Any tips on hunting Hill Country?
Pennsylvania
I grew up hunting fairly flat to gently rolling hills farmland in North Central Crawford Co PA, I also hunt NE Ohio and NW New York. I feel like I have accomplished every hunting goal I've had for hunting Whitetails in this area. I know the terrain well and have developed a good plan for hunting the swamps and farm land in this area.
I have set a goal of killing a mature buck or doe in the rugged hill country of South East Ohio on public land. I've been down to several Counties over the years to scout public land in SE Ohio and every time I never went back to hunt. It was unfamiliar, different than what I'm used to. It seems like the deer could be anywhere or know where, a difficult task that I never took because it was easier to hunt MY areas. Well I have kilt enough deer around here, I think hunting those reclaimed strip mines with no Agriculture near them will be quite a challenge and very fulfilling if & when I am successful.
I've read books on hunting hill country and know all the topographical terms associated with the steep terrain. I think Terrain is a big part of the puzzle of being successful along with figuring out food sources and understanding the thermal winds. I have sme good ideas on what to look for on topos to scout from home, like points military crests and Spurs for bedding. Benches and saddles for travel routs but I would like your ideas and tactics on hunting this kind of terrain. Any tips you guys have would be greatly appreciated,
Thanks Mike
I hunt agriculture areas for the most part also but, love to stetch my legs in the (big wood) every now and then. When I hunt unfamiliar (big woods) I start with saddles. I look for thick cover on one or both sides and usually don't waste my time early season. Early season can be very productive but want to take advantage of when deer are on their feet the most. It's also nice to have some type of edge or transition stage of timber along the saddle... What was hard for me hunting mostly farm ground was lack of sign or just reading it differently. Farm ground sign is much more concentrated ... trails, staging areas, scrapes,rubs,ect are easy to see. In the big woods I don't see the sign or at least not as much as I'm use to in farm ground. If you haven't read Mapping trophy bucks by Brad Herndon check it out... it not a bad read.
Nothing can take the place of walking the woods! The fun part is trying to figure them out!!!.
Good luck in your new goal!
Wish I could help. Still trying to figure it out myself:>)
Mike, you've done your homework here, obviously, and I agree with everything you wrote above. The only anything that I can possibly add is........"patience". You'll need plenty of it in big woods hunting. Deer in huge expanses of timber kinda' do as they please and on their own schedule at that. They just really aren't forced in to certain places because of topography and other limiting factors the way they are around your current hunting grounds. Hopefully George Stout will see this and respond. He averages a buck every other year down there in Bedford - that's damn good incase anyone's wondering.
Hunt the thickest place you can, close to a food source or a doe bedding area.
Sometimes it's good to go into a new area without preconceived notions. A good hunter will get a feel for the terrain once it is walked a time or two. Deer are opportunists and will take advantage of terrain, but they rarely go straight up a steep hill...or straight down for that matter.
If you have Google Earth, go to that area and click the dates until you get an early spring date to see the land without the canopy interfering. You will be able to pick out thick areas; casual drops in elevation; hollows and creeks, etc. You will likely do well Mike as I think you have some hunting blood in ya. 8^)
Thanks guys, yes Dennis I do have that book it is full of great information and I will read it again soon. I've Also been reading up on the hunting beast web site Dan Infauld is one heck of a public land hunter both in swampy areas and in mountainous areas. He likes hunting real close to know big buck beds that he finds scouting during and after the season is over. He is also very good at pin pointing bedding areas by use of topo maps and Ariel photos.
Yeah Roger I know patience will be a big factor, I am used to sitting all day during the rut around here but it's easier when your seeing deer all day like I do around here, don't think it will be that easy over there.
Thanks George that's a great idea about finding the Ariel photos without the foliage I didn't think of that and the photos I have been looking at were taken when the leaves were still on. That will be a great help thanks.
Flatlander Lol I bet you do pretty good you have to have a tip or two.
Mike
Hunt the h High Ground, Saddles, Draws, and the thicker the better. Works for me.
One thing that I have learned is that it seems the hills get steeper every year.
One nice thing about late season hunting is we sometimes have snow. Deer cant move without leaving tracks, just hunt until you find where the deer are and concentrate on those areas. When you find their tracks you'll be able to see where they're bedding down and where they're feeding.
I think you have a solid foundation Mike. This will be fun!
Mike, I hunted Zaleski State Forrest a few times down in SE Ohio about ten years back. That is some tough hunting, and we returned one late season for some of the coldest weather I've ever hunted in! Also, every year they would be doing either a select cut or clear cut in a different area, so as you said, the areas that were productive one year would be completly changed the next. You guys in Western Pa. have an advantage for preseason scouting as it was a ten hour drive towing the camper. Those clear cuts would grow back brutally thick with multifloral rose and all kinds of sticker bushes.
It also depends on what time of year you will be hunting. The curse to big woods hunting is always a bumper acorn crop as deer can eat and bed anywhere. Such was the case in Ky this year. The deer were rarely leaving the large hardwoods to visit the agriculture. We always hunted the rut and a good topo would be a great asset, as the bucks will be using terrain features to travel in search of hot does. Never did kill one down there, but saw some good ones every year. Actually saw my first Booner down there. Prolly the toughest place I have ever hunted whitetails, and I would love to get back there someday.
Take a gps or compass with ya there, flat lander:) LMFAO
Scoutlook weather app on IPhone compass on iPhone also. Think I'll be ok Ya old fart! Lol
Mike
As long as your battery stays up.... :)
Rat, RC doesn't know what you are talking about, his rotary phone doesn't have a compass.
Yes it does, Harv. Just that the phone doesn't have a dial tone anymore:)
Big compass, you can probably pick up satellites with it. I can even see that one.
Treerat,
I suggest getting the following video: Hill Country Bucks.
You can find it at amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Hill-Country-Bucks-Blood-Brothers/dp/B002E6SNU2
or Sportsmanguide: http://www.sportsmansguide.com/product/index/blood-brothers-outdoors-hill-country-bucks-dvd-from-stoney-wolf-productions?a=860842
Absolutely the best video regarding hunting hill country, including thermals, ditches, wind tunnels, etc. Using their methods, you can quickly locate potential hunting areas and more importantly areas to avoid. Mostly based on wind direction and the top 1/3 rule.
You might also want to pick up Farm Country Bucks and Hunting Marsh Bucks (see Amazon listing above).
Mike lifts his pink skirt and squats to pee:)
