Stand Location Question

I moved a stand this year to a new location for use during the rut. I have only hunted it 2 times so far but I have had 2 bucks sneak around above me 50 yards away. The one was a Pope & Young class buck that came through last night. I am wondering if I should move my stand up the hill to where the edge of the woods starts. From where my stand is now and where the bucks have gone through is about 50 yards. When I was in my stand I was at eye level with the bucks because it is a pretty steep hill. My stand is right in the saddle where several deer trails cross and it is fairly brushy there. I know there are some good bucks that come out of there because when I used to hunt in the valley below they would always come out of the saddle. I wonder if those bucks come across the top of the hill on the edge of the woods scent check the area, especially the corn field and then cut back into the flat on top. I am thinking they will be chasing does around down the saddle to the valley below when the rut really gets going. Check out the drawing I made and let me know where you think you would put a stand. Thanks!

Normally if you find one or two decent trails look for a smaller trail crossing both of them, the bucks will cross the two trails so he can smell them to see if their are any hot doe’s in the area.

id personally leave it there, with the rut right around the corner the deer are going to be using those trails and it doesnt matter if there is one or a million trails if a buck smells a hot doe he will be right behind it

Normally if you find one or two decent trails look for a smaller trail crossing both of them, the bucks will cross the two trails so he can smell them to see if their are any hot doe’s in the area.

id personally leave it there, with the rut right around the corner the deer are going to be using those trails and it doesnt matter if there is one or a million trails if a buck smells a hot doe he will be right behind it

It would be much easier to help you if I could see this in person. Is there any trees nearby that would accomodate a Lone Wolf stand and climbing sticks? I will need to bring an assortment of other equipment to do the assessment. Might take a day or two.

It would be much easier to help you if I could see this in person. Is there any trees nearby that would accomodate a Lone Wolf stand and climbing sticks? I will need to bring an assortment of other equipment to do the assessment. Might take a day or two.

goOd one !!!!

goOd one !!!!

Good point, if only there was room!

I’m going to try it another time or 2 and see what happens.

Good point, if only there was room!

I’m going to try it another time or 2 and see what happens.

Seriously, with the rut coming on stronger, I don’t think there are any bad spots in there. I’d stick with that middle set up for now…

big g

Seriously, with the rut coming on stronger, I don’t think there are any bad spots in there. I’d stick with that middle set up for now…

big g

From the looks of the drawing, you are sitting in the middle of a funnel? With your stand right in the hub of trails and in the saddle, I would stay where you are for a few more times. If they are definitely avoiding the trails you are on, then decide where to make the next move. Looks like a great area

From the looks of the drawing, you are sitting in the middle of a funnel? With your stand right in the hub of trails and in the saddle, I would stay where you are for a few more times. If they are definitely avoiding the trails you are on, then decide where to make the next move. Looks like a great area

This is similar to one of the spots i hunt. This one draw has a couple good trails going through it like you’ve drawn. Ive seen big does during hunting hours walking through the trails in the draw and they were definately going to another timber like they were going cross country and not interisted in this area. Never seen a buck use them searching for does. Ive pulled a couple bucks through the draw when calling but i had to call to do it. Most of the older does i’ve seen in this area were on the hill tops, like your drawing shows and im wondering if thats where the does are too in your timber. Something i’ve noticed in my hunting spot is the younger does and yearlings are always together and the bigger bucks earlier in the season don’t seem to be interisted in them, they seem to be interisted in the older does maybe because they come into estrous sooner than later in the season like the yearlings do. Im sure the older bucks know the older does are the first to come in and thats the ones thier looking for. Wheres the biggest concentration of older does? When going to your stand do you glass out aways and see where the older does are in any field, maybe give that a try and watch which way they go back to bedding in the early morning. If you’ve never used binoculars at night you can see alot of deer, you have to look for them but you can still them, this is how i find out where the big does are just befor predawn. If you can find a spot where the older does go back to thier bedding area i’d look for a stand site there, the bigger bucks should be around to grunt in and later use the doe bleat and see what happens. Check where the rubbs are on trees and thats where the bucks have been moving around at. If theres any new rubbs on the hilltop i wouldn’t move my stand yet but just watch and see if theres also a few big does moving on the hilltop too, then i’d move my stand.

This is similar to one of the spots i hunt. This one draw has a couple good trails going through it like you’ve drawn. Ive seen big does during hunting hours walking through the trails in the draw and they were definately going to another timber like they were going cross country and not interisted in this area. Never seen a buck use them searching for does. Ive pulled a couple bucks through the draw when calling but i had to call to do it. Most of the older does i’ve seen in this area were on the hill tops, like your drawing shows and im wondering if thats where the does are too in your timber. Something i’ve noticed in my hunting spot is the younger does and yearlings are always together and the bigger bucks earlier in the season don’t seem to be interisted in them, they seem to be interisted in the older does maybe because they come into estrous sooner than later in the season like the yearlings do. Im sure the older bucks know the older does are the first to come in and thats the ones thier looking for. Wheres the biggest concentration of older does? When going to your stand do you glass out aways and see where the older does are in any field, maybe give that a try and watch which way they go back to bedding in the early morning. If you’ve never used binoculars at night you can see alot of deer, you have to look for them but you can still them, this is how i find out where the big does are just befor predawn. If you can find a spot where the older does go back to thier bedding area i’d look for a stand site there, the bigger bucks should be around to grunt in and later use the doe bleat and see what happens. Check where the rubbs are on trees and thats where the bucks have been moving around at. If theres any new rubbs on the hilltop i wouldn’t move my stand yet but just watch and see if theres also a few big does moving on the hilltop too, then i’d move my stand.

I did have a doe and 2 fawns walk 35 yards behind me Thursday night as they came off their bedding area on the south end of the flat on their way to the valley. Also, as I walked up the hill at the end of the hunt, I came across a doe being followed by a buck in the same location where I saw the 10 pointer earlier. I think I am in a good location but I was just surprised where the bucks came from. I spooked that buck and doe on the way out so I’m going to wait a few days and try it again next week. There was a fresh rub about 15 yards from my stand that appeared in the last week so that was encouraging. On a side note, when do you start using you doe bleat call and how often do you use it? I just got one and its some new for me. One thing I’ve noticed is that with my grunt call, if the deer is just outside of bow range, it is hard to call them in cause they don’t see a deer that is supposed to be making the sound. That’s what happened the other night. I grunted at that 10 pointer when he was 50 yards away and looking in the other direction but he only looked at me and kept on going. I guess that’s what make it hunting!

I did have a doe and 2 fawns walk 35 yards behind me Thursday night as they came off their bedding area on the south end of the flat on their way to the valley. Also, as I walked up the hill at the end of the hunt, I came across a doe being followed by a buck in the same location where I saw the 10 pointer earlier. I think I am in a good location but I was just surprised where the bucks came from. I spooked that buck and doe on the way out so I’m going to wait a few days and try it again next week. There was a fresh rub about 15 yards from my stand that appeared in the last week so that was encouraging. On a side note, when do you start using you doe bleat call and how often do you use it? I just got one and its some new for me. One thing I’ve noticed is that with my grunt call, if the deer is just outside of bow range, it is hard to call them in cause they don’t see a deer that is supposed to be making the sound. That’s what happened the other night. I grunted at that 10 pointer when he was 50 yards away and looking in the other direction but he only looked at me and kept on going. I guess that’s what make it hunting!

When i set up my stand location i always do it where theres enough brush to hide a buck. I’ve grunted befor in the open spots with no brush around and had the same thing happen to me, they would look or come in a little and walk away because they didn’t see anything. Try this maybe to see which direction the most bucks are coming from, ever hunt from the ground by picking a good spot with some heavy thick brush and take an antler and rub a smaller tree and grunt at the same time like a bucks rubbing a tree. Ive done this and had them make a beeline to me, it works. Maybe try a half dozen spots from the ground in diffrent areas and see what comes to you and from what direction. If you don’t have an antler find a short small dry limb about 2 to 3 inches in diameter and use that to rub the small tree. This works to find any interisted bucks. If this is a little too chancy just watch for the bigger does and hunt there.

When i set up my stand location i always do it where theres enough brush to hide a buck. I’ve grunted befor in the open spots with no brush around and had the same thing happen to me, they would look or come in a little and walk away because they didn’t see anything. Try this maybe to see which direction the most bucks are coming from, ever hunt from the ground by picking a good spot with some heavy thick brush and take an antler and rub a smaller tree and grunt at the same time like a bucks rubbing a tree. Ive done this and had them make a beeline to me, it works. Maybe try a half dozen spots from the ground in diffrent areas and see what comes to you and from what direction. If you don’t have an antler find a short small dry limb about 2 to 3 inches in diameter and use that to rub the small tree. This works to find any interisted bucks. If this is a little too chancy just watch for the bigger does and hunt there.