Help scouting my property

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Gregoh44
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Help scouting my property

Unread postby Gregoh44 » Tue Nov 09, 2021 12:22 pm

This is my third season hunting this property, it's 77 acres and it's got good potential and I know deer like to hang out in there. We have good bucks in the summer but come October they seem to move on or become ghosts. I've hunted way at the top of the hill but I never seem to get many pics of deer. It seems like the bucks really like to hang out in the thick stuff by my creek, at least that's where I seem to get the most pics of them. There's lots of oak and hickory trees throughout property although the top section is mostly maples .
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WIswampdweller20
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Sat Nov 13, 2021 2:48 am

Gregoh44 wrote:This is my third season hunting this property, it's 77 acres and it's got good potential and I know deer like to hang out in there. We have good bucks in the summer but come October they seem to move on or become ghosts. I've hunted way at the top of the hill but I never seem to get many pics of deer. It seems like the bucks really like to hang out in the thick stuff by my creek, at least that's where I seem to get the most pics of them. There's lots of oak and hickory trees throughout property although the top section is mostly maples .



Just thought I’d pass along that you might have better luck getting help with this in the scouting forum. Just had a post not getting any traction myself until I moved it there. I’m not a native hill guy myself, but have been brushing up the last few years as I travel to this type of terrain. So for what it’s worth, your going to have limited conducive wind days to hunt much of this. I can see a bit more flexibility on the radius section of slope on that high ground to the east. Depending on the deer density in your area, you might not see a ton of sign, particularly with the maples not being prime habitat unless there’s some good understory. In my area that would be more of a one buck scenario, if any. Another spot that catches my eye, is that area immediately to the west of the intersection of the creek and the south property line. Might have to be a morning only spot, with the thermals and you may have to see what the wind does, I’m guessing anything south to east for the prevailing wind might be conducive, but it’s a great pinch if you can work out exactly how it’s being used.
Gregoh44
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby Gregoh44 » Sat Nov 13, 2021 10:07 am

WIswampdweller20 wrote:
Gregoh44 wrote:This is my third season hunting this property, it's 77 acres and it's got good potential and I know deer like to hang out in there. We have good bucks in the summer but come October they seem to move on or become ghosts. I've hunted way at the top of the hill but I never seem to get many pics of deer. It seems like the bucks really like to hang out in the thick stuff by my creek, at least that's where I seem to get the most pics of them. There's lots of oak and hickory trees throughout property although the top section is mostly maples .



Just thought I’d pass along that you might have better luck getting help with this in the scouting forum. Just had a post not getting any traction myself until I moved it there. I’m not a native hill guy myself, but have been brushing up the last few years as I travel to this type of terrain. So for what it’s worth, your going to have limited conducive wind days to hunt much of this. I can see a bit more flexibility on the radius section of slope on that high ground to the east. Depending on the deer density in your area, you might not see a ton of sign, particularly with the maples not being prime habitat unless there’s some good understory. In my area that would be more of a one buck scenario, if any. Another spot that catches my eye, is that area immediately to the west of the intersection of the creek and the south property line. Might have to be a morning only spot, with the thermals and you may have to see what the wind does, I’m guessing anything south to east for the prevailing wind might be conducive, but it’s a great pinch if you can work out exactly how it’s being used.


Last year there was a ton of buck sign, rubs and scrapes all over this year has been hardly anything. It seems the acorn crop this year has been terrible. From trail cam pics the bucks really seem to like that creek. There's a ridge on the east side just above the creek that's beaten down with tracks all year. This year has been especially tough though the deer movement has been minimal since it seeks they've moved on to other food sources
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WIswampdweller20
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Sat Nov 13, 2021 12:21 pm

Gregoh44 wrote:
WIswampdweller20 wrote:
Gregoh44 wrote:This is my third season hunting this property, it's 77 acres and it's got good potential and I know deer like to hang out in there. We have good bucks in the summer but come October they seem to move on or become ghosts. I've hunted way at the top of the hill but I never seem to get many pics of deer. It seems like the bucks really like to hang out in the thick stuff by my creek, at least that's where I seem to get the most pics of them. There's lots of oak and hickory trees throughout property although the top section is mostly maples .



Just thought I’d pass along that you might have better luck getting help with this in the scouting forum. Just had a post not getting any traction myself until I moved it there. I’m not a native hill guy myself, but have been brushing up the last few years as I travel to this type of terrain. So for what it’s worth, your going to have limited conducive wind days to hunt much of this. I can see a bit more flexibility on the radius section of slope on that high ground to the east. Depending on the deer density in your area, you might not see a ton of sign, particularly with the maples not being prime habitat unless there’s some good understory. In my area that would be more of a one buck scenario, if any. Another spot that catches my eye, is that area immediately to the west of the intersection of the creek and the south property line. Might have to be a morning only spot, with the thermals and you may have to see what the wind does, I’m guessing anything south to east for the prevailing wind might be conducive, but it’s a great pinch if you can work out exactly how it’s being used.


Last year there was a ton of buck sign, rubs and scrapes all over this year has been hardly anything. It seems the acorn crop this year has been terrible. From trail cam pics the bucks really seem to like that creek. There's a ridge on the east side just above the creek that's beaten down with tracks all year. This year has been especially tough though the deer movement has been minimal since it seeks they've moved on to other food sources


If the tracks have diminished, it’s very possible that the nighttime traffic has lessened- off year as you say…greener pastures elsewhere. I’d venture a guess there are still some resident deer, but I could be wrong- some properties retain deer less than others. Comes down to security. It can be hard to gauge without intel. Do you have any cameras at this high traffic area you mentioned?I hear the word ghost a lot related to hunting ridges, but it really comes down to all the wind and sight advantages these bucks have. Access can be a challenge, especially the way the creek valley splits this parallel to the road.
splits this parallel the road.
Gregoh44
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby Gregoh44 » Mon Nov 15, 2021 9:07 am

Now there's lots of tracks but we seem to be getting the same doe with fawns and a few bucks. Now the yellow lines I added were where ridges are above the creek and the two way points I added were spots were spots where I found balloons in the woods. Apparently many years ago this was a farm and the section closest to the road has rows of pine trees with some apples mixed in. Where the pines aren't it's chest high grasses and small trees. It's very tough to hunt in there as there aren't many trees big enough to get in. I feel like the bucks are bedding in the thick stuff and near the ridges by the creek.
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WIswampdweller20
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 1:58 am

Gregoh44 wrote:Now there's lots of tracks but we seem to be getting the same doe with fawns and a few bucks. Now the yellow lines I added were where ridges are above the creek and the two way points I added were spots were spots where I found balloons in the woods. Apparently many years ago this was a farm and the section closest to the road has rows of pine trees with some apples mixed in. Where the pines aren't it's chest high grasses and small trees. It's very tough to hunt in there as there aren't many trees big enough to get in. I feel like the bucks are bedding in the thick stuff and near the ridges by the creek.



Did you add a pic?..not seeing it.
todd4554
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby todd4554 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 3:37 am

I would walk every inch of it until I figured the place out. If your cameras are showing less activity during season there could be a lot of reasons. Pressure and habitat or a combination would be my guess. It would be fairly easy to blow out 77 acres though, and the access there doesn’t look great. Less might be more in regards to your hunting there.
Gregoh44
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby Gregoh44 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:23 am

WIswampdweller20 wrote:
Gregoh44 wrote:Now there's lots of tracks but we seem to be getting the same doe with fawns and a few bucks. Now the yellow lines I added were where ridges are above the creek and the two way points I added were spots were spots where I found balloons in the woods. Apparently many years ago this was a farm and the section closest to the road has rows of pine trees with some apples mixed in. Where the pines aren't it's chest high grasses and small trees. It's very tough to hunt in there as there aren't many trees big enough to get in. I feel like the bucks are bedding in the thick stuff and near the ridges by the creek.



Did you add a pic?..not seeing it.


I meant to add the pic I forgot to lol
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Gregoh44
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby Gregoh44 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 10:35 am

todd4554 wrote:I would walk every inch of it until I figured the place out. If your cameras are showing less activity during season there could be a lot of reasons. Pressure and habitat or a combination would be my guess. It would be fairly easy to blow out 77 acres though, and the access there doesn’t look great. Less might be more in regards to your hunting there.


Access is the toughest part, the main atv trail is on the west side of the property essentially making you have to walk through the whole place to get to any stands on the east side
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WIswampdweller20
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:48 am

Gregoh44 wrote:
todd4554 wrote:I would walk every inch of it until I figured the place out. If your cameras are showing less activity during season there could be a lot of reasons. Pressure and habitat or a combination would be my guess. It would be fairly easy to blow out 77 acres though, and the access there doesn’t look great. Less might be more in regards to your hunting there.


Access is the toughest part, the main atv trail is on the west side of the property essentially making you have to walk through the whole place to get to any stands on the east side


How is the parcel oriented. First pics showing N at the top? Road runs N to S?
Gregoh44
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby Gregoh44 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 11:55 am

Yes The rd runs north to south
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WIswampdweller20
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 12:20 pm

Gregoh44 wrote:Yes The rd runs north to south



Ok, so that yellow line would represent the military crest? Highest visibility before abruptly dropping in elevation? That east side sounds like some primo bedding.
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WIswampdweller20
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby WIswampdweller20 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 12:21 pm

WIswampdweller20 wrote:
Gregoh44 wrote:Yes The rd runs north to south



Ok, so that yellow line would represent the military crest? Highest visibility before abruptly dropping in elevation? That east side sounds like some primo bedding.


Correction- west side…by the road.
Gregoh44
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby Gregoh44 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 12:50 pm

Yes by the road is great bedding, the only problem is it's tough to hunt them in there and tough to figure which trails they use most often on the way out
todd4554
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Re: Help scouting my property

Unread postby todd4554 » Tue Nov 16, 2021 12:57 pm

It sounds to me like pressure and access are the issue. Can you park somewhere else? And just walk in? Or access through a neighbors, with permission of course? I would also rest it. 77 acres just isn’t much ground. It’s plenty, but has to be hunted precisely.


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