Hunting Blind Location

[roborn18]

I have just recently purchased some land and I am planting a new food plot along a drainage ditch. This area is about 1/4 acre and will be planting in soybeans and clover. Its a really good are to hunt given that it is surrounded by thick thicket on all sides. The only issue I have with this place is there are no mature trees to attach a tree stand to so I'm wanting to build a hexagon blind back into the brush which is mainly small box elder trees approximately 15ft tall. Should I cut these down immediately surrounding the blind which would place me right on the edge of the plot or leave them and cut the tops out of them?

 

[BSK]

I believe it can be a great help to have a covered entrance and exit route to a blind (a way to get into and out of a blind from which the deer cannot see you). That should be a consideration when setting up a blind positioned to overlook a small spot such as a 1/4-acre food plot.

 

[roborn18]

Thats what I thought to. I was going to leave the brush behind the blind anyways to make the deer come around and out into the plot. So I could just sneak in and out that way

 

[74MOPAR]

May want to hunt it a few times to see where they tend to enter/exit from.
also depends on what your hunting with- how close you need to be.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

First and foremost, put it where you can easily approach and exit without spooking deer. Also, don't face it towards the west - the evening sun will be hitting you in the face all evening. Don't ask me how I know that. However, being it is a small 1/4 acre plot, you may not have much sun in your face. We mostly get N winds in fall/winter, so you wouldn't want to put it on the N side of the field. Brush in regardless of where you place it.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

May want to hunt it a few times to see where they tend to enter/exit from.
also depends on what your hunting with- how close you need to be.

Totally agree with this as well. Every field has areas where deer tend to enter them.

 

[DoubleRidge]

The earlier in the summer you can build it the better....if the blind is there all year every year and never moves and never changes....the deer and turkey will get conditioned to it....just like a barn or any farm structure.... brushing it in and letting vegetation grow up around it will help you sneak in and out though.

 

[Ski]

During rut, bucks will cruise inside the woods on the downwind side, often never actually entering the plot. They'll be close enough to smell and possibly peak inside for a hot doe, but otherwise just keep moving. It's kinda like guys in downtown Nashville on Saturday night, walking down the sidewalk looking inside the bar windows until they see a girl they want to chase. If the bar is dead or no girls, they keep on searching. So don't neglect a view of the sidewalk when setting up your blind.

 

[BSK]

During rut, bucks will cruise inside the woods on the downwind side, often never actually entering the plot. They'll be close enough to smell and possibly peak inside for a hot doe, but otherwise just keep moving. It's kinda like guys in downtown Nashville on Saturday night, walking down the sidewalk looking inside the bar windows until they see a girl they want to chase. If the bar is dead or no girls, they keep on searching. So don't neglect a view of the sidewalk when setting up your blind.

EXTREMELY important fact Ski. Glad you mentioned it.

I've never killed a mature buck IN a food plot, but I sure have killed them as they cruised around the downwind side of a plot, usually just beyond visual range but still within "nose" distance of the plot.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

During rut, bucks will cruise inside the woods on the downwind side, often never actually entering the plot. They'll be close enough to smell and possibly peak inside for a hot doe, but otherwise just keep moving. It's kinda like guys in downtown Nashville on Saturday night, walking down the sidewalk looking inside the bar windows until they see a girl they want to chase. If the bar is dead or no girls, they keep on searching. So don't neglect a view of the sidewalk when setting up your blind.

Very good rationale, Ski.

As BSK mentioned, in the 21 years we have had our place, I can count on one hand how many times we have seen a mature buck in our fields during daylight. I have killed one mature buck in those same fields, but that was during the velvet hunt - little different scenario. 2.5's and 3.5's - absolutely they will be out there. It all depends on your objectives and goals.

 

[Ski]

I've never killed a mature buck IN a food plot, but I sure have killed them as they cruised around the downwind side of a plot, usually just beyond visual range but still within "nose" distance of the plot.

Yessir indeed. Being a bow hunter I rarely ever hunt over a plot unless I'm targeting does. Too many times I sat watching a plot only to be winded from behind by bucks I never seen or heard until they bolted. The last time was my target buck. He was cruising about 50yds downwind of the plot and I was sitting on the immediate downwind edge, watching the plot. My back was to him until I heard what sounded like a frustrated sigh followed by high speed hooves. I got turned just in time to see his rack crest over the ridge and out of my life. Never got a glimpse of him rest of season.

That one mistake ruined my entire season. No more plot edges for me. I hardly even go near them these days, but rather sit 50-60yds in the downwind periphery so I can catch him coming or going. I still get busted sometimes but nothing like it used to be. Food plots are a relatively new thing for me. Learning how to get one to grow well and where to put it is important, but I completely dropped the ball when learning how to hunt them. Hard learned lessons.

 

[JCDEERMAN]

Yessir indeed. Being a bow hunter I rarely ever hunt over a plot unless I'm targeting does. Too many times I sat watching a plot only to be winded from behind by bucks I never seen or heard until they bolted. The last time was my target buck. He was cruising about 50yds downwind of the plot and I was sitting on the immediate downwind edge, watching the plot. My back was to him until I heard what sounded like a frustrated sigh followed by high speed hooves. I got turned just in time to see his rack crest over the ridge and out of my life. Never got a glimpse of him rest of season.

That one mistake ruined my entire season. No more plot edges for me. I hardly even go near them these days, but rather sit 50-60yds in the downwind periphery so I can catch him coming or going. I still get busted sometimes but nothing like it used to be. Food plots are a relatively new thing for me. Learning how to get one to grow well and where to put it is important, but I completely dropped the ball when learning how to hunt them. Hard learned lessons.

I know what you mean. Been there. Fortunately, it only takes a couple of those scenarios to learn from due to the heartache. Your setup is key.

 

[BSK]

My hunting buddies (all family members) always wonder why I want to set up stands so far from the edge of a food plot. I usually walk back from the edge of the plot until just beyond visual range. Then I want my stand 15-20 yards further back than that. I want that buck scent checking the plot to be upwind of me as he swings around the downwind side of the plot.