Need help with stand placement on new farm

[kgt]

My family and I just bought a 78 acre farm in McMinn county and I am having trouble with stand placement ideas. Basically I suck at hunting I guess. Property boundary in red and year-round creek in blue. I had a feeder out in September with a cell cam on it and got tons of deer on camera including several nice bucks. Scouting, I'm seeing little sign other than a couple creek crossings. Not much for rubs, scrapes, etc. Accidentally bumped a really nice buck off his bed a couple weeks back where the blue dot is. There's probably 20-30 acres or so I haven't stepped foot on yet, so looking for advice on where to target.

Thanks!

 

[Rackseeker]

Build a nice shooting house in this general location with a good shooting rest inside. Invest in a long range rifle and scope. Don't step foot in the wooded or grown up areas. Thats how I'd hunt this tract.

 

[megalomaniac]

Consider a tripod on this overgrown powerline... should be lots of crossings during the rut

 

[kgt]

Thanks guys. Appreciate the advice!

 

[PossumSlayer]

That real skinny clear cut behind the projectile of wood peninsula would tempt me!

 

[double browtine]

Grid it off in 6 sections and then put a stand in each area this first year. Try to hunt as much as you can to see if you can pattern their movements. Then in the spring, plant some food plots!

 

[1jamey]

Is the woods all hardwood or has it been logged out? Can you see all the way down the cut that rackseeker mentioned? Do you see does munching in the fields in morning or evening?

 

[kgt]

Is the woods all hardwood or has it been logged out? Can you see all the way down the cut that rackseeker mentioned? Do you see does munching in the fields in morning or evening?

It is mostly hardwoods that I'm guessing had been select cut many years ago. There's still some very mature oaks, walnut, hickory, elm, etc. Very little pine, good but of cedar thicket. Fairly good habitat with lots of cover/bedding areas. I can see all the way up/down the power line easement and there's hardwoods on both sides.

I am seeing very few deer during daylight hours. Not much browsing in the fields during the morning or evening. The fields are overgrown right now and really need to be cut, so I'm guessing that's part of the reason. I am planning to do that as soon as I get a tractor secured (have had a deposit on one for a while now but supply chain shortages are cursing me). I'll also put in a few acres of food plots when I can. Obviously that isn't gonna happen this season but I'm hoping it will all be ready for next year.

 

[trout]

You are wise to seek advise on this forum. I am pleasantly surprised by the willingness to share valuable knowledge and insights. Best of luck!

 

[1jamey]

I would hunt the oaks early and late season or until you can see the travel routes and bedding areas.(early season almost over) The power line is where you will want to be during the rut. The more ground you can see the better especially if you haven't narrowed down the does traveling and bedding. Hunt the wind the best you can.( I have a hard time with this on my farm) Most importantly have fun, trial and error. You may jump some but you will learn more and more about them as you go.