NY Bowhunter

I am fortunate enough to be able to hunt everyday allday if I want in October and November. My land is 250 acres. I have 7 ladder stands and a climber I move around with.

With that size chunk of land I begin to wonder if I'm overhunting it. I REALLY go as scent free as possible. I alter my entry and exit routes to every stand. I don't hunt a particular stand if the wind isn't right. I don't hunt the same stand 2 days in a row (or more). There is one area where they bed. Most of it is funnels and food source. I stay as far away from there as possible going in and out (sometimes walking 1/4 mile out of the way). I really mix it up the best I can.

But still, I'm there someplace everyday. I don't really have access to another piece of land to give this one a break. And frankly I don't really want another piece (this land holds some brutes). Should I be sitting home giving my land more of a break? The alternative is to NOT hunt[:@]. So here I sit wondering why I'm not in a tree. Yesterday I was in a tree wondering if I'm burning my sanctuary. What do you think?

hillbillyhunter1

I think you'll be fine, especially taking those precautions, and especially if there is enough food to make the deer wanna hang around. 250 is a fairly good size place for one person. As long as yuo're seeing deer, why not hunt?--Now GET THE HECK OUT THERE YOU LOAFER

Fieldmouse

The real question is, "are you seeing a lot of bucks?". That is how you can tell if you are over hunting it. Big bucks will avoid the preasure and leave. The little ones will hang around. If you still see some big boys every now and then your doing fine.

firegoon

250 acres is a lot of ground to cover, however if you are out there everyday and sometimes hunting the same stand, chances are that some of those deer may begin to pattern you. I would gauge the amount of pressure by the number of sightings of deer that you encounter. Obviously, if you are seeing less deer, then you maybe adding to much pressure.

vikesfan353

I would say no, but I am sure there are those that would say yes!!! My dad hunts in 3 stands throughout the season! The stands are deep in the woods, but all within about 15 acre area! He walks the same trail to these stands all the time! He has shot MANY deer from these stand over the years! From the first day till the last!!!

NY Bowhunter

There is one other guy that hunts with me there. Not as much as I do and follows the same precautions. We've both seen some nice bucks during daytime hours. The last 4 or 5 days have really sucked as far as seeing deer though. Not sure whether to attribute it to the full moon/warm days or ME! I have seen new scrapes and rubs around though. Just hope we're not driving them nocturnal. Also, the 250 acres is concentrated to more like 150- 175 of "huntable" land.

isatarak

During the rut, I would be hunting every chance I got. You may be getting patterned by some deer, but that doesn't mean there can't be big bucks coming in from neighboring land.

RDHunter

I would go hunt where the thick brush is those big bucks are moving and looking for does but not out in the open.

Charlie P

I'd call Charlie up and put on a drive.lol.

hillbillyhunter1

I know what you mean and have a feeling it's not you. I hunted with four other guys on about 1000 acres of PRIME hunting last night and although me and another guy watched a monster buck out in a field for about 10 minutes, the evening was extremely slow for all of us--maybe saw a half dozen deer between the five of us. Unbelievable for this time of year--gotta be the moon--Game time has gotta be soon, imo.