Where to put a stand - Picture attached

[USAF Ret]

I'd get my stand in those wetlands if it were me. Get off those trails and into the food transition along the wetland or find some bedding points in the wet.

Roger that. Again, those trails are firebreaks and have zero traffic of any kind.

 

[tzone]

is the blue dashed line a creek?

If so, on the bottom of your map with contours and the creek, I'd scout that lowest area south of the trail, where the creek meets with the wetland and the oaks. If there's not sign there, the deer aren't eating those red oak acorns.

 

[USAF Ret]

is the blue dashed line a creek?

If so, on the bottom of your map with contours and the creek, I'd scout that lowest area south of the trail, where the creek meets with the wetland and the oaks. If there's not sign there, the deer aren't eating those red oak acorns.

Affirm. Blue dashed line is a creek.

 

[tzone]

Affirm. Blue dashed line is a creek.

I like hunting water, especially creeks. With out setting foot on this property, I like where the creeks converge. I also like where they go through those stands of oaks. They need 3 things, food, water, cover. The first two are obvious. The cover could be for bedding or escape and travel routes. IMO, the hardest to find are the escape, bedding of bucks. The does seem to bed any damn where the please. lol

 

[USAF Ret]

Based on inputs, and very much appreciated, I think this may be the location. Taking into account wind. Blue is parking spot. It is about 175 yards from parking to stand location.



Another possible location?

 

[WIbiggame]

Without knowing the scale of yhe picture and where the deer will be primarily coming from (souls based on the info provided) these are the 3 spots I would have stands with the wind direction I would hunt them on. They are numbered in no order of rank.

1) Good looking travel corridor around that point about 2/3 way up the hill hopefully still be able to see swamp and shoot to edge atleast. Hunt with any S wind would access from the N. Any west in the wind I would hesitant as I think it would blow into that lowland bottom and stink it up. Bucks will cruise that edge with a S wind scent checking the thick stuff.

2) good looking saddle there NW wind would be ideal (although I don't know what is S of the saddle) buck would cruise through the saddle and use the N wind to scent the thick stuff on the south side of it. Could hang on the E side of the saddle deer will "think" they have the wind coming through the saddle but you will be parallel to them.

3) Good spot off that long finger ridge. Sit about 1/3-1/2 of the way from the top. Allows for a west wind hunt as bucks should be scent checking that thick stuff. Looks like you can get closest to thick cover there too allowing you to hunt that mrach land if you can see into it well? Access from the far right side of pic walking east side of that finger ridge just off the edge as to not skyline yourself.

 

[NEWHunter]

If nobody is traveling these breaks, and it’s black powder, consider sitting on the break where it cuts the creek bottom on the south end of your photo and to the west of the creek.

Best shooting lane you could ask for. Traveling deer will have to cross it. You’ll have to be quick

 

[USAF Ret]

If nobody is traveling these breaks, and it’s black powder, consider sitting on the break where it cuts the creek bottom on the south end of your photo and to the west of the creek.

Best shooting lane you could ask for. Traveling deer will have to cross it. You’ll have to be quick

Could you repost the pic with and X on the area you are talking about? Thanks.

Heading out in an hour. I might survey and it all look completely different from ground level.

 

[Addicting]

I might survey and it all look completely different from ground level.

That is exactly why I made my comment. That could be a jungle or open hardwoods. There will be defined trails going in and around that wet area. Best to find those and make a plan off them, not a map.

 

[USAF Ret]

That is exactly why I made my comment. That could be a jungle or open hardwoods. There will be defined trails going in and around that wet area. Best to find those and make a plan off them, not a map.

Well, I couldn't scout this year so this is what I have to work with. Thanks.

 

[Addicting]

Well, I couldn't scout this year so this is what I have to work with. Thanks.

Lol

You are walking out there to hunt. Spend a hour walking it and you will know. Whitetail hunting doesn’t need to be any harder than that.

 

[WIbiggame]

You are walking out there to hunt. Spend a hour walking it and you will know. Whitetail hunting doesn’t need to be any harder than that.

Of all the advice given this is probably the best. I didn't realize with my stand ideas you are hunting now so disregard bucks cruising.

Also I noticed you have a week and half of hunting with a muzzleloader. Get the wind in your face walk really slow through that area you shared a picture of and scout while you hunt it.

The deer will tell you where they are our where you can intercept them at.

 

[USAF Ret]

Headed out. Thanks.

 

[Scott85]

I cut my teeth hunting big bucks on army bases back east. I hunted the nastiest thickest stuff I could find.

 

[Indianajoe]

good luck usaf. keep us posted. what direction does the wind generally come feom there?

 

[USAF Ret]

Well, I got out there. Found a decent tree and when I finally got up in the tree saw where I should have been. Haha. It was a better high point. The stream area with the oaks was so thick, there was no way to get in there.

On a bad front, I am 90% disabled (soon to be 100%). After it taking me roughly and hour to get up to a decent height and back down, I realized that my mobility makes using a climber not very safe. I hurt myself pretty bad as well. Going forward, this is just not going to be an option. The post has some ground blinds available, but I don't have a map. Working on getting a copy of that.

I also got a ground blind last week. I did not have the upper body strength to pop it open. I took it back and exchanged it for one of those wire blinds that basically pops open by itself, but it leaves a lot to be desired and I know it will probably spook the deer.

So, until I get the permanent blind locations, I am taking a break. I need to recover from what this little adventure did to my body.

Thanks for all the help. Y'all are great.

 

[NEWHunter]

Well, I got out there. Found a decent tree and when I finally got up in the tree saw where I should have been. Haha. It was a better high point. The stream area with the oaks was so thick, there was no way to get in there.

On a bad front, I am 90% disabled (soon to be 100%). After it taking me roughly and hour to get up to a decent height and back down, I realized that my mobility makes using a climber not very safe. I hurt myself pretty bad as well. Going forward, this is just not going to be an option. The post has some ground blinds available, but I don't have a map. Working on getting a copy of that.

I also got a ground blind last week. I did not have the upper body strength to pop it open. I took it back and exchanged it for one of those wire blinds that basically pops open by itself, but it leaves a lot to be desired and I know it will probably spook the deer.

So, until I get the permanent blind locations, I am taking a break. I need to recover from what this little adventure did to my body.

Thanks for all the help. Y'all are great.

All the more reason to sit on the fire breaks - especially where they cross the thick stuff. Sit down wind a bit of the best trails. They won’t smell and shouldn’t hear you. They will see you when they step out. They bucks will generally slam on the brakes right after they step out and sense you’re there, then they snap their head around and stare for a split second, and then will be going 90 mph as they simultaneously realize they are in big trouble. Good luck.

 

[USAF Ret]

All the more reason to sit on the fire breaks - especially where they cross the thick stuff. Sit down wind a bit of the best trails. They won’t smell and shouldn’t hear you. They will see you when they step out. They bucks will generally slam on the brakes right after they step out and sense you’re there, then they snap their head around and stare for a split second, and then will be going 90 mph as they simultaneously realize they are in big trouble. Good luck.

I found a great area right off the break. High spot and you can see down into the river bottom. Much better for a rifle, but that season will be coming soon. The wind has to be right, though.

 

[perma]

That is exactly why I made my comment. That could be a jungle or open hardwoods. There will be defined trails going in and around that wet area. Best to find those and make a plan off them, not a map.

Lol

You are walking out there to hunt. Spend a hour walking it and you will know. Whitetail hunting doesn’t need to be any harder than that.

100% correct. This is exactly why I didn’t kill a whitetail before I left the Midwest.

Spend a half a day to figure out the terrain and pinch points. I’m almost yelling at myself here for the same exact assumptions I made in IL when I went muzzy hunting. Don’t do what I did. Blow a whole day scouting if you need to. You’ll figure it out by then, trust us.

 

[USAF Ret]

100% correct. This is exactly why I didn’t kill a whitetail before I left the Midwest.

Spend a half a day to figure out the terrain and pinch points. I’m almost yelling at myself here for the same exact assumptions I made in IL when I went muzzy hunting. Don’t do what I did. Blow a whole day scouting if you need to. You’ll figure it out by then, trust us.

I appreciate it and did exactly what y'all said. Was more of a scouting trip this time. Area I was in was off an unkept fire break. Got a bit of a lift and tires on the truck. Saw quite a few vehicles parked at the entrance because they could not go any further. I found a spot on a hill overlooking an entire path by the creek and hardwoods out to about 200 yards. I will be hitting that next Wednesday. I know it won't get any hunting pressure as no one can get back there without a truck with some lift.