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Was out today on the piece of land I got permission to hunt up in union (30 acres) looking for any signs of life... Found no signs of deer, but boy oh boy did I see a bear. I came over a ridge and on the other side there it was. Im not an expert but it looked quite a bit heavier then myself and im 275. First time ive ever seen one in the woods like that and felt the need to share!...
Also any tips on where to look for deer (ridges, funnels, other, what works best for you guys)? As most of you know im a new hunter so I kind of aimlessly follow game trails looking for sign and habitat/bedding areas (or what I think bedding areas are at least). Any specific things you guys look for??? If you can send me a pm with some more tips id really appreciate it like always! I feel like the information im getting on Youtube isnt cutting it. Im very determined to get my first deer this year and any help would be awesome, thanks guys.
Lots of big woods in Union. If I were you I would have a couple of trail cameras on that 30 acres. In a few weeks you should get an inventory of what's roaming the property. Don't walk around every weekend, check cameras once a month till it's closer to 9/15.
look for old rub lines, typically they will be running the same lines this year as last. look for areas browsed, trails, tracks, oaks.
Funnels are any narrowing of the terrain that makes it easier to pass that way. Things, such as a saddle in a ridge line, a wooded area/point extending into a large field, a body of water near the base of a hill. Also a shelf on a hillside makes for bedding areas, especially if it faces south, because deer enjoy the sun when it's cold.
What was the bear doing there? Did the bear see you, and if so, how did it react?f
"it looked quite a bit heavier then myself "
Did it cross your mind that it could eat you? From now on have some pepper spray with you, handy would be good too.
I hunt public in Union - there are definitely a number of bruins in the area. Bear spray is a good investment, both for them, and the off chance you bumble into a junkie on a bender!
Look for edges in habitat types - the more converging the better. For example, the top of a ridge, where it drops off, and laurels merge up to a chunk of hemlock forest with open hardwoods off the side of the ridge. That convergence of habitat types almost certainly will consistently have movement.
Open spots in laurels, pine/hemlock forest meeting hardwood dominant forest, a thicket meeting open woods, a swamp etc. Edges almost always draw movement.
Also, hit up Amazon and buy "Mapping trophy bucks" by Brad Hearenden (spelling may be off). It's not just good for big deer - it's a great book to introduce folks to using topo's and aerial photos. Well worth the purchase.
In the area you are hunting, the best spots I've hunted are 1.) hemlock/hardwood edges; 2.) edges of or pockets in laurel thickets; 3.) hardwood areas (when acorns are dropping) that edge up to either softwoods/thicket or a topographical change.
It's a nice area up there with some big woods to boot.
Thanks guys! I just borrowed some cams from a buddy and am going to put them on a south facing ridgeline I came across that looked promising. As for the bear yeah he saw me but didnt seem interested in me what so ever, it was just walking around. It was like 50ish yards away so I just went back over the hill and backed off. For sure going to get some bear spray. I just walked around a bit this morning while placing my cams and found some oaks that had a bunch of leaves and ground around them disturbed so I put a cam there as well. Gunna go check them in about 3 weeks and if I dont see anything ill move them to another area. There is a small beaver pond on the property that might be holding some also since its a transition. Ill look into the book for sure. Im only looking for meat to fill my families freezer so I dont need a buck, does are fine with me. Ill keep you guys posted on how things are going!
First - It's tough this time of year... as where they are now, is not likely where they will be in October and November. First few weeks of the season... maybe. Mast falling (late august/start Sept on) can really change things as does the maturity of browse plants vs fresh growth.
Point being, next time you walk that ridge, look for old rut sign - rubs on trees, areas on the ground where they were scraped to the earth (typically 18" to 3 feet long and sort of V or rectangular shaped. This wont look like freshly turned over leaves. It will look old and a bit sun bleached. Look for evidence of old acorns - shell parts etc. Those sorts of things will help you feel out where deer are in the fall.
What you see now is a good indicator of what's in the area, but not absolutely where they will be when things open.
This guy was in my yard twice in the last 2 days.
A beast for sure. He just strolls through and doesn’t care that I am there yelling at him like a fool. He waddles away. Come winter he will be really big.
Will: I do see old rubs but they look very very old probably not from last season. But they are right on the ridge where you said I should look. Im hoping that the activity ive been seeing will translate into at least a deer in the early season. I took a few days off work to try to get an early deer to fill my freezer.
Jerry: That looks to be around the size of the one I came across. Nice healthy looking bears.
Do any of you spot and stalk? Like if youre in the stand and see nothing, do you go poking around? Hows it work for you??? Get any deer that way, lately?
I do that every year at the start of the season. Dual purpose, scouting and hunting. I love it.
Just to clarify,...I actually "still hunt". Creep through the woods, rather than glass the area for a deer and then stalk it.
