Give a Rookie a Starting Point

Post topo’s and Aerial photos for free advice. Food plotting, land manipulation, water holes, ect.
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KenMci2024
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Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2022 2:13 pm
Location: SE New Hampshire
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Give a Rookie a Starting Point

Unread postby KenMci2024 » Wed Aug 31, 2022 12:32 pm

Hello Hunters,
Hoping someone can give some advice. I’m in year 2 of my hunting journey here in Southern NH and after not seeing a single deer in year 1 trying to figure out what I’m doing wrong. Did a lot of scouting this summer and while I think I have a few spots to try out I’m lacking some confidence.
The image is some conservation land in my area. I walked a portion of it and found what I thought was some good bedding and rubs in an old clear cut (yellow circle) about an arce in size. There’s some corn to the east and small swamps throughout.
There’s a fresh clearcut this year in blue and a beaver dam with some tracks along it in purple.
We get mostly W and NW winds during the season.
Any ideas where to narrow things down and what to look for.
Next year will look to scout when there’s just a little snow left because I couldn’t find a bed to save my life.
And to further disappoint myself, I bow hunt from the ground. :?

Access is pretty good from either side and I’m not afraid to hike.
Any advice is welcome as I didn’t grow up in a hunting family.
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Tsom
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Location: W. Central MN
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Re: Give a Rookie a Starting Point

Unread postby Tsom » Wed Aug 31, 2022 1:23 pm

I hear you on the deer less seasons I've been there for sure and with plenty of time put in. I hunt a lot of similar places in So. NH and you definitely should be able to find beds if there's deer sign in the area. They won't typically be well worn down to dirt but slight depression where you'll usually find hair although you might need to sort through the leaves. I've found a few well worn ones but most in the woods aren't. In wetter, swampy areas they'll show more.
Definitely check out the swamps and around any water for sign. Don't be afraid to in season scout if the areas your hunting don't have fresh sign. Military crest bedding definitely applies around here but you also want to check out any other lumps and bumps, edges of drainages on hills for bedding. Especially if there's good back cover like rhododendron or hemlocks. If your lucky enough to get snow on the ground in rifle season grab a gun and follow some tracks. If nothing else you'll learn how they use the piece of woods your in.
Another thing you might notice is thermal currents will often overpower the wind direction. I'm not sure what the acorn crop is like this year , but on years where it's been sparse ive seen a trend of deer hanging around cuts with new growth in them for food.
Hopefully this season works out better for you!
KenMci2024
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2022 2:13 pm
Location: SE New Hampshire
Status: Offline

Re: Give a Rookie a Starting Point

Unread postby KenMci2024 » Wed Aug 31, 2022 2:29 pm

Thanks Tsom for this and the other post (will definitely check it out). Definitely going to scout in season as well. I did get my first rifle so gun season is a go and tracking could be fun.
If you need a dragger let me know (all I’m good for right now).
Have a great season.


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