Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: JasonG on June 09, 2019, 05:01:38 PM
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So I just bought a tree stand for this coming fall. This will be my second year hunting and hunting blacktail. I started late at 40 but I’m pretty driven in this. Any way I found some rubs in this area from last year. There are a couple of does in the general area. My question is would you hang a stand here? Why or why not ? Any suggestions help! Thanks Jason
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Yes if you are seeing runs and sign I would put a stand in.
Maybe also put a trail cam in there to see what type of deer have been wondering around
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Yes if you are seeing runs and sign I would put a stand in.
Maybe also put a trail cam in there to see what type of deer have been wondering around
I put a cam there this morning 👍🏻
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Good start to answer your questions....hard to say yes or no without knowing what the area around it looks like
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If you have good consistent sign and the bucks are hitting it during shooting hours then go for it, but recognize the bucks could go nocturnal a day before the season and come by your stand at 3am when you aren't in it. I'm totally unfamiliar with the area in question, but if there's natural funnels, pinch points or transition areas nearby you might have more success than just a random tree on a flat.
There's a good chance I would not hang a stand there.
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I would get that stand up before someone else does! :chuckle:
Doug
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Bow hunting or rifle? More than once I've seen an area like that with tall ferns, but the deer liked to bed in it. I think they were getting to it in the dark, then get up mid morning and move out. In that case you would need to get there super early in the dark and wait until shooting time without spooking. Are you going to bait the area? Where's Radsav and fishnfur?
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Bow hunting or rifle? More than once I've seen an area like that with tall ferns, but the deer liked to bed in it. I think they were getting to it in the dark, then get up mid morning and move out. In that case you would need to get there super early in the dark and wait until shooting time without spooking. Are you going to bait the area? Where's Radsav and fishnfur?
Bow or muzzleloader it is a firearm restricted area.
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If you have good consistent sign and the bucks are hitting it during shooting hours then go for it, but recognize the bucks could go nocturnal a day before the season and come by your stand at 3am when you aren't in it. I'm totally unfamiliar with the area in question, but if there's natural funnels, pinch points or transition areas nearby you might have more success than just a random tree on a flat.
There's a good chance I would not hang a stand there.
:yeah:
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When you say funnels, can you explain what that would look like? Sorry Im trying to figure this out .
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"Things" like rocks, cliffs, blowdown, blackberry briars, etc that the deer would rather walk along the edge of than try to go through; a bottleneck in their possible choices of trail.
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terrain features that force, or make convenient, a certain travel path that's fairly narrow yet gives some security and concealment.
So imagine a bunch of back yards on one side, a narrow wooded area in the middle, and open fields on the other side.
The deer will travel down the narrow wooded path n the middle to avoid the back yard fences and feel more secure than going through an open field on the other side.
Or instead of back yards it could be a rock outcropping that's difficult to go over on one side, so they go around it in the middle, but want to avoid going in the creek (or open area) on the other side so they get "funneled" into a narrow area.
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Just from that picture I wouldn’t put a tree stand up there. The only time I use a tree stand is when I am after a certain buck I’m after and he is in the 6’-8’ huck. I would just still hunt the area, move super slow and use your binos a lot trying to see movement.
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My checklist:
1. Are there old rubs? Not just last years but years and year before... you can tell. If you have fairly fresh rubs from last year AND rubs where the trees are healing over, its a good sign that you have a spot a buck will call home every year. And when he passes, another takes his place.
2. If number 1 is favorable, like others have said look for bottlenecks/funnels, if you find this, start getting excited. If you don't find this but do find well used game trails, thats all I need to hang a camera.
3. Are they showing up on camera? If so, is it during the day when you can hunt them? And are they showing up frequently enough to give you a decent shot at catching them in daylight? This is the hard part for me typically. Archery hunting September I have the whole month so like to see the target buck on cam at the very least once a week... you are narrowed in on him if this is the case. Hang the stand. Any less than once a week and it starts becoming a long shot.
If most of this checklist checks off for you, keep it mind, keep a cam there for a good month and in the meantime move on to other areas. You may find something better. At the end of your scout season, if stand hunting is your game, just pick the spot that you feel gives you the best chance from all of the info you have gathered. I usually have 2, 3 or 4 spots... and each is different for sure. I'll pick the one that I can fit into my schedule. For example, I have a great spot with a big buck but its a 35min hike plus 25min drive to work (I work most days in Sept. but can hunt mornings), so its difficult cuz i only hunt mornings and need time to make it to work. Another spot is easier access but no big bucks.. yet.. forkies and does. This will be a go to to get meat but probably not a trophy.
I do like the looks of your pic but the pic is meaningless with ALL of the other info needed to be gathered for me.
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Stand should go next to a worn deer trail and preferably on a hill.
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Where's Radsav and fishnfur?
Just what I was wondering. C’Mon, Men. We miss you.
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I'm here from time to time - likely more often as the season gets closer. Kid's soccer has kept me on the move all Spring.
RadSav didn't check in till October or so last year. Perhaps we'll hear from him then.
I'm starting to think a bit about doing some scouting soon.......
Regarding the original question - I think the answers given are superb and concise. If I'm putting a stand up, which is not very often any more, I'm going to make sure that there are either a lot of does living close by that will be coming and going to feed (or bed), or a rub line withing shooting distance (or both). Hanging a stand over a single trail that only gets occasional use is an exercise in frustration.
I will be putting up a stand though this year. That heavy snow last winter clearly detailed the trails that were most heavily used during the weeks-on-end that the snow was on the ground. My trail cam has since verified the heavy deer traffic. If you were willing to go out in that snowy mess and scout a bit, you probably got some good schooling.
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It depends a bit on what weapon your using. Based on that single pic it would probably not be my first choice with any, but if it has some features already mentioned I would consider it for a gun stand. IMO it is not close enough to edge cover or any other terrain breaks. It's decent BT habitat as they will use the ferns to bed and there is likely some food choices. But without anything forcing them to use food close to you, it's a crap shoot if a buck will wander by.