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Creek beds and deer travel question #6494108 10/13/16 07:51 PM
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spoon33 Offline OP
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Going to go scout and hang a stand this weakened my friend gave me permission to hunt on recently. It's only 40 acres, with probably 30% woods and a lot of tall grass as I believe it's been vacant for a while. They plan on building a house on it this year or next so I want to hunt as much as possible this year.

Anyways, on the SE corner of the property there is probably 6-7 acres of woods with a creek running through it.
Do you guys have success hanging a stand near a creek hoping they cross in front of you, or do you back off the creek and just pick a side, maybe thinking your scent won't travel as well like it possibly would down a creek bed.

I'm just trying to find out as much info on deer travel and creek beds and where I should start looking Sat.

Thank you in advance.

Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6494125 10/13/16 08:05 PM
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I would hunt the treeline close to the creek. Im assuming that there isnt a public road on the southern end of the property



Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6494144 10/13/16 08:22 PM
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spoon33 Offline OP
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Correct. I enter the property from the north in the middle of the property. The road does run more than half way down however. The 40 sits in a rectangular shape stretching Far East and West.

Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6494158 10/13/16 08:31 PM
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You should screen shot a pic from google earth with the general area and neighbors properties. You would get better responses, just don't include the address!

Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6494163 10/13/16 08:38 PM
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See if you can find trails coming from the woods. Take a a mower and mow a 30yrd strip from the woods to the field. Then make a 30Yrd circle mow 30yrds where the trail comes out of the circle. then mow another circle wide enough for a popup blind around the first leaving a about a 1ft buffer between the 2 or enough to hide you but give sight of the inside circle. sprinkle corn everywhere. Let me know if that works. I might try it too. grin


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Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6494297 10/13/16 10:57 PM
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Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6494298 10/13/16 10:58 PM
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Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6494300 10/13/16 11:02 PM
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One such a small tract, begin by first looking at satelitte images of the area to see how the property fits with adjoining properties, paying close attention to identify travel funnels, grown up fence lines, or pinch points where deer are likely to travel. Then go check them out to confirm they offer good travel routes and pick a spot to put up a stand, keeping in mind the direction of predominant winds and direction of the rising and setting sun, neither of which you want to be looking into in the early morning or late evening.

As for the creek itself, deer are lazy and will cross creeks where the banks are easier to climb. In fact, you may find crossings that deer have been using for generations where hollows are easily visible in the creek banks.

Of course, others might say just throw up a feeder and let the deer come to you.


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Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6494487 10/14/16 01:15 AM
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Set up in the trees off the creek about 20 yards. Have 2 set based on wind also consider a brushed in ground blind for minimal impact. Your ingress and egress travel are the most important.


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Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6494908 10/14/16 01:28 PM
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I'm assuming the little block of timber north of your blue dot is the 6-7 acres in question? Are the majority of the surrounding trees cedars? If so, I've had good luck hunting the transition line from hardwoods to cedars, just seems to make traveling easier for deer... The northwest corner of that block looks like a decent starting point as it makes a natural pinch point. As for the creek, I agree with the other responses. Might just make a pass down the creek and find their favorite crossing point and set up accordingly.

Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6517140 10/29/16 02:22 PM
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Find the crossing and trail and set up off that. I can assure you there is a crossing somewhere.

Good luck. Creek crossings can be excellent places to hunt. I have a setup (hang on stand) on one myself.


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Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6517154 10/29/16 02:37 PM
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Hard to tell where the outline property boundary is, but on a small property like that, I'd primarily hunt the wind, locate 2 spots that can accommodate a S and N breeze. I the bulk of hardwoods is on the creek, that is likely a prime bedding area,and if rifle hunting, I'd want to stay back from that area. Deer like "edges" and bucks like making scrapes on edges, so I'd try to be in a position to observe the tree line without disrupting the deers natural pattern.

Also remember neighbors may get out and disturb the deer, so you may get an opportunity from any direction come the opener on a small property.

Another point about small acreage, doesn't take the deer long to pattern you, locate your stands, so being off the probable hang out areas may buy you some time in that regard.80-100 yards up. or crosswind. Just remember it will stay darker longer, or earlier around a feeder in the shadow of trees so.. A feeder set 5-10 yards off the tree line and your stand/blind.

Just my 4 cents


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Re: Creek beds and deer travel question [Re: spoon33] #6517185 10/29/16 03:00 PM
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Can you repost that with the boundary lines of the property marked, and also the line of the creek? My experience has been that if the creek is shallow the deer will cross anywhere and you can't expect to find cuts in the bank where they cross. You may find a trail paralleling the creek, however.


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