huntingson

I hunt a wide variety of habitat even though I mostly hunt just in Ohio. In fact, this past weekend was spent in a new public area that I have never been before scouting for next year. The terrain is almost like out west, it is wide open with some thick unhuntable cover scattered throughout and strips of woods here and there. It is a big area, about 20,000 acres, and one thing I learned was that deer hunting is deer hunting. I searched the ridge tops that were hard to get to and were wooded and wouldn't you know it, they were covered with old scrapes and rubs and more sign than I have ever seen in one area. Bucks love low spots on ridge tops and hate being in the open. For the search phase of the rut I hunt funnels like these: small strips of woods that connect two wood lots or other areas of significance, low spots on ridge tops where the bucks will cross over the ridge, and areas where two or more ridges intersect.That is just what I do. I see less deer than some guys, but the chances that the deer I see will be a big buck are much higher.

nwochuck

I have a new land to hunt this fall. The oner hunted it when he was younger and during that time took downed trees and limbs and made naturual blinds. the deer travel the revines in the area that is were the blinds are. We have spent three days cleaning them out and sprayed so no weeds or grass will come out inside of them. Entry to them are from higher ground down to them through the back side. I have to look at the ariel photos in may to decide were to hang stands. Let the older teach the younger.