#2010476 - 07/28/10 10:49 PM
Re: When to hang
[Re: MUP]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8118
Loc: Tennessee
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I hate to sound like a geek, but I do all my initial stand hanging and pruning between February and May. I make quick rounds towards the end of the summer (preferably on a rainy day) to do final pruning for new growth. After reading all of your posts, I have a question: Why are you all waiting until now to hang your stands?
I mean, sure you can probably get away with this if you are hunting restricted access/ private property/ non pressured deer, but why risk tipping off a mature buck this late in the game?
In the pressured areas I hunt, I often see setups where hunters come in one month to a day or two before the season and cut massive shooting lanes and virtually all of the vegetation around their stands. If you did this back in the winter, you could get away with it. Late in the summer/ early Fall, you are leaving your declaration of intent for all deer who coming into their 2nd hunting season and older to see.
So my question is this: Assuming you knew you were going to be hunting these properties this Fall, why didn't you hang, rearrange and prune your stand months ago when the deer were still in their Winter patterns and your movement, scent and pruning would have no possible affect on the hunting season?
It is not my intent to be condescending in anyway. I am merely curious why some, perhaps many or most hunters choose this tactic.
_________________________
It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2010498 - 07/28/10 11:12 PM
Re: When to hang
[Re: Poser]
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redcorn
4 Point
Registered: 09/07/06
Posts: 252
Loc: Chattanooga, TN.
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It would be a gamble for me to hang stands or trim areas that early. I don't know which trees will produce acorns and be preferred when season starts. A place that was hot last fall might be barren this fall. The landscape changes quickly and deer adapt and change movement patterns.
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#2010507 - 07/28/10 11:38 PM
Re: When to hang
[Re: redcorn]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8118
Loc: Tennessee
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Redcorn,
I trim and prep all potential setups, but only use them as needed in any given season. Therefore, a setup over a grove of oaks not producing mast this year, won't get hunted until it does produce. Nevertheless, I prune it in the early Spring so that its ready when needed.
As for the Fall movements, your scouting from the previous Winter should tell you 90% of what you need to know. Acorns aside, how would hanging stands based on summer patterns in in July or August possibly anticipate Fall movements?
_________________________
It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2010819 - 07/29/10 10:06 AM
Re: When to hang
[Re: Poser]
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redcorn
4 Point
Registered: 09/07/06
Posts: 252
Loc: Chattanooga, TN.
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Poser,
I should have typed late summer of early fall, as I was referring to early season. I think you make a good point that scouting from the previous winter will give insight for next season's fall/winter patterns. However, I think this is more true for properties that receive predictable amounts of pressure year to year.
Where I hunt, deer may alter their travel patterns weekly or even daily based on the amount of external pressure they perceive, whether this pressure comes from hunters, coyotes, dogs, etc. I have had to dismiss many pre-planned stand locations because of this influence.
I think preparing potential setups is a good idea though, especially if you know through experience those locations most likely to be productive.
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#2010859 - 07/29/10 10:41 AM
Re: When to hang
[Re: redcorn]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8118
Loc: Tennessee
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Point taken, Redcorn.
I am still wondering if the average hunter/typical hunter/most hunters are simply not taking advantage of the most productive and important off season period: immediate post season through the Spring.
The scouting and work you do during this time frame, in my opinion, will have the most direct effect on the outcome of your hunting season and is perhaps the single most important tactic of the entire year (with the exception of actually hunting).
We can talk about food plots all day long, philosophize about funnels, stand arrival time, all day sits, but if you don't understand the way the subtleties of the way the deer are using the terrain during hunting season, it's all relying on luck.
_________________________
It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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#2011324 - 07/29/10 08:19 PM
Re: When to hang
[Re: Poser]
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Pursuit Hunter
8 Point
Registered: 10/01/08
Posts: 2084
Loc: Way out there
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The only way to be consistently successful is to hunt where there is fresh deer sign. I wouldn't do anthing now. When the season gets here go check for fresh sign. If it's there, hunt it with your climber. If the sign isn't there, move on - you won't have wasted time hanging a stand in a poor location. Just the way I'd do it.
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#2011801 - 07/30/10 10:47 AM
Re: When to hang
[Re: Poser]
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whistlinwingman
8 Point
Registered: 07/11/05
Posts: 1824
Loc: Morristown
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Point taken, Redcorn.
I am still wondering if the average hunter/typical hunter/most hunters are simply not taking advantage of the most productive and important off season period: immediate post season through the Spring.
The scouting and work you do during this time frame, in my opinion, will have the most direct effect on the outcome of your hunting season and is perhaps the single most important tactic of the entire year (with the exception of actually hunting).
We can talk about food plots all day long, philosophize about funnels, stand arrival time, all day sits, but if you don't understand the way the subtleties of the way the deer are using the terrain during hunting season, it's all relying on luck.
I do most of this during turkey season. So far, all the scouting I have seen during this time relates to late, late season patterns. But like Redcorn said, the deer on the properties I hunt change too much. Deer do one thing in late Sept. and by mid-october they are on a totally different pattern. By the first on November it is different and full pre-rut. The Rut speaks for itself. I think you are dead-on on your point though. It just isn't relative for my hunting grounds. I wish it were, cause the way I turkey hunt it gets awful boring so I do alot of deer scouting.
_________________________
"I'm a great believer in luck, I find the harder I work the more I have it" -Thomas Jefferson
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#2011805 - 07/30/10 10:51 AM
Re: When to hang
[Re: whistlinwingman]
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tndrbstr
16 Point
Registered: 10/06/05
Posts: 12157
Loc: knox co tn
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Point taken, Redcorn.
I am still wondering if the average hunter/typical hunter/most hunters are simply not taking advantage of the most productive and important off season period: immediate post season through the Spring.
The scouting and work you do during this time frame, in my opinion, will have the most direct effect on the outcome of your hunting season and is perhaps the single most important tactic of the entire year (with the exception of actually hunting).
We can talk about food plots all day long, philosophize about funnels, stand arrival time, all day sits, but if you don't understand the way the subtleties of the way the deer are using the terrain during hunting season, it's all relying on luck.
I do most of this during turkey season. So far, all the scouting I have seen during this time relates to late, late season patterns. But like Redcorn said, the deer on the properties I hunt change too much. Deer do one thing in late Sept. and by mid-october they are on a totally different pattern. By the first on November it is different and full pre-rut. The Rut speaks for itself. I think you are dead-on on your point though. It just isn't relative for my hunting grounds. I wish it were, cause the way I turkey hunt it gets awful boring so I do alot of deer scouting.
Thats what I do while turkey hunting...if I was doing it for the birds I wouldn't be using my bow!! 
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#2011851 - 07/30/10 12:02 PM
Re: When to hang
[Re: tndrbstr]
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Poser
14 Point
Registered: 07/28/10
Posts: 8118
Loc: Tennessee
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Turkey season is the same for me. I focus on the birds full on until the action breaks in the mid morning. I typically spend the rest of the day runnin and gunnin and scouting for deer while I'm at it. Some of my best, out of the way, deep woods set ups have come from turkey season. I found the biggest primary scrape area I've ever seen while crawling through a thicket after a midday gobbler.
I marked this spot on my GPS and paid it another visit after turkey season to prune and cut shooting lanes. Even though this area of public land gets extreme pressure, the closest evidence of a tree stand I found was at least a quarter mile away. It may be the single best setup I have on public land, though I never would have found it if it weren't for turkey hunting, which, by the way, was unsuccessful this past season, but will pay off this Fall!
_________________________
It doesn't have to be fun to be fun. Wild & crazy, can't be stopped. Only the strong will survive. Keep your knife sharp and your skillet greasy. http://www.GoCarnivore.com
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