Approach to deer stand sites

joshkans

joshkans

New member
I have several deer tree stands and ground blinds setup over a variety of land types. I am curious to hear different opinions on how best to access sites located in different terrain and land use types.

I have read many articles on the subject in NAHC magazine and they all share one thing in common. Every article I have read emphasizes the importance of getting into position without alerting the deer to our presence. My question is when I can approach from either crop field, open grass/pasture or from the forest, which is better? Should I approach from a tree line separating two fields or walk right through the middle? Does time of day make a difference? I guess the deer are in the crop land at night so early morning I walk through the pasture? opposite for daytime when getting ready for an evening hunt?

What are your opinions? Thanks
Josh
 
Im not understanding this totaly but i would never walk across the open field. I would also be a slave to the wind when walking to my stand. If you have a few stands up than on somedays the wind may be blowing bad for one stand but great for another. Leave every blind/stand as quietly as you entered the area to begin the hunt.

another thing is i would only point the flash light at the ground when exiting or entering a stand or blind, I went out a while back before daylight with a friend and he would shine the light out towards the field while we were walking the tree line to the spot and they blew at us like crazy, If they see you there they might skedaddle.
 
Originally Posted By: lon0121Im not understanding this totaly but i would never walk across the open field. I would also be a slave to the wind when walking to my stand. If you have a few stands up than on somedays the wind may be blowing bad for one stand but great for another. Leave every blind/stand as quietly as you entered the area to begin the hunt.

another thing is i would only point the flash light at the ground when exiting or entering a stand or blind, I went out a while back before daylight with a friend and he would shine the light out towards the field while we were walking the tree line to the spot and they blew at us like crazy, If they see you there they might skedaddle.

Good advice Lon also use the wind and the terrain to your advantage. Come rut time especially they could be anywhere anytime of the day. Hunt to your stand and hunt leaving it. With big bucks you get one chance, screw it up and your done. Wear rubber boots scent control limb your spots out just enough and do it way before the season. Big bucks a lot of times will travel down wind 20 yards or so of the main run scent checking as they go.
 
Thank you guys for the input. Let me be a bit more specific on what I am asking. I understand that some stand sites are better suited for certain wind directions and even seasons. I also understand about good scent management and such.

In Kansas, I generally hunt from treestands over crop field or pasture land that is near a good forest stand. I usually go out and am in my stand 1 hour before first light and leave around 11 AM or so. I return for an afternoon hunt about 3-4 hours before sundown and stay til dark. My question is about which way should I approach my stands.

I have several stands that could be approached across cropland or through pasture. I also have some that could be appproached through forest or through pasture. What way do you think would be best?


Here is an example of one of my stand sites. I have a treestand in the outcropping of trees from south to north approximately 1/4 mile south of the pond and 1/8 mile east. The stand overlooks a hay field that gently slopes to the creek. The cropland to the west is planted soybeans and and southwest is wheat stubble.

I could approach from the south along a tree row from the house, I could walk in from the north along the tree row west of the pond continuing south along the field divider line to the waterway, or come in through the woods. Either way I could spook game. How would you guys do it?

Thanks.. PS> I hope the picture works.
 
Doesn't matter in the morning/dark, just get into the stand and don't mess around getting there. Spooked a buck walking in too late/after 1st light last year. He came back an hour later, however I didn't get a shot at him. Not the first time it's happened won't be the last. Where are they bedding? Once I've established that I will always use a fenceline, creekbed or any small depression to approach, anything to break up my outline. Do you know their travel patterns? Sometimes it pays to set up a stand on an outlying edge just to study their movement. If you can't get in undetected is your stand too close to a bedding area/s? Like MarK2 said during the rut all bets are off.
 
Be careful around bedding areas. I try not to approach my stands exactly the same way each time if possible. Deer will pattern you after a while. Watch the morning thermals, they can be different then the breeze at your truck.
 
YES! mark nailed it! I would personaly walk the woodlines on the outside of the field, stay away from the middle of it! Alot of deer walk the woodlines as well and love to make scrapes along them so you MUST WEAR rubber boots IMO! Also! take that google earth map crap and try to figure out where they are bedding! In a field or crop field like that you want to pin them as they are getting up from thier beds and walking to that field for dinner at dusk! Your stand should be set to catch them as they travel! to bring them in closer throw in a mineral block or cmere deer.

figure out where they are bedding and try not to walk around in there! If they are bedding on or close by the nearest and most efficient entrance you have than i would walk allllllll the way around that to get to my stand and make sure the wind is in my favor.
 
Thanks for the good advice guys. I hadn't thought about the deer patterning me and I usually approach in the exact same way every time. I will mix it up this year and approach from different directions. Aren't most deer out feeding all night and wander back to bedding grounds in the daylight? Shouldnt I avoid food areas walking in before sunrise and avoid bedding areas in the afternoon walking in?
 
yes avoid walking anywhere near a bed area, To answer your question yes they feed more at nite and are not as cautious. When deer hunters and predator callers call in the evenings and in the dawn flavor it is when things cool down and we get whats called twilight. Deer see better in twilight! they see great in the dark as they are nocturnal but they see even better during morning or evening twilight. Thats why it is always a good idea to hunt overcast days as well as they resemble twilight and the deer may move more.

So to answer your question it depends on how much pressure the deer are on by others, Some are strictly nocturnal because of various pressure or human activity but most wander around the twilight areas the most. Thats why we see deer feeding in fields in the morning and in the evenings, They can see better!
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