MO-KS_hunter

Can anyone help a new bowhunter? I'm trying to determine what the best time to get to my stand is. My stand is located in a point jutting out of a large forest leading to a cut soybean field. There's deer activity (rubs, scraps, etc) all over the place near this point and I can hear deer running around in the pre-dawn hours. Last weekend I was busted trying to get to my stand at about 5:00 AM (I was busted when I tried to enter the point by a deer that was not 10 yard from my stand). Do I need to get to my stand earlier or is this in a location too close to deer activity and should I move it to a more secluded location (like off of a deer trail that's deeper in the woods).

By the way I got my first doe kill this year on Oct 2nd. She is mighty tasty!!

mobow

Congrats on the doe, and welcome to the forums. You have a difficult set up to hunt. First, I don't think there is any way to get to the stand without running deer off. These types of places always have heavy deer traffic, but mostly at night. Just my opinion here, I don't have a map of the place or anything, but I would move back into the woods. You can stay hidden there. Where that finger meets the main woodlot would probably be good.

You know, now that I think about it a little, that may be a good evening stand. Get there in the middle of the day and catch them before they get there. But, you are going to run some off when you leave.

Buellhunter

Is there a way you can approach your stand thru the woods in the morning?

MO-KS_hunter

If I get there very early (say 4 in the morning) and I happen to run one off, have I screwed the pooch or will the deer calm down by sunrise and resume their normal activities? Unfortunately I can't get to the stand by coming in from the main woodlot to thenorth, some so and so ladies own the land and won't allow any trespassers or hunters on their land.[:@]

I do have a stand overlooking the soybean field to that is SW of this stand. It is located on the edge of the soybean field in the woods west of the soybean field. I know I can get to it without getting busted. Do you think I should go for this one during the morning hunt?

By the way, I'm trying to figure out a way of saving a sat map from google maps into a .jpg or .bmp so I can show you guys my setup. If you haven't had a chance to check this website out, it's definately time you did. You can zoom in to your location anywhere in the US to resolution greater than 1:10000 and it's in color. Very cool

pvdeerhunter42

hey this is my first year of deer hunting and last night i went into my stand abut 4:45 pm and some does came my way and i noticed they were getting chased by a little 4 point. i hunt in Iowa and its oct 27 should i stary calling now or wait till a little later into the season?

Bob H in NH

I like field setups for afternoon hunts, as you said, in the morning deer are probably in the field already adn the best bet is to come in via the woods and setup 100+ yards back off the field, then catch them filtering out of the field. Afternoon hunts are easier, you come in from the field, get there 2-3 hours before sunset and catch them coming out to the fields.

--Bob

Greg / MO

I hunt a lot of similar places, and I just hunt them in the evenings.