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Small parcel advice

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,762
248
Ohio
Thanks for the advice. I just bought Eberhart's Precision Bowhunting book recommended in the sticky post to help me better understand what to look for. Looking forward to taking that knowledge to my scouting and sitting.

Eberhart has some great books and DVDs out. No major endorsements. Just real hunting. There are some seminars at the Deer and Turkey Expo put on by Tony LaPratt. Not sure if he has any books or DVDs out. In regards to land management, his Expo seminars were fantastic. You might check out youtube or google to see if he has anything online. For a property owner, it is pretty good stuff.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I would check out growingdeer.tv and watch some of their past show. Some of the best there is.
mhttp://www.growingdeer.tv/#/hunting-whitetails-treestand-locations
 

Cardinalbuck

Junior Member
71
24
NE Ohio
I'm from the hills and don't hunt flat land, so take this advice for what it's worth. Here's how I'd approach things...

White Star: It appears there may be a creek in this vicinity, along with some oaks. I can see deer crossing the road in this area and deer feeding in/around this area. If the woods are open in that spot, it would make a great south wind spot to slip in to and observe. I'd scout the area for access first, then proximity to oaks, and if possible, a trail leading to/from the road in to the oaks or that overgrown field.

Red Star: Access for this spot is going to suck, don't see much around it. However I like this area for another south wind set as it makes a nice travel corridor from the crops to the west, along the field to the south, to the overgrown field to the east. Most fencelines where I'm from have good mast producers in them, so I'd think things could be similar up there. I'd scout this stand for a nice triple trunked tree about 35 yards off the field edge. Looks for trails paralleling the field edge and make sure to back off them 20 yards or so. Best case scenario, you still have a shot to the field edge.

Yellow Star: IMO this is the best spot on the property and I'd hunt it on a N-NW wind. I'm digging this spot. You should get some traffic crossing from field to field, and you get to be on the inside corner of the overgrown field. This spot resembles my best spot and I see this being a great spot. Access is going to be tough and this could be a stand best accessed a good 1.5 before sunrise, or a couple hours after. I'd save this stand for the pre-rut and rut, and plan on sitting most of the day. I'd be scouting for the best tree to hide me, then I'd figure out how to get in/out of the best I could.


Did some scouting today, particularly around the yellow star. Quite a few oak trees already dropping acorns, and lots of sign. I put a stand and a camera there. Hope I'll have something to show!

Thanks again for the advice.
 

Cardinalbuck

Junior Member
71
24
NE Ohio
Don't forget to an update when you get some pics.

Here are a few - no trophies, but that's not my priority, so I'm happy to see the activity. I put stands/blinds by each the of starred areas suggested in the early post along with feeder blocks (also relocated the cameras and put them lower so I can get a better look than the attached). Looking forward to getting out next month!
FullSizeRender (1).jpgFullSizeRender.jpgFullSizeRender_1.jpg
 

Mike R

*Supporting Member*
336
55
Is the land flat as glass? Or is there any rise to the land? I have found any rise bucks will travel during the rut does will bed on top of it. Just like on hilly ground only difference the rise might only be 8ft higher than the surrounding ground. If your looking for does that inside corner is the place to be. Everybody here has giving you great advice a few years of hunting it you will know where the deer are.
 

Murphy31

Junior Member
54
22
Western Mass

Cardinalbuck

Junior Member
71
24
NE Ohio
Is the land flat as glass? Or is there any rise to the land? I have found any rise bucks will travel during the rut does will bed on top of it. Just like on hilly ground only difference the rise might only be 8ft higher than the surrounding ground. If your looking for does that inside corner is the place to be. Everybody here has giving you great advice a few years of hunting it you will know where the deer are.

It's very flat. There are a couple of seasonal creeks and a man made ridge a few hundred feet long from an old oil well. Otherwise flat. Don't know if the oil well ridge will be appealing to deer but I'll scout it.
 

Cardinalbuck

Junior Member
71
24
NE Ohio
An update for this thread...did my first sit this morning. Saw 8 deer -- 4 does, 3 fawns and a spike buck. Had shots at does with fawns but didn't want to take them with the fawns around; also let the buck go. Found a bedding area in a small clearing where an oil well used to be. Saw a few scrapes as well. Taking advice from this thread and trying to learn where the deer are and what they're doing. Today was a good start!

Also, pulled the card from a camera near the red star on the map and found this guy:
IMG_0012.jpg

Looking forward to the rest of the season.
 

Murphy31

Junior Member
54
22
Western Mass
An update for this thread...did my first sit this morning. Saw 8 deer -- 4 does, 3 fawns and a spike buck. Had shots at does with fawns but didn't want to take them with the fawns around; also let the buck go. Found a bedding area in a small clearing where an oil well used to be. Saw a few scrapes as well. Taking advice from this thread and trying to learn where the deer are and what they're doing. Today was a good start!

Also, pulled the card from a camera near the red star on the map and found this guy:
View attachment 37248

Looking forward to the rest of the season.

Sounds like a great first sit. November 7th can't come fast enough. Nice to see some bigger ones starting to show. Good luck Cardinal.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,762
248
Ohio
Good sit. Where there are 4 does, there will eventually be bucks searching for them. Good luck moving forward.
 

Cardinalbuck

Junior Member
71
24
NE Ohio
Second sit update...saw 5 this morning from the same stand as the first sit. 2 does, 2 fawns and another small buck. The buck was out of range and I let the does walk again -- hope I won't regret that later in the season. I went to the stand in the SE corner to practice getting in when I hunt it next week. Good news is that I had pics on the camera, including these two that look promising. Bad news is that the stand is about 150 yards NE of where I wanted it! I used my phone GPS to set the stand, which was a mistake. Brought my good GPS today and found out where it really is. Might need to get the climber out next week to get closer to that funnel.

IMG_0006.jpgIMG_0012.jpg