The phase of the rut and progression of the season can make or break a deer stand. A friend in Alabama took a great buck from a stand regularly, but only hunted it two times a year & mdash; on opening day and Thanksgiving morning. “The stand is in a bottleneck, and I depend on hunting pressure to move deer through it,” he says.
Other stands become hot just prior to the rut, when bucks roam in search of does while others may come on strong with a recent food source. Kip Adams puts these factors in perspective in this QDMA post.
Deer season has started in numerous states and will soon begin in many others. Hunters are hitting the woods full of enthusiasm and high hopes for the season. Given the first sit or two at a stand site is often the most productive, it is important to choose and hunt stand sites wisely. Preferred stand locations change with the season and phase of the rut, so here is some information to help you make the necessary adjustments and be more successful this season.
Food is the Key
Deer are ruminants, meaning their stomach has four chambers like a cow’s. So they have the ability to digest a wide range of vegetation. However, they are considered concentrate selectors, which means they select the highest quality parts of the vegetation they eat. Deer have been recorded eating over 600 different species of plants… [continued]
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