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Dustinb80

#FACKCANCER
Supporting Member
18,172
187
S.W. Ohio
As some of you may know, I picked up 31 acres to hunt. I've been out there a few times, thrown some corn out and some lucky buck minerals about 6 weeks ago. Chad and I went out there Saturday with our quads. I finally was able to get my hands on all three parts to Jesses minerals. I got them mixed up into some 5 gallon buckets and took 2 of them out there. So we dumped one out in a spot down by a creek where I had thrown some lucky buck before. Doesn't look like it had been touched. I also have another spot where the ground is higher up, but seems to stay wet from the run off of the AG fields above it. Well the last time I was out there I dumped some lucky buck, when I went back Saturday, it had been torn all TOO shit. They obviously like the lucky buck. So Chad and I put out a 5 gallon bucket of Jesses minerals and threw up a camera. We got to ride around a little bit, found a good tree for me on an inside corner, just off the back side of a corn field and tree line. I'm going to try and figure a way of posting an aerial view with some notes on it, so you guys can give me some input. We haven't been able to find Chad a good tree yet, but we didn't get to spend as much time out there as we would have liked. We will be getting back out there in a few weeks. How often should we replenish the minerals? We did come across a ladder stand that, come to find out, belongs to a friend of the PO that used to hunt there, doesn't anymore tho. So we put up a camera just to see what we can see. This picture is the best I knew how to do.

20160425_070905.jpg
 

giles

Cull buck specialist
Supporting Member
Have you tried to get ahold of the property owner that you are thinking about setting up on? That's really close to the line, I could see a deer turning around and going into that cover if shot. Might not be worth it if the owner won't let you recover the animal.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
I'm wondering if you'll be able to get out after the hunt without spooking deer if you put a stand in that back corner.
 

Dustinb80

#FACKCANCER
Supporting Member
18,172
187
S.W. Ohio
Have you tried to get ahold of the property owner that you are thinking about setting up on? That's really close to the line, I could see a deer turning around and going into that cover if shot. Might not be worth it if the owner won't let you recover the animal.

Me and the PO are planning on going to talk with him soon. He has told me that the guy doesn't want people hunting his property, but doesn't think he will have a problem with us retrieving.
 

Dustinb80

#FACKCANCER
Supporting Member
18,172
187
S.W. Ohio
I'm wondering if you'll be able to get out after the hunt without spooking deer if you put a stand in that back corner.

Its hard to see, but there is a cliff that drops down to another creek on the property edge as you walk to where Ill be putting a stand. Its starts to flatten out once you get up there.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
Its hard to see, but there is a cliff that drops down to another creek on the property edge as you walk to where Ill be putting a stand. Its starts to flatten out once you get up there.
So you'll be able to drop down and be below the field to and from your stand?
 

Dustinb80

#FACKCANCER
Supporting Member
18,172
187
S.W. Ohio
If I wanted to come in from the back side of my tree, yes. I would end up on the other property by doing so. Would have to climb over and old rusty barbed wire fence too. You could walk over it, my fat ass would have to climb over lol.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
That place is loaded with inside corners, fence rows, pinch points. On a first year to hunt it? I think I would personally try to set some stands on the east end (assuming prevailing winds out of west). These would be observation sets that allow you to see a long way and have an easy entry/exit so you aren't spooking deer. I would try to stay out of the core of the property or travel paths you located in your scouting. Maybe set up a stand for a NW or SW wind somewhere on the eastern side of the property.

Where will you park? How far do you have to walk if you set up on NE corner of property by the no hunting area?

I think I would stick to NE or SE corners to start and stay out of middle chunk of woods and field surrounded on all four sides. If you can get into a stand close to that field with a 150yd quiet walk or less, I might try hunting the edge of it. If not, i would observe from a distance and only move in closer during the rut when I planned on hunting all day.

Are there any elevation changes or is it mainly flat? If flat, I would look for the slightest depressions in the lay of the land. Those subtle low spots tend to be travel paths in open fields (in my parts anyway).
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Hunting this type of stuff is not my bread and butter. All I can offer is the same old adages that Chad suggested. That said, my personal approach would be to set up a couple observation stands with flawless access and use those to develop a strategy for this ground. With 2-3 well places stands, you'll be able to observe the better part of this ground. (I assume it's fairly flat...) I'd hunt it lightly in October and only on perfect conditions, then I'd ramp up my seat time around October 25 and be prepared to go mobile. You can scout now for good trees in areas you think will be decent producers, but I would hang many fixed stands until I got a feel for the place.

As for the minerals question, I like to hit them hard and often in year one and always do so before a rain. I'll usually start a site with 25#s and then add 5#s another 3-4 times throughout the summer.
Good luck out there! I know you guys needed some more elbow room, so I'm happy you got it!
 

Dustinb80

#FACKCANCER
Supporting Member
18,172
187
S.W. Ohio
Yes this is the first year Ill hunt. I was allowed to hunt it towards the end of last year, but with everything going on with my MIL, we kind of put everything else on hold. The NE corner, by the no hunt zone, is a lot of thick brush, with no usable trees. The tornado shaped area where there is a creek on both sides is basically the same. As well as the NW corner to the NE corner. The only good line is the SW where my tree is marked, down to the SE. I will be parking and crossing the creek by the SE end, where the house is shown in the picture. It burnt down last winter, and they just now staked it out. Should start the rebuild process soon. Not sure how that will affect the season. Its looking to be about a 300 yard walk from parking to my stand, maybe a pinch less. As far as elevation, I would saw the SW corner, where my tree is, is the highest point. Sloping down towards the double creek area. The NW corner does pretty much the same thing, but not nearly the same elevation.
 

Dustinb80

#FACKCANCER
Supporting Member
18,172
187
S.W. Ohio
Yes, in the same corner as my tree, and one in the tornado creeks area. The one in my corner showed quite a few bucks, nothing overly exciting, but its a start, and it was late in the season. The one in tornado creek was set a little high, but showed about 8 does in one picture at times. I currently have a stand hanging in that spot, hung thinking I would hunt it last year, but never made it out there. All of the does appeared right at the top of the funnel, so to speak.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Any clue what surrounding hunting pressure is like?

Sounds like a solid doe population. Know anything about how they use the property? Bedding areas? Are they in the fields at night? Travel thru property or their core area?