How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

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Jeff G
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby Jeff G » Fri Nov 17, 2017 1:54 pm

Yes gradual slope = lower cruising

The bucks cruise up to the nob tops and area around the third way down for cruising the doe bedding or they go on the down wind side and cruise. Just depends on if the wind is out of. Roth or south which route they take.

You are correct. A lot of the sign down low is made at night. The buck I killed last year was at 4pm and cruising from up too doe bedding and crossed down low to get to the leeward side. Then he cruised the lower third before I killed him.


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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby Bedbug » Fri Nov 17, 2017 3:36 pm

awesome awesome awesome stuff Jeff one of the most informative post I've read! I rarely hunt the Hills but run into it out of state this visual alone paints a picture better than any :shock:
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby HELENVILLEHUNTER » Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:43 pm

Thanks Jeff, this is awesome stuff. My question is, with the limited access what time do you go to your stand? Just wondering if you cut across the top field in the dark or maybe hunt somewhere else for the first couple hours and then head over to this cruising spot later in the morning.
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby Jackson Marsh » Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:45 pm

Great post Jeff, the map illustration is very helpful.
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby Jeff G » Fri Nov 17, 2017 11:49 pm

HELENVILLEHUNTER wrote:Thanks Jeff, this is awesome stuff. My question is, with the limited access what time do you go to your stand? Just wondering if you cut across the top field in the dark or maybe hunt somewhere else for the first couple hours and then head over to this cruising spot later in the morning.


I go straight to the stand in the dark. Sitting 30-45 minutes before sunrise. No flashlight used.
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby matt1336 » Sat Nov 18, 2017 12:41 am

THanks for your time spent on this Jeff.
So you’re getting to the stand before the sun comes up and the Thermals are still falling...right? So is this a calculated risk that you’re taking with the first part of the hunt?
when do you notice the thermals kicking in if the sun is where it needs to be? Whats the difference in thermal pull on a sunny day as opposed to a rainy and cloudy day.
Also if you’d do an all day sit, would you switch stands when the sun dips below the horizon in the evening to something lower in elevation? Or do you not do all dayers?
Sorry I’m a marsh guy. Hill rookie.
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<DK>
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby <DK> » Sat Nov 18, 2017 1:04 am

Jeff G wrote:
HELENVILLEHUNTER wrote:Thanks Jeff, this is awesome stuff. My question is, with the limited access what time do you go to your stand? Just wondering if you cut across the top field in the dark or maybe hunt somewhere else for the first couple hours and then head over to this cruising spot later in the morning.


I go straight to the stand in the dark. Sitting 30-45 minutes before sunrise. No flashlight used.


Great posts Jeff! Thanks for taking the time
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby jpsmith270 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 10:50 am

Please excuse the stupidity of the following statement:

I was sitting here looking at the topo and tried to imagine that I was planning to hunt it myself. I would have totally missed what the bucks were doing because I would have based the entire setup on a northerly wind with the doe bedding in mind on the north slope. I guess I was thinking that the does wouldn't be there with a southerly wind and therefore the bucks would not cruise that area without them there......... :doh: :doh:

I probably would have still hunted the same south slope (where Jeff is) with the southerly wind due to the other known doe bedding on this slope. I would have had to stumble on what was going on though.

Someone has to be a rookie concerning the hills.......might as well be me 8-)
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby BigHunt » Wed Nov 22, 2017 11:43 am

the direct West Wind has limited effect on movement?
Your map says " bad wind for thermal tunnel" why do you think this is?
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby Jeff G » Wed Nov 22, 2017 12:10 pm

BigHunt wrote:the direct West Wind has limited effect on movement?
Your map says " bad wind for thermal tunnel" why do you think this is?


Where the stand location is a west wind does not set up enough of a defined tunnel. When it slides to sw the cruising is more defined.

Past years of observation has told me this.
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby rfickes87 » Wed Nov 22, 2017 3:34 pm

Jeff,

How long into winter will the bucks keep traveling this route thru the tunnel? I've shot 3 bucks that i can think of in rifle (first week of December) over the years that were either chasing does or just cruising along the 1/3 elevation on our farm but I don't have much experience in late December/January. Just wondering if they will maintain this cruising travel thru the winter?? I know everyone says go to food sources in winter but I am planning an out of state hunt and I think its still worth it to sit along some thick remote leeward ridges around Christmas and in January. What are your thoughts?
"Pressure and Time. That's all it takes, really. Pressure, and time..."
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby Hatchetman » Thu Nov 23, 2017 2:42 am

Jeff G wrote:
BigHunt wrote:the direct West Wind has limited effect on movement?
Your map says " bad wind for thermal tunnel" why do you think this is?


Where the stand location is a west wind does not set up enough of a defined tunnel. When it slides to sw the cruising is more defined.

Past years of observation has told me this.

There is so much to this for putting good bucks on the ground IMO.
Sometimes it just takes time to really understand an area,...a lot of time...sometimes years!

I'm sure many of you have honey hole kill trees like Jeff does here, but i would bet a good portion of some pretty good hunters/ topo analyzers could be brought to these spots and be told, "Well , here it is, my killer tree, I killed yada yada yada bucks out of it it the last years" ---- and you get a lot of puzzled looks and a few "WHAT, this is it???" comments. :o
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby Bogie » Thu Nov 23, 2017 2:18 pm

Hi Jeff. This was a great visual. I was wondering how the thermals would come into play where you have your stand. The hillside your stand is on is facing to the northeast away from the sun. Do the thermals still come up the hill towards you? Thanks!
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby Wall hanger » Sat Jan 27, 2018 2:57 am

So knowing exactly where doe bedding in this scenario is key ? And doe bedding doesnt relate to being on leeward sides like bucks? I have been thinking does always bedded on leeward sides of ridges like the bucks do. This is really opening up my thinking for attacking cruising bucks during the rut in hill country. I have so much to learn.
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Re: How to hunt a thermal tunnel/buck cruising route

Unread postby Stanley » Sat Jan 27, 2018 4:39 am

Great stuff for sure.
You can fool some of the bucks, all of the time, and fool all of the bucks, some of the time, however you certainly can't fool all of the bucks, all of the time.


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