Ideal time to prep stands?

[Rob loper]

How about prepping trails through nasty noisy thickets or cattails to be more stealthy? Not setting stands but just making small trails to get in spots a little quieter and easier? Anyone?

[mainebowhunter]

Just to add yet one more thing. 1st buck killed out of a tree I prepped in 2015. 2nd buck killed out of a in season hang. Shots were limited. Prepping was minimal. Never saw the deer until it was within 20yds. Had to shoot through softball size hole.

[Tim H]

How about prepping trails through nasty noisy thickets or cattails to be more stealthy? Not setting stands but just making small trails to get in spots a little quieter and easier? Anyone?

This could definitely be helpful but I think about leaving a trail that other hunters could possibly find. We see this kind of thing when we have clear cuts that are grown up and where hunters cut trails through the poplars.

[Bigburner]

How about prepping trails through nasty noisy thickets or cattails to be more stealthy? Not setting stands but just making small trails to get in spots a little quieter and easier? Anyone?

The problems I have always found with making access trails. They would always turn into a deer trail. They are always going to travel the path of least resistance and what we require is far less than they require. Plus the majority of time in the marsh your access is the deer trail so any set you access in by deer trail is gonna be a one and done most times. And sometimes quiet has to coincide with some wind or maybe wetter conditions. I’ve backed out of a lot of sets just because the leaves were to dry for me to get where I wanted to be without making so much noise I blew my chance before I even got one.

[Dewey]

How about prepping trails through nasty noisy thickets or cattails to be more stealthy? Not setting stands but just making small trails to get in spots a little quieter and easier? Anyone?

The problems I have always found with making access trails. They would always turn into a deer trail. They are always going to travel the path of least resistance and what we require is far less than they require. Plus the majority of time in the marsh your access is the deer trail so any set you access in by deer trail is gonna be a one and done most times. And sometimes quiet has to coincide with some wind or maybe wetter conditions. I’ve backed out of a lot of sets just because the leaves were to dry for me to get where I wanted to be without making so much noise I blew my chance before I even got one.

Agree 100%

[brancher147]

Hunting big woods I usually wait until pre season or during season to trim and prep. Where the deer are this year may not be where they are next year depending on food sources.

Farm country I would prep now.

[mainebowhunter]

Hunting big woods I usually wait until pre season or during season to trim and prep. Where the deer are this year may not be where they are next year depending on food sources.

Farm country I would prep now.

That is why lot of the stuff I am prepping now may not get hunted this next season. Bedding really depends on mast crop production.

[Ack]

In the spring I like to throw a stand up in the trees I chose just to see........if it's for sure the right tree, easiest way up, if the stand fits where I want it, and how high I ultimately need to be. I don't do this with every set, but it is nice to have the familiarity when you do get back there in the fall.

[Rob loper]

How about prepping trails through nasty noisy thickets or cattails to be more stealthy? Not setting stands but just making small trails to get in spots a little quieter and easier? Anyone?

The problems I have always found with making access trails. They would always turn into a deer trail. They are always going to travel the path of least resistance and what we require is far less than they require. Plus the majority of time in the marsh your access is the deer trail so any set you access in by deer trail is gonna be a one and done most times. And sometimes quiet has to coincide with some wind or maybe wetter conditions. I’ve backed out of a lot of sets just because the leaves were to dry for me to get where I wanted to be without making so much noise I blew my chance before I even got one.

Ok thanks. I was thinking the same thing I will just use deer trail i went in on wait for right conditions and try to be quiet and take my time there is one high spot leading out to this island that is wet but crossible. My feet still got wet though all the deer trails come through this high spot to the island. So am hunt would be just impossible Everywhere else surrounding this island is just way too deep chest high mud to go through. I think its gonna be an absolute lethal spot though. I already picked trees for certain winds and marked them on phone so next time i go in its for the kill.

[brancher147]

Hunting big woods I usually wait until pre season or during season to trim and prep. Where the deer are this year may not be where they are next year depending on food sources.

Farm country I would prep now.

That is why lot of the stuff I am prepping now may not get hunted this next season. Bedding really depends on mast crop production.

Yeah I do that some too. It just seems like when I do that a lot of times by the time I get back to the spot something has changed slightly and I end up picking a new spot, so it was a waste of time to prep a spot and never hunt it.

[ghoasthunter]

How about prepping trails through nasty noisy thickets or cattails to be more stealthy? Not setting stands but just making small trails to get in spots a little quieter and easier? Anyone?

I only prep stands and trails for morning hunts normally that's a tack trail if you cut trails you could re rout how deer travel and even bed unless that's the plan for the trail.

[Bonehead]

I have always prepped most of my set ups when I scout before spring green up.
Since I recently found the beast, One of the things I’ve been working on this year is prepping trees on a section of hill country private I have hunted for 20 years or so. I have been drilling bolts and clearing lanes at least once a week since the season ended. So far I have 7 new trees prepped out, hoping for at least 3 times that to be complete before green up.
So far this year on some new (to me) public I have prepped 3 trees. Basically using wire to tie branches back here
And there. I talked to local game warden to insure it was legal in my state.

[SplitG2]

With 4 kids stand preparation has pretty much gone out the window. With that said tho, I make time for at least 2 stands and prep them in the summer, around June or July. No particular reason I pick this timeframe other than it seems like bucks I've encountered during the summer seem to be more relaxed and more tolerable of intrusion. Also the foilage is thick and altho they might hear me, there's a better chance they can't see me.

[JoeRE]

IMO the best time to prep a setup is when you find it

Slightly tongue in cheek but I really mean it, regardless of time of year. If you are uncertain about a spot come back and check it again but pick a tree the first time in there. Over time that will make you better at picking setups.

Yea early spring is probably the best time visibility wise for picking spots to be hunted post-leaf drop. But early season spots might look way different. I have picked spots every month of the year that I can think of...pick em when you find em.

And also some spots are hard to figure out. I have picked a setup, sat thinking about it for a few weeks, gone back and picked a different spot, then thought about it a while more, gone back a third time and moved spots again. Sometimes those return trips are a year apart. Just keep looking at the angles and hone in on the best possible place to set up....

Lately I have been focusing more on quality of setups not quantity. I used to have many dozen setups picked out. Now I try to zero in on a few slam dunk ones for each phase of the season and it seems to pay off most of the time. It still takes looking at a bunch of potential spots.

[Babshaft]

IMO the best time to prep a setup is when you find it

Slightly tongue in cheek but I really mean it, regardless of time of year. If you are uncertain about a spot come back and check it again but pick a tree the first time in there. Over time that will make you better at picking setups.

Yea early spring is probably the best time visibility wise for picking spots to be hunted post-leaf drop. But early season spots might look way different. I have picked spots every month of the year that I can think of...pick em when you find em.

And also some spots are hard to figure out. I have picked a setup, sat thinking about it for a few weeks, gone back and picked a different spot, then thought about it a while more, gone back a third time and moved spots again. Sometimes those return trips are a year apart. Just keep looking at the angles and hone in on the best possible place to set up....

Lately I have been focusing more on quality of setups not quantity. I used to have many dozen setups picked out. Now I try to zero in on a few slam dunk ones for each phase of the season and it seems to pay off most of the time. It still takes looking at a bunch of potential spots.

Here's a bit of a loaded question; sorry Joe. How do you differentiate spots? What makes a spot a slam dunk spot? Is it based on the primary bedding you found or the quality of the buck you expect to be using the bedding you found? Or is it that there's a higher likelihood of seeing a target buck at the spot?

Thanks