Do you have a formula for stand placment
Massachusetts
this is about wind and stand placement, lets not discus whether or not scent reduction works or not, or cover scents, or the fact that you may be in a residential area so scent may not matter as much as if you where in big woods. Lets just assume I want to place a stand and stay down wind of the run or target object such as food I may be hunting over. not only do I want to stay down wind while in the stand but I want to enter and exit while remaining down wind. lets assume I have a prevailing west wind which most of us do. so what's the plan it seems like stand placement 101 right, its basic right. well just how easy is it to actually find that, if that's my plan I would brake it down like this the end of the rainbow set up might be I park on the east side of the piece im hunting so that I enter from the east preferably against a hard block such as a road or river, I head west toward my stand that is on the east side of a north south run preferably down wind of what the target food or bedding location might be knowing that the deer want to get down wind of it to scent check it them selves. That stand would then work for any variation of west wind north or south, and because I didn't set up right on top of the target location I set up down wind of the run that is down wind of the target location Im golden right. well I have looked for such a stand location for as long as I can remember, and the deer very rarely set them selves up like that, either the east side runs are covered with finger trails leading off of them that you simply cant efficiently cover or you simply run out of real estate on the east side or you cant truly enter from the east but rather north or south of the stand potentially stinking up huge areas around you. so do you have a plan? is their something more specific you look for. you could separate off smaller blocks in your mind and disregard areas not feasible to efficiently hunt or simply hang north or south of east west runs and hunt off of north south wind variations. finding stone wall openings or bends in a river that force deer to turn are grate but they don't always exist where your hunting and they are not truly scent free as far as how you get to them. so do you have a formula?
I have just recently hung two stands in places covered with deer sign year after year thou I don't feel their is any right way to hunt because you simply cant put your self down wind with out their still being several runs still down wind of you. I have tried a different approach to these stands by hanging them directly on the edge of ponds in hopes of thermal wind currents towards the water working in my favor though entry and exit is still not a sure thing especially knowing that deer can smell humans for several hundred yards. at least with one stand I will be able to enter from the water it self but that isn't the case with the other. both these stands will keep the wind in the deer's favor thou I don't know how effectively the thermals will keep my wind from them. worth the experiment thou.
Higher works .Im going thru that myself as well .and if there is a solution I wanna know as well. I don't think there is all we can do is put ourselves in the best situation for a shot,its never gonna b perfect. Some locations work better than others .I say go with your gut ware r most of the deer coming from and goin too. Start there u can always move.I have 1 perfect spot giant thick swamp comes down to the highway they travel back and forth thru a 60yrd gap between the two northwind blows my scent directly onto the highway and gone ,that's how I enter.The deer sometimes get behind me but I know ware that wind is and get them before they hit it.I hope that helps someone cause I never did this much typing ever be sides I wasn't talking to anyone just myself telling me to go with the original tree I choose 2 weeks ago
I feel as thou picking a tree in a good spot is the easy part. its the entrance and exit strategies that I believe catch up to me. I try to focus less on the tree and more on the access I scout hard in locations that I believe I can access undetected. I maybe think about it more that most because I also ground hunt a lot, more time on the ground than in a tree stand for sure, I have three stands I hang and maybe 100 spots that I post up on the ground with a stool. It easier I believe to stay undetected when you carry in a stool and carry it right back out when your done, but if Im not careful hanging stands the deer bust my access routes and once they find the stand they avoid it or at least watch it when they are in the area. I enjoy using my kayak to access spots but its a heck of a lot of work.
Deer often survive and thrive because you can't get behind them easily. Too noisy, obstacles, No entry point etc. Otherwise, they get killed off ... It's tough to find the perfect slip into the perfect downwind spot.
A hot trail or spot is sometimes impossible to get to without crossing it. Or even hunting on the upwind side. I have no problem doing that but I do not expect the stand to stay fresh. It's a one-shot deal and if deer walk past they are either dead or you are busted. No deer walk by and it's still good. Kill the one that does walk by and it's still good. Different deer? still good, But it won't last forever.
I have some woods like that and have been in the right spot even if I broke some traditional rules. I may Slip in downwind of the trail and turn around. Sometimes they don't notice your stink ... If they do, Shoot when they stop to smell the boots you walked in on. That's what you're there for right? Get it done, drag it out and if it is a trashed spot, move on to another. Maybe after a long rest, it will be good again.
Set up a few stands in an area that give you options for different approaches and hope for the best when sneaking in. Try to stagger your entry and routine.
Get it done and move with the changes. I will set up a few lock-on's and have two climbers in advanced spots Waiting for when they are needed. Mobility is a great backup.
Although I agree totally with exit and entry I feel like ok they willavoid that area and most of the time my scent is blowing in tha direction anyway .My game is whats out in front or commin in.My scent is behind me and nothing in front or the side.My tree is very important.It has to have cover until my shot takes place mayb even cover small movement
No formula. Most of my stands are not pre-scouted, rather I just setup downwind of most active sign. Might hunt it for a 1/2 day, maybe a few. Then move on. With one exception. I love to hunt large stream crossings and will seek them out. I think here almost everything is in your favor. I can usually find a way in that won't alert the deer. Sometimes by kayak. Stream crossing are often shallow riffles so there is the stream noise to hide yours. Ir seems like winds are more consistent. You know exactly where they will be walking. And they are just a pretty place to sit for a few hours.
Yes, my formula is I place stand as far away from the state of Mass. as I can, but if Im forced to hunt here, I agree with good ideas listed above.... ;)
That’s a good formula Boudreau!
I've had better luck placing stands close to main access points and getting in very early. In my area I see a lot of deer that setup on or near these commonly used access areas before first light and watch hunters coming in. I'll try to setup 30 yards off the deer's access to these lookout areas and get in as quickly as possible even if it's loud and as early as possible. Thermals and time help the scent dissipate.
I wouldn't expect larger woods or woods that weren't pressured to yield good results with this strategy though. So if you're the only person hunting this property maybe the over the rainbow setup is still a good plan.
But I've learned my first instincts for what make a spot good usually do not line up with what a deer thinks makes the spot a place to be.
I have had success on river crossings as tekoa said. I have also seen many deer watching parking and access as matt discribed. Keep the ideas comeing, maybe some one will key in on something the rest of us aren't considering
My "formula"... Hmmm. I've been working more and more to use Tekoa's strategy - because all the guys I know who most consistently kill 1-2 deer, and generally mature deer, out here in West Z9, Z5, Z6, a smidge of NW Z8, seem to use the same general strategy.
While I've not made the developmental leap to consistently killing 4.5YO's like some of them, it's absolutely increased the consistency of my seasons in terms of seeing and killing deer.
Now, dont get me wrong. I have a few trees that I've massaged and worked for several years to fully nail. I have a split oak that I will 100% guarantee Ill see deer in consistently all archery season next year - even if I NEVER set foot in the spot until the morning I hunt it. The only requirement is a South, south east or south south west wind. Spots like that I figured out due to hunting the area, seeing where deer go, and adjusting.
Most spots like that are really some form of funnel. I can't describe what causes the funnel above as it likely would give the spot away to anyone who knows me or the areas I generally hunt :)... But in general, anything that really forces movement, with a bit of trial and error and watching you can nail it down pretty tight.
There just are not tons of spots which are so smooth to pattern like that in big woods sorts of spots.
If it's a new area, a spot that's never had a "perfect tree" or similar... Then the best strategy I've found, is, again, Tekoa's. Take your climber/saddle/fixed n' sticks and go in, once on the hottest sign, get on the safe wind side and hunt it. If you hunt it more than 1-2x and see nothing or the sign is not as hot, MOVE!
If you are in big woods, you will learn fast that the deer cycle. They dont stay in one spot regardless of food etc, for weeks on end. 2-3 days here, then 2-3 days .5 miles over there, then 2-3 days another half mile over then back to start or maybe a few more stations. It's not often that the same deer will stick to the same spot for days on end in big woods - especially if you hunt that spot often.
Move move move based on sign and sightings and dont stop.
no formula here... i just try to set up a stand for a good wind direction that keeps me on the generally small piece of private land I have permission on. I try to hunt those stands when the wind is "right". Sometimes, that is not an option, but that's all I got... My best spot is small... surrounded by more private property. It is not posted from inside, however, since I do not technically have permission on that property, i hung my stand in the "best" possible location on the 10 acres I do have permission on... and it has paid off... better to be lucky than good sometimes.
Small spots x2 Ungie postage stamp small! Lol Must have low profile parking. Clean Quick access without crossing runs. Edges of thick cover between bedding and feeding areas. A good Tree with some cover off run intersections. I like the afternoon sun at my back. hunt the stand with prevailing wind in my favor. Up 20-25 ft. Cover face minimal movement. If stands don’t produce I move them after a year or two. The woods are constantly changing so you need to change with them. Some stay productive and others don’t . I use cameras to locate mature doe areas and set up off fresh rubs. I like to be near White oak trees, water and stonewalls. Fav. Tree is Hemlock, needs less pegs and great cover
some good points, Will I make a week by week plan bases on where I had deer sightings in previous years during those same weeks, It can be surprisingly similar year to year. The postage stamp spots really simplify things if access is favorable, I don't think any spot is too small to check out. sometimes the little sliver of woods is where the deer hang out day while we sit on night time sign. X2 on the hemlock, all the advantages of a pine and non of the sap!
Love a good Hemlock... the only way to go... good cover scent too if you rub the branches on your clothes.
Ungie, so true on small spots. My "A" spot is a funnel, within a small spot... BINGO! As the add says, that set up is so easy even a caveman could do it.
If it's a fixed position stand, or I can get my climber into one... Hemlocks all the way. It's like being in a ground blind up in a tree. And all the branches make folks like me who are afraid of hitting the ground feel much safer :)
Will, all those branches will definitely slow you down before you hit the ground...
I honestly stopped caring about wind a few years back. I find a spot. Hang a stand in the best tree. Trim some lanes, and hunt it. Just got sick of sitting there checking the wind, and getting mad because it was swirling or what not. I wont push something though. If the wind is obviously garbage for the spot. I wont hunt it. If its boarder line. I'll give it a go.
