Hunting Washington Forum
Big Game Hunting => Deer Hunting => Topic started by: logola512c on July 21, 2021, 05:00:04 PM
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Looking for some advice or suggestions. The last couple years, I've hunted (modern rifle) a number of 2-4-year-old clear cuts that are relatively flat, or maybe even slightly crowned in the middle, with an absolute boat load of fresh deer sign in them. But the challenge is being able to see the deer (assuming they aren't all nocturnal, which is a different problem) in and on the edges of these clear cuts because even the 2-4 year growth blocks just about everything at ground level. I've thought a number of times if I could just get 8 or 10 feet higher, I'd basically be able to see and hunt the whole clear cut rather than be unaware of what was going on because I couldn't see as much. Has anyone tried using a reasonably camouflaged tree stand or tree saddle or something else on one edge of the clear cut to get a better view? Seems obvious, but I always think of tree stands and saddles as being a mid-west food plot tactic. Thanks in advance, and oh, the typical clear cut is probably 300 yards wide by about 600 yards long, which just seems to be begging for a tree stand along one of the sides in the middle that best takes into account the prevailing winds.
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No question.....get in a tree, a stand that is all day comfortable, make sure you pick your tree considering prevailing winds, two stands would be best. Low impact in and out of stand site is huge. Do not use the same trail as the deer. Be prepared for shooting at a bit of range as if you are not noticed, they will carry on with no concern to you.
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I have never had good luck hunting bucks in a clear cut, on The wet side. I have had good luck hunting bucks, about 50 yards inside the tree line of a well used cut.
If I see does, I move into the tree line, and work the main trails accessing the cut.
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I’d be surprised if 8-10 feet will really give you that much more visibility for the area you described.
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I've never done it but I've always thought about getting one of those climbing stands and going 30 feet or more up a tree on the edge of a clearcut.
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I've used a climber with success in specific cuts that were flat and didn't allow me any height advantage with natural terrain. If the growth is tall enough to have deer feel comfortable using the cut during daylight hours, using a tree stand is definitely an advantage to be able to see more of the cut.
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I've never done it but I've always thought about getting one of those climbing stands and going 30 feet or more up a tree on the edge of a clearcut.
Nothing like getting way up in one of those farm planted Douglas Firs or Hemlocks and having some wind hit :yike:
