Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
03-25-2008, 02:20 PM
#11
Site Bouncer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Illinois
Posts: 4,099
RE: Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
Agreed, Scott....and this why I've adapted and I get into this area REALLY early. I wanna be there in the morning before ANY of them get "home". It's also why I watch my travel routes.
I am justnot comfortable going in or coming out in the darkof an area that I know has good odds of having deerutilizing it. Not worth the chance of spooking them to me.
It's caused me to sit in the stand far longer than I've wanted to before getting down....on more than one occasion.
03-25-2008, 03:00 PM
#12
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location:
Posts: 2,139
RE: Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
ORIGINAL: GMMAT
Got me to thinking.....
Who hunts these spots? Who has a good staging area to hunt? What is the purpose (for the deer) of this "staging area"....and why do you think they like it? A staging area is a safer area where deer can check out their food sorce for danger before entering. If you were being hunted you would do the same thing. Approach from a safe place and check things out before going out into the open. What is the draw for them to this spot? The food sorce.
I have a GREAT staging area that's been my top producer for bucks in the short time I've been hunting them. It's also a doe haven......hence the reason I hunt does FOR bucks. I'm playing the hand I was dealt to my advantage.
This area is (area I have access to) is only about 5 acres. It's an oak flat that has about 4-5 different mast producing species. Deer will "stage" in this flat before darkness......and re-stage in this area before going into their bedding area(s).....which is only 40-50 yds from the oak flat......before bedding in the mornings.I am suprised that you can get so close to bedded deer w/o spooking themThey routinely go in and out of this area in the mornings.....as they feel it'sa safe place for them to be out in the daylight. I routinely have deer in this flat on up into the late morning hours.
I wouldn't consider this area a "destination" food source.....because there are other mast producing areas that they venture to in the evenings. I suppose this is due to their natural browsing tendencies.
It really is a GREAT spot, though.....very near their sanctuary. I believe it wouldn't be NEARLY the spot it is.......if I had access to their bedding area(s).
So.....do you hunt areas like this?
Got me to thinking.....
Who hunts these spots? Who has a good staging area to hunt? What is the purpose (for the deer) of this "staging area"....and why do you think they like it? A staging area is a safer area where deer can check out their food sorce for danger before entering. If you were being hunted you would do the same thing. Approach from a safe place and check things out before going out into the open. What is the draw for them to this spot? The food sorce.
I have a GREAT staging area that's been my top producer for bucks in the short time I've been hunting them. It's also a doe haven......hence the reason I hunt does FOR bucks. I'm playing the hand I was dealt to my advantage.
This area is (area I have access to) is only about 5 acres. It's an oak flat that has about 4-5 different mast producing species. Deer will "stage" in this flat before darkness......and re-stage in this area before going into their bedding area(s).....which is only 40-50 yds from the oak flat......before bedding in the mornings.I am suprised that you can get so close to bedded deer w/o spooking themThey routinely go in and out of this area in the mornings.....as they feel it'sa safe place for them to be out in the daylight. I routinely have deer in this flat on up into the late morning hours.
I wouldn't consider this area a "destination" food source.....because there are other mast producing areas that they venture to in the evenings. I suppose this is due to their natural browsing tendencies.
It really is a GREAT spot, though.....very near their sanctuary. I believe it wouldn't be NEARLY the spot it is.......if I had access to their bedding area(s).
So.....do you hunt areas like this?
03-25-2008, 03:02 PM
#13
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Kansas city, Missouri
Posts: 2,571
RE: Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
i believe that staging areas besides crop or feed fields are wherethe big mature bucks and im not talking about 3 1/2 or even 4 1/2 yearoldsbut the bucks that are 5 1/2 or older spend most of the evening in this area and then come out in the fields during dark
03-25-2008, 03:23 PM
#14
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Jefferson County, Missouri
Posts: 7,684
RE: Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
we (my family)have staging ares on ALL of the farms we have, most of them are small oak flats close to water, and thick cover. we have been most successful while either hunting funnels leading to the staging areas or, the staging area itself
03-25-2008, 04:17 PM
#15
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: Central Minnesota
Posts: 9,445
RE: Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
I guess I've never heard the term (staging area's) until I seen it in another thread a few days back. I myself don't hunt them being I feel I'm too much in there home or bed. These staging areas in the woods that I hunt are allot of times there bedding area's as well. During the rut I try and hunt the little sneak trails that come from there main bedding area's or staging area's.
03-25-2008, 04:38 PM
#16
Site Buck Guru
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Racine, Wisconsin
Posts: 5,922
RE: Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
ORIGINAL: Steven McBee
i believe that staging areas besides crop or feed fields are wherethe big mature bucks and im not talking about 3 1/2 or even 4 1/2 yearoldsbut the bucks that are 5 1/2 or older spend most of the evening in this area and then come out in the fields during dark
i believe that staging areas besides crop or feed fields are wherethe big mature bucks and im not talking about 3 1/2 or even 4 1/2 yearoldsbut the bucks that are 5 1/2 or older spend most of the evening in this area and then come out in the fields during dark
03-25-2008, 05:31 PM
#17
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Northwest suburbs, Illinois
Posts: 2,075
RE: Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
I do not like to hunt staging or destination areas.... I do not want to be where they are going, I want to catch them on their way... IMO it is to easy to get busted hunting staging / destination areas. To many "eyes and ears" if you will for my liking. I am just not comfortable going in or coming out in the dark of an area that I know has good odds of having deer utilizing it.
Too often I think.. hunters confuse the two.
03-25-2008, 05:59 PM
#19
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Kansas city, Missouri
Posts: 2,571
RE: Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
i have a couple on my farm and i usually key on these during early season. during the rut i focus on bottlenecks,doe bedding areas and inside corners
03-26-2008, 02:11 PM
#20
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Manassas, VA
Posts: 3,612
RE: Interesting reference to "Staging Areas" in another thread
Ive hunted staging areas--one big problem I have with them is that when you see deer, there usually is alot of them and they all have eyes and noses on you....trying to draw on a deer that has that many friends can be really tough. Other than that, I don't hunt alot of staging areas these days, but prefer to try and catch them in tighter areas on ways to and from where they are going.
