isolated areas don’t necessarily mean that they are miles away from anything else. A small acre food plot, for example, that is surrounded by cover may only be 100 yards from a large field crop.
Another example could be an oak grove nestled inside a small patch of woods. If the oak trees are producing acorns, the deer will come. Such a location provides for good hunting.
Even if hunting farm land that are large in size, many times there will be a section of only a few acres that are used as fill crops. Deer will often feed on field crops in these smaller areas quicker than in the larger fields.
Another isolated area could be a small section of woods that run in between different crop fields or even cut overs. These areas are used as roads by the deer. They connect one type of terrain to another.
Water such as creeks or rivers that run through a hunting property also generally have isolated sections. Deer will find a shallow crossing area and use it. These locations should not be over looked as they will be used often.
Bedding areas are sometimes found on small isolated sections of a property as well. Especially if hunting near large open areas, there may be only a few places that provide adequate cover for beds. Deer will use such areas to be close to food sources.
If deer hunting on heavily pressured lands, this would be the time to go deeper into the woods. You may need to travel further to locate such areas that have not been disturbed by other hunters. Finding these areas may put you ahead of others.
Good luck and be safe.
Related: Deer Hunting Tips
Tree Stand Set Up
Tree Stand Height
One of the more popular questions when it comes to deer hunting from tree stands is how high to climb. There is no perfect answer when it comes to feet. Stand height can be determined by a variety of factors. The size of the trees in the area to be hunted is one. You Can only go as high as the trees will allow. In some areas 10 – 15 feet may be the maximum. Whereas in other areas 20 – 25 feet may be possible.
Another issue is concealment. This is broken down into two parts, scent and cover. The stand needs to be high enough off the ground to reduce the chances of being detected by the deer’s nose. The stand also needs to have adequate cover provided by the tree or surrounding trees to prevent deer from seeing you.
Tree Set Up
When placing stands, make note of which direction the sun will be shining during the times that the stand is to be hunted. The stand should be positioned to have the sun at your back if possible. This helps the hunter see better by not looking into the sun. It also reduces the chance of being silhouetted.
Place the stand near several other trees to help break your outline. It is better for stands to be placed just off the travel zones of the deer. Being too close often will result in being seen when attempting any movement. When hunting near open fields, set back off the field edge at least 5 yards. If hunting near a bedding area, remember not to get too close as to spook the deer.
To And From
An important factor to remember about tree stand set up is how to get to and from the hunting location. It is better to choose a route that will offer the least chance of alarming the deer. It doesn’t do any good to find the best spot in the woods only to spook the deer every time you walk to the stand.
Good Luck and be safe.
Related Articles: Tree Stands Deer Hunting Tips
Bedding Area Deer Hunting
Early Season
The warm temperatures often associated with the early deer hunting season sometimes result in late day or even after dark feeding habits. A hunter can set up near a bedding area to catch deer as they first begin moving towards food sources. This approach can often lead to better activity than hunting the actual food supply sources.
Mid Season
As the summer feeding habits end deer become more nocturnal. They spend most of the day bedded down. Hunting near a bedding area is an excellent tactic for producing results during these periods. A well placed stand that takes into consideration wind directions should offer a good hunting opportunity.
Rut Periods
The rutting period is known as the time of the year when bucks are the most active during day time hours. Finding bedding areas that are used by does can be a very effective way of harvesting a nice buck. Since bucks are in search of estrus does during this time, they will often visit and monitor various locations that the does use to bed down in.
Late Season
The late season brings with it shorter day light hours. Deer will move less frequently during the day due to hunting pressure and dropping temperatures. They prefer to bed down and absorb as much heat from the sun and spend more time on foot after dark. In some cases, hunting a bedding area is the only chances at consistently seeing deer late in the season.
Locating Bedding Areas
Deer will use many different bedding areas during the course of a season. For the most part, these areas are based on nearby food sources. Since the food sources change throughout the year, so will the locations of the bedding areas. Find the food source and back track the trails to locate the beds. Also look for rub lines as they will generally be directional from a bed to the food.
Beds can be found in tall grasses, patches of woods, thickets, cut overs, swamps, ridges, and anywhere else that offers concealment. The main criteria is that they provide protection from danger with numerous ways to escape should the deer become alarmed.
Tips On Hunting
The main rule to follow when hunting beds as with any other form of deer hunting is to not be detected by the deer. Unlike other set ups, deer are less tolerant to intrusion near their beds and will leave and relocate if too much pressure is put on them. Pay close attention to wind directions and scent control. Make quiet approaches to and from stand locations. It is better to hunt these areas sparingly to reduce the chances of being detected.
Good luck, be safe, and enjoy your next hunting experience.
Visit deer hunting tips for additional information.
.
