Raking for stealth entry
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: bnt40
17-Oct-14
I got tired of stepping on sticks anyone else do this to entry to the stand
From: oldgoat
17-Oct-14
Not that I know of but it ain't a bad idea, where I'm at sticks haven't been a problem but then again neither have deer!
From: bnt40
17-Oct-14
Laugh out loud call me crazy it's across a whole 40 acre just about done I'm pretty sure it'll pay off
From: Will
17-Oct-14
I'd do it but I hunt 95% public land, so no reason to literally lay trail to my stand :)
That said, if I had truly private private land I'd leaf blow a trail! The deer always walk the trails we leaf blow for mountain biking!
From: HuntinHabit
17-Oct-14
Yep, raked trails to 7 stands last weekend. It has pretty much become standard practice, like clearing shooting lanes.
From: bnt40
17-Oct-14
I'll have to read it I put up a new stand that's really close to the Bucks bedding area in the cattails little island he comes out late so I want to get as close as possible
From: bnt40
17-Oct-14
Decoys are put away now focus on getting a deer
From: Pikentrout
17-Oct-14
On the private land we hunt we take a ATV and drag a tire over all the paths...moves the leaves out of the way. Sometimes we have to add a little weight if it is not a big tire...but once you start dragging...it fills up with dirt leaves rocks and sticks...then it gets plenty heavy. When you have a mile or more of trails to groom...it saves time.
From: bnt40
17-Oct-14
That beats raking by hand
From: StormCloud
17-Oct-14
This extra activity around my hunting locations goes against everything I do personally. Maybe I missing the boat. I sure cringe at times trying to get into my stands in dry leaves. Sounds like walking in a bowl of potato chips. Great idea… Good Luck.
From: drycreek
17-Oct-14
I do. Do it during the middle of the day a couple weeks before hunting. Lasts longer than I thought it would, but a couple months later it needs a little care ! Sure as hell beats the " corn flake shuffle ".
From: bnt40
17-Oct-14
This is the first time I did something like this but I think it will increase my odds. It was real windy today and I also put in a stand middle of the day. There is a lot of farm activity around as well so I think I should be ok. I will be hunting this stand in a couple of weeks.
From: XMan
18-Oct-14
I have done it once.... at a stand that was close to a bedding area. Every time I went to this stand early morning I was jumping deer out of there so I did it out of pure frustration and dang if it didn't work like a charm. I saw a giant 160 inch that I came so close to killing on the first morning. My guess is it will definitely help you.
From: Charlie Rehor
18-Oct-14
Are your yards raked too? Knew a guy that raked the woods and it made his wife angry because the home lawn was a mess with leaves. Get er done boys! C
From: bnt40
18-Oct-14
I don't rake, I mulch :)
From: cityhunter
19-Oct-14
whats bad about that is the deer will also use it and walk right under you stand without a sound
I just take a slow stroll never in a rush allow plenty of time ,, its best to try and blend into the natural surroundings, Ive had deer often walk in while i was still climbing or at base of tree .
From: Woods Walker
19-Oct-14
What ever happened to learning the skills to walk quietly in the woods regardless of leaves or sticks?
From: bnt40
19-Oct-14
Been there done that
From: Woodsman416
20-Oct-14
And the leaves keep falling.....Like cityhunter I take my time. I lift and slide my feet, kind of like a smooth shuffle rather than steeping down on dry leaves. I pick up fallen branches or push them aside with my foot.
From: JayG@work
21-Oct-14
I read about it before and thought it was a good idea, so I did it on my property. Every time I would go in, I would bump into deer using the trails that I'd raked out. I don't do that anymore, I just walk in quietly. Good luck.
From: Busta'Ribs
21-Oct-14
It's great until it the thermometer drops. Then the dirt has no insulating blanket of leaves and the frost heave is as bad, or worse then the leaves for noise.
Just a heads up, the first morning you head down the cleanly raked trail flowing a really cold night, it's gonna be like walking on crushed ice.
