Hunting sharp creek curves
Contributors to this thread:Whitetail Deer
From: IdyllwildArcher
15-Oct-20
What do you guys think about setting up near a curve in a creek that bends 90 degrees or more? Assuming the amount of woods are the same on both sides of the creek with surrounding ag, which side do you like?
From: t-roy
15-Oct-20
Downwind side......unless you’re using Nosejammer;-)
From: ahawkeye
15-Oct-20
T-roy pretty much covered it. Deer tend to walk along the creek laying scrapes and checking does. When the rut hits they'll criss cross the creek without even a blink of an eye chasing a hot doe. If there's a natural pinch point like a swamp bordering the creek that would be my go to spot
From: The last savage
16-Oct-20
Ike i hunt an area thats exactly as you described. The river actually makes almost a U. I access it via canoe,i have a place almost in the center of the U where i pull the canoe and ease out and 10 steps im int my tree stand.to answer your question, i actually chose the Central part of the curve as most of my winds put my scent out and into the river.and as said most of the deer ive seen do travel the edge ,feeding along.my river is about 90 yards wide so its bigger than what id consider a creek.try the point of the 90 degree bend...good luck
From: greg simon
16-Oct-20
Downwind side for sure. Also, large creek crossings. In farm country some creeks are very deep with extremely steep banks and crossings are real pinch points.
From: Buffalo1
16-Oct-20
Dr Deer says if you want to find bucks hunt creeks/edges. I have found that to be solid advise.
From: drycreek
16-Oct-20
I never could hunt creek crossings or creek bottoms at all. Where I hunt the wind always swirls too much because of the hills on each side.
From: Bowfreak
16-Oct-20
Ditto drycreek.
This makes sense in flat country. Where I live you'll be lucky to kill any deer in a creek bottom due to the wind swirling badly.
From: DozRdeer2
17-Oct-20
A tent can reduce scent issues in those 'swirling' locations. At least that's my hope/plan!
From: Native Okie
17-Oct-20
Stay as high as you can off the creek and downwind as Troy mentioned.
From: stick slinger
18-Oct-20
Of these two locations, the left one seems like a better pinch point to me. Are people also hunting out on points (right option)? The river is low this fall so deer can cross many places. Hunt the sign, or is one spot inherently better?
From: tkjwonta
18-Oct-20
I'd be voting for the left option in that picture. For the right option, you are most likely going to be entering/exiting your stand the same way the deer do, which is not ideal. The only way I would hunt that point is if the water is really low and deer appear to be traveling on the sand in the creek bed rather than up through the timber.
From: Tonybear61
18-Oct-20
I hunt creeks for two reasons, wind may swirl but it usually a lot less than the surrounding area. The noise of the creek overs up and sounds I may make. Deer consistently move around them. If you are concerned about swirling winds and hill you need to place your stand higher. Depending upon the steep ness you can be eye to eye with a deer coming along a ridge top and you don't want that. Also durng rut I have seen several bucks try to pin down a single doe by being on either side, they don't hesitate to cross back and forth , even when slightly frozen.
From: Bill in MI
18-Oct-20
If you can get high enough on the creek hunt the downwind side I want as many spokes coming together as possible. High steep bank crossings are great but you don't have to sit right on it to be effective. If you can access thru the water, by the water then you have a golden set up for a morning location. I usually save these for the peak do or die rut stands though. Wait for a front with a good breeze, get in early and don't leave early.
From: GF
18-Oct-20
Without knowing where the trails are and which way the wind is blowing.... I’m stumped.
One thing, though... if the open areas are higher ground, they’re going to pull air out of the woods. Just think of the wind like water flowing over the stones in a trout stream.
From: Scott/IL
18-Oct-20
I’ll find a lot of deer bed on those creek points with the wind coming from the timber behind them, and hearing anything in the creek that may approach them. And then leaving their beds with the wind in their face.
