Stand Placement 101 Part 4: ENTRY ONLY - NO EXIT Your Chosen Path Now that you've got the stand site selected you need to consider how you're going to access the stand. You also have to determine if you can only get in during the mornings or afternoons. Those last few hundred steps to/from your stand will determine if a deer will make its route without altering its course. Choose a path that considers the wind, how much noise you'll make, and how visible you'll be to deer on your walk into/out of the stand site. On your walk out of morning hunts, and in to afternoon hunts, slow it down. Not only look where you place your feet, but scan ahead and around. Avoid pushing through brush, kicking rocks, crunching leaves and snapping sticks underfoot - keep your approach quiet. On several occasions I've come up on deer within 50 yards, giving me the opportunity to put the "sneak" on them or just watch until they leave so I can continue on. If the conditions are right (damp,wet ground and windy), you can add a dimension to bow hunting few people ever get to enjoy. My two most memorable hunts happened like this as I decided to stalk up on good bucks I "stumbled" into on my way to stand because the conditions were right and I was taking a deliberate, slow and aware approach to my stand. Do Not Disturb At all cost, avoid walking through or next to a bedding site on your way in to hunt the afternoon and out of your morning hunts. Also, choose a path that directs you out and away from feeding areas on your walk in on mornings and out of in the evenings. During the rut, bucks are often active all day long, traveling and looking for receptive does, so avoid walking through the funnels and trail systems you'll be hunting, come in and then leave from the other side if possible. Remember, you don't want to be seen, smelled or heard. Stealth is key. All of this route planning can mean some extra time and walking, which I happen to like, so don't skip out here. Know Parking Lastly, unless you park in a place that has permanent human and automotive presence (like a farmers yard) in the immediate area where you'll be hunting, do not slam the doors on your vehicle. Quietly push them shut. Also, keep your voice down, the radio off and don't clank stuff around in the back of the pickup. From where you park there may homes just down the road, and you may even be able to hear people noises, but I promise you a mature deer will know something is up if it hears you as you leave your auto. Also, I try to park at least a quarter mile from the stand I'll be hunting. Come on, lazy; that's only 417 yards. Most of my stands are at least a third of a mile, many a half mile and more from where I park. We get several questions a year on Deerhunting.Net about driving to and parking close to hunt areas and if that effects the hunt. If the immediate hunt area is devoid of human activity throughout the year, then my answer is always the same, YES! Besides, why chance it. Plus, a casual walk to your stand releases any stress and allows you to get mentally prepared for the hunt. And, it's a lot healthier for you too. So, after parking and from that moment on, shhhhhhhh..... If you have a question regarding any point in this article, please feel free to ask about it here, Deerhunting.Net Q&A. Have an unforgettable season! - Zano
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Hunt Recorder & Notes book, by Zan D. Christensen "No other piece of hunting equipment has the potential to build your hunting skills and increase your successes afield like THE HUNT RECORDER & NOTES BOOK." |
