Hill country dilema

This forum section is for the select few who believe in hard work and refuse to “Buy” success.
  • Advertisement

HB Store


brkissl82
500 Club
Posts: 1110
Joined: Tue Oct 08, 2013 1:35 pm
Location: SE Wisconsin
Status: Offline

Hill country dilema

Unread postby brkissl82 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 2:47 pm

I have been cyber scouting a new hill country area and ive noticed a lot of the access points are ontop of the hills. My question is has anyone ever had success hunting hill coumtry on the bottom of the hills?


User avatar
ghoasthunter
500 Club
Posts: 2211
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:09 am
Location: New jersey
Status: Offline

Re: Hill country dilema

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Wed Feb 21, 2018 3:02 pm

brkissl82 wrote:I have been cyber scouting a new hill country area and ive noticed a lot of the access points are ontop of the hills. My question is has anyone ever had success hunting hill coumtry on the bottom of the hills?

from my experience the bucks will bed a bit lower in thick security cover and right next to roads if the road bends sharp look inside the bends as if it were a river believe it or not they bed there. they also love points above the roads. its the last place you look spots you will find the best beds.
THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL A HUNTER HAS IS BETWEEN HIS SHOULDERS
User avatar
Jonny
500 Club
Posts: 5753
Joined: Wed Oct 19, 2016 3:11 am
Location: In a van down by the river
Status: Offline

Re: Hill country dilema

Unread postby Jonny » Wed Feb 21, 2018 3:44 pm

Your wind will get really screwy down low. Pretty sure the top is the preferred access point because then you aren’t fighting bucks vision. Just the nose. From below you are fighting both
You have a monkey Mr. Munson?
User avatar
brancher147
500 Club
Posts: 1414
Joined: Wed Aug 16, 2017 3:46 am
Location: West Virginia
Status: Offline

Re: Hill country dilema

Unread postby brancher147 » Wed Feb 21, 2018 11:26 pm

I have had success at the bottom of hills. Our mountains run N, S so I will hunt the bottom on a N or S wind and have a consistent wind-although this will not work if you are in the shadow of another ridge running E,W. Also I have hunted with a calm wind on a sunny day at the bottom of a E or S facing hill in the morning and had consistent thermal activity-but again if you are in the shadow of another ridge it can be pretty late in the morning before thermal activity starts. Evenings I have hunted at the bottom near a creek with the thermals pulling my wind down into the creek. Low thermal hubs can be hunted on exact wind conditions but that takes time to learn for any specific area.

But it is tough, especially in very hilly country like southern WV or SE Ohio where the ridges run every which way with no pattern and the winds just mostly swirl down low.
Some do. Some don't. I just might...
Jeff G
500 Club
Posts: 2077
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2013 12:17 am
Status: Offline

Re: Hill country dilema

Unread postby Jeff G » Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:01 am

brkissl82 wrote:I have been cyber scouting a new hill country area and ive noticed a lot of the access points are ontop of the hills. My question is has anyone ever had success hunting hill coumtry on the bottom of the hills?



I prefer to access hill spots from top down. there are some spots where i access from the bottom and use a ditch to conceal me for access and move upward.

Depending on thermals and prevailing wind determine where I set up on the hillside. sometimes higher, sometimes lower.

I recently did an article on how bucks cross from a thermal tunnel and check bedding on the wind blown side. In this scenario you can kill them in the funnel/transition between the two hillsides. the map in the article clears it up.

https://wiredtohunt.com/2018/02/12/anal ... -rut-hunt/
User avatar
Babshaft
500 Club
Posts: 608
Joined: Sat Nov 11, 2017 12:00 pm
Location: Ontario...Great White North
Status: Offline

Re: Hill country dilema

Unread postby Babshaft » Thu Feb 22, 2018 2:18 am

I'm not an experienced hunter by any means, but I have heard a few guys; JoeRE in particular, mention on podcasts and the like that they often times find bedding lower than the military crest or 1/3 elevation when there's a lot of pressure up high.

Scout both low and high and see where your best bedding/sign is and go from there? Joe also mentions that as soon as he puts a ridge or two between him and the access that he's essentially alone and the hunting is a lot better. Any chance that's an option for you?

Hope that helps.
User avatar
Divergent
500 Club
Posts: 766
Joined: Fri Sep 11, 2015 4:18 pm
Status: Offline

Re: Hill country dilema

Unread postby Divergent » Thu Mar 01, 2018 3:45 am

Don't be completely discouraged by hunting pressure up top. You might be surprised to find beds as long as there's sufficient cover between the access rd and possible bedding. I find that they will bed near an access route as long as there's sufficient cover. They will bed between two trails most often in hill country. One trail will follow the spine of the ridge and the other will follow the military crest. As you can see in this pic, they can smell you coming in along the access trail and they can also smell/see travel along the trail following the military crest. The beds will be positioned between the two trails in a far less "eye appealing" area. Btw pink is main trail used by deer and other animals. It's usually the most beat down trail. Don't get too caught up in the sign along this trail. Move up about 20-30 yds from the main trail. Blue dots are beds.
Image
User avatar
ghoasthunter
500 Club
Posts: 2211
Joined: Thu Jan 04, 2018 6:09 am
Location: New jersey
Status: Offline

Re: Hill country dilema

Unread postby ghoasthunter » Fri Apr 06, 2018 1:04 pm

beds watching access trails :think:
THE MOST IMPORTANT TOOL A HUNTER HAS IS BETWEEN HIS SHOULDERS


  • Advertisement

Return to “Public Land Hunting”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 30 guests