Pursuit Hunter - I found your dominant tree!!

[Quailman]

Got permission today to hunt a new pieces of property. Actually, I am primarily crossing this piece of property to get to some public land. Landowner said it was alright as long as I only bowhunted (has small children). No problem for me!! :grin:

Found some incredible deer sign, just south of what used to be an old field 30-40 years ago. I figured this was one of the primary bedding areas being used. Several fresh scrapes, large rubs, and heavily used trails were everywhere. Since I can only use my bow, I really had to think about stand locations. I really wanted to find a heavily used food source, so I started looking for white oaks. Sure enough, I found what used to be an old fence line or property boundary, and there were several large white oaks. Checked them with my binoculars and they had a fairly good crop of acorns, but it still wasn't what I was looking for. I started thinking about PH's "dominant tree", so I wasn't going to settle on a stand site until I found it. Sure enough, I noticed another fairly large white oak about 40 yards away from the others. I checked it and sure enough it was loaded with acorns! I wanted to focus my efforts around this food source and finally picked out a tree for my stand. Set up a camera on a nearby scrape and got out of the area (after spooking several deer).

Wish I could hunt it this afternoon, but I have a bad wind direction. It's set up for a north/northwest wind, so I'll have to wait a while. This could be one of the best stand sites I've found in a while. We'll just have to see what happens when other hunters start moving in on nearby properties.

Just wanted to let you know I was thinking about your advice today! ;)

 

[muddyboots]

Cant wait too hear the outcome.

 

[richmanbarbeque]

Good stuff, Chris. Keep us updated.

 

[Football Hunter]

Cool,wish I could find some acorns,seems to be another down year at my place,and Im including the 600 acre lease I hook on to,ride 200 yards,stop and listen,nothing,repeat,nothing,seems strange 2 years in a row.

 

[BowGuy84]

At one property I scouted in summer I found more white oaks than expected yesterday...I'll be back with a northernly wind too. This gives me hope to really dial in on a preffered (read as white as to red) food source in the next couple of weeks. The transition to acorns has been slow this year bc of the limited whites IMO.

 

[Quailman]

Good stuff, Chris. Keep us updated.

Thanks Richard. I am really excited about this season because I have picked up 2 new properties to hunt, along with my home farm and another local farm I started hunting last year. I am just amazed at the number of mature bucks I've already gotten on camera this year.

I haven't been this excited about finding a new stand site, like I did today, in a very long time. My wife made me go hunting this afternoon because I've hardly been at all this year, but I told her I'm just waiting until the conditions get right. Besides, I had a lot more fun spending the weekend with the kids at the pumpkin patch than I would have sitting in a tree. ;)