Having wanted to hunt a particular farm the past few years, I was finally granted permission for this past deer season. A lot of deer, and some are giants, call this 300 acre farm home. Now it is my job to figure out where to hang my stands amongst the mature timber, agricultural fields and CRP ground. Something as simple as putting up a stand often means the difference between killing a big buck or having a pot of tag soup. I prefer the first option.
Many hunters, myself included, have a limited amount of time to hunt each fall. For that reason, it is of upmost importance to place our stands as best we can the first time. Sure, after the season opens, and we have hunted out of a stand a few times, we might come to the conclusion a move is required, but we will worry about that when the time comes.
This all begins with our scouting. Keep in mind when scouting, deer desire two things: Food and cover. Scout out high percentage locations where you have a good chance of a shot. It is nothing more than finding where two or more trails meat, ridges, saddles, natural and man-made funnels, staging areas between bedding and feeding areas, as well as on the edges of fields. Finding these locations will require some leg-work.
You can get a good idea of where these locations are from the comfort of your recliner, but eventually you will have to put in the leg-work.
Begin by viewing aerial photos and topography maps of the ground you will be hunting. The photos will help you pinpoint possible funnels, feeding and bedding areas. The maps will help you locate ridges, saddles and other terrain features. This is an advantage for hunters with little time to scout.
A person cannot learn Treestand placement without getting out and putting some wear and tear on their boots. However, with that being said, there is some advice that can be taken to make the job easier.
How often during the off season do we spot deer feeding in crop fields, as well as traveling to and from them, and say, “I am going to hunt that field.” ?
If you really think about it, how often do you find a “good” spot on a field’s edge for a bow-hunter? They do exist, and I have killed several deer with my bow in such a place, but more than likely the better spot will be 50 to 100 yards away from the feeding area back in the woods.
The first thing to determine when deciding the location for a stand is if it will be used for shotgun or bow-hunting. I will not shoot more than 30 yards with my bow so large wide open spaces do not help me. On the other hand, a gun hunter can effectively squeeze off a shot at deer more than 100 yards off. A large field of view will often help a gun hunter harvest a deer that an archer would not have an opportunity for.
When I am placing stands to bow-hunt out of, I like them to be within 20 yards of heavily used trails. Some hunters prefer to hunt further from the trail to avoid detection. I so not believe that is necessary if the hunter is will camouflaged, hunts with the wind in his face, and only moves and draws the bow when the vision of the deer is obscured.
As far as gun season is concerned, I prefer to hang my stands that will allow for a longer shot. I like to set these stands along wide cut lines, clear cuts, clearings and field edges that have evidence of lots of deer activity along, across or around these areas.
When hanging stands take in consideration if the stand location is better suited for a morning, evening, or even an all-day hunt during the rut. Also, know the prevailing wind directions and hang your stands accordingly. Always try and avoid having your scent blowing into the nostrils of a deer.
Early in my hunting career, thirty plus years ago, permanent wooden stands were about the only option I had. This saved a lot of time, but we all know by now the danger involved with wooden stands. Also, many stand locations are not good from one year to the next; however there are exceptions to every rule. The main reason stands go cold from season to season is that food sources change. It is up to the hunter to figure out the best stand location each season and make necessary changes by choosing a high percentage stand location.
Ask ten hunters high off the ground they hunt and why, and you are likely to get ten different answers.
After you have put the time in to scout the area and have given your stand location a fair shake while you have hunted out of it and still have not experienced the success you expected do not hesitate to move. Even the best laid out plans fail sometimes.
Photo: Howard Communications
