flipping the coin for stand choice

[arrow nocker]

I number them in my head then let my daughter pick a number.If the wind is agreeing with that stand i will sit in it.Sometimes no matter how much science,scouting,predicting,and planning i put into stand selection for that day,i wonder if maybe i should have chose stand 2 instead of stand 5.

I think no matter how much you think you know.It is still luck of being in the right place at the right time.Science and studying the deer's patterns will help in the chance of being at the right place right time.But still have to have that ounce of luck at seeing that buck.

So what do you do when you can't decide?Do you just "flip a coin"?

[Nomad]

I have 7 that I can use right now. I do whats correct for the wind,which I'm seeing stuff out of or have not been in lately.Failing that I ask my wife to pick," the slope stand ,or inside corner?". If she says inside corner,I say " slope stand it is".

Edited October 14, 2012 by Larry302

[fasteddie]

I sometimes think I had better luck when I would just pick a stand at random and didn't worry about the wind direction . The same goes for scent control .

[arrow nocker]

wind can always change or a deer come from a nonpredicted direction too.And this is the "luck"facter comes into play.

[biggamefish]

I go with my gut instinct. But your choice is a good way to do it to.

[carloracer1987]

I take in mind wind conditions then just pick from the stands i have or use my ground blind. Im always second guessing myself though !

[arrow nocker]

I think its funny how so many guys want to get the impression accross that they "knew" that that buck was going to come in front of that stand.Hahaha.They don't wan't to admit they were just lucky.Like when my race car was handling great.I want to say it was how i had it set up even tho it was just 50% skill i had it set up like that.The other % was the luck.I will admit it.I'm not ashamed.heck some times it was all luck.LOL.

Everyone always plays the wind.If you have hunted more that 1 day you know the wind is your best weapon.But deer aren't predictable.I don't care what you say.They eat,sleep,drink, and reproduce.Combining these 4 things gets you closer to the odds of being at the right place at the right time.If your area has no corn feilds.Just some oaks and some beach nut trees and some bedding areas.Well you can't pattern them.I don't care what you say.You Can't!It's time to take into consideration the wind direction.Then just toss the coin.And wait.Hoping luck is on your side.

[dave6x6]

Your points are so true Arrow. . I have 2 great stands that have cover, food, water and bedding areas on all 4 sides. The deer can come from any direction, and they have, at any given time. The other thing that gets me is i hear guys saying all the time that you need to put your stands down wind of the deer trail. Well i don't know about you, but i can count on one hand the number of mature bucks i have ever seen on a well used deer trail. Sometimes those trail stands can end up being sucker stand locations. Don't get me wrong, i do still try to adhere to that rule if i can because i certainly don't want to educate all the does that do use them, but my best buck stands have very little to do with trails, and alot to do with terrain features and thick cover wind advantages. As for picking stands, i have about 15 to choose from and the choice is sometimes painful. I lie awake at night. I think about it the whole way there. I sometimes can't make my mind up until i'm walking in. It's so nerve-racking. LOL

[growalot]

^^^ +1...

In the early part ...it's a toss up for I know deer will be in just about any area I choose...it's a matter of figuring out from where and the when...but end of October I start going to the ole reliable stands...ones I know year after year the buck will be at......

Some times choices then depend on stealth...I mow and rake leafs off the trails and have to do it once a week until most have fallen...this has never hindered those stands and have gotten me in under cover to be right in the middle of buck fights...staging areas even doe fights...the fun hunts..

Dave's rt about down wind of trails....bucks routinely cross check trails instead of travel down them...some areas I just have to try for little or no wind...rarely happens here in the fall...

Then some times half way to a stand I realize...not so smart...and will duck into one of the many ground blinds I've tucked in between stands...lots of choices are just plain GUT feelings

[bubba]

just me but I would think being there raking leaves and mowing would cause as much havoc as walking in. I sometimes think that we have become way too technical and try to out think even ourselves when it comes to this stuff. Pick a stand go there and hope for the best.

[phade]

I think its funny how so many guys want to get the impression accross that they "knew" that that buck was going to come in front of that stand.Hahaha.They don't wan't to admit they were just lucky.Like when my race car was handling great.I want to say it was how i had it set up even tho it was just 50% skill i had it set up like that.The other % was the luck.I will admit it.I'm not ashamed.heck some times it was all luck.LOL.

Everyone always plays the wind.If you have hunted more that 1 day you know the wind is your best weapon.But deer aren't predictable.I don't care what you say.They eat,sleep,drink, and reproduce.Combining these 4 things gets you closer to the odds of being at the right place at the right time.If your area has no corn feilds.Just some oaks and some beach nut trees and some bedding areas.Well you can't pattern them.I don't care what you say.You Can't!It's time to take into consideration the wind direction.Then just toss the coin.And wait.Hoping luck is on your side.

While I certainly feel your frustration and agree with many of your points, deer can be predictable to a degree at certain points of the calendar enough so that many hunters can take advantage of it.

Deer sure can come from any direction at times; I think we have all been there. But, deer can certainly be predictable at times.

After this season...find your best-producing Oak that can be adequately set up on...then do what you have to, to release it to maximze it's ability to take in sun light and produce. Then, give it some tree spikes or even some light 10-10-10 in spring and then again mid-summer at the appropriate time.

This tree will more than likely become one of the first trees to produce/longest lasting to drop/and honestly, deer will pick acorns from that tree over other ones because of the increased nutritional quality.

Heck, do it to two or three of them to ensure you have one of them in a bearing condition next year.

Edited October 15, 2012 by phade

[growalot]

Posted Today, 07:21 AM

just me but I would think being there raking leaves and mowing would cause as much havoc as walking in.

That may be true in many areas...remember I have something like 14 properties that boarder us...between lawns mowed....wood cutting...trails mowed...hikers... and farming these deer find all this routine during day light hours.....What they are not use to is the sound of human foot steps in the dark through the leafs...snapping branches ect....

I have one stand that every year for the past 8 I've gone in and have no sooner stepped off the ladder to stand ...or pulled up the bow or sat down to have the sounds of buck fighting 20-30 yards away or doe being chased rt under the stand...only because they never heard me enter...The last 100yrds to that stand is a painfully slow one..one has to know the deer in the area they hunt

When I can't get to the leafs and hunt ...I go in making noise...I shuffle my feet ...to sound like skunk..raccoon moving through....or I'll run...stop...run stop and yank on branches or shake brush...if I'm not near the rut I'll do that with the added doe grunt or a fawn bleat...It's just another strategy that routinely works...in fact got my buck last year doing that..... Mind you...this is going in under cover of dark...not a day light slow walk and stalk to a stand/blind sight....Though that's to other stands not ole reliable

Edited October 15, 2012 by growalot

[arrow nocker]

THAT'S IT!!I AM TIRED OF TRYING TO OUTSMART THESE DARN DEER

i AM TIRED I OF SITTING IN FRONT OF THIS COMPUTER STARING AT GOOGLE EARTH MAPS AND LOOKING ON THE WEATHER SITE FOR WIND DIRECTION TRYING TO MAKE PLANS ON MY TREE SELECTION TOMORROW.All the thinking maybe they will be running this ridge cause this and maybe they will be hitting the acorns or maybe they will be bedding here.It is driving me batty!!!!!!!!!!!!

Back to flipping something on the way in.Did it this morning and saw 2 bucks.Just tossed the phone.face side up this stand.battery side up this stand.

My wife says i put way too much thought into my hunts thats why i see less deer.i tell her i ain't the luckiest of guys so i need to try to out smart them.All the thinking and i get less luck i guess.

I don't know.Wish me luck i guess.LOL.

[Geno C]

i let my partner pick the timber to hunt tomorrow lol. hope hes right, cause i havnt been lol

[bubba]

I usually sit back and let the other guys decide, then I go to a place left over, or a new place. I usually see as many as they do. But you are exactly right. Luck is much more of a factor than most admit to.

[arrow nocker]

im the only guy here.LOL.No left overs.

[bubba]

i hunt at my camp with 7 other guys. At most usually 3-4 at a time due to different schedules. It becomes comical almost. Some will sit around now and wait to see if I will pick. I say guests get first choice. But I put in my time and scout and set up cams, so I sometimes think that gives me a bit if an inside track. But as I said I am as successful as others, and I let them pick. Maybe because we have god spots and a good population, it doesn't matter a lot of the times.

[noodle one]

Find the right 20 acres and hunt it, This time of year thats how much land the does needs. If there is food and good thick bedding they will be there and the bucks will come a calling. Forget about the wind , time of day or what ever , Hunt the doe and you will find bucks. Don,t be afraid to set up right in the does bedding area. Forget about all you have been told about not going into bedding areas and do it. I set up right in the middle and see deer everydayand I hunt on the ground. We as a hunter are always over thinking our selfs.

[tughillhunter]

I go with my gut instinct. But your choice is a good way to do it to.

same here.

[arrow nocker]

Find the right 20 acres and hunt it, This time of year thats how much land the does needs. If there is food and good thick bedding they will be there and the bucks will come a calling. Forget about the wind , time of day or what ever , Hunt the doe and you will find bucks. Don,t be afraid to set up right in the does bedding area. Forget about all you have been told about not going into bedding areas and do it. I set up right in the middle and see deer everydayand I hunt on the ground. We as a hunter are always over thinking our selfs.

i was thinking this this morning after not seeing crap on the edge of the swamp.I got my idea where i am headed now.

[wheelieman]

Really its not that hard fellas do your pre-season scouting hang your stands early, But when the rut hits you just have to do some in season scouting and bring a stand when you do, If you jump a buck and there is a doe with him, set up a stand near where he stops to check his back trail, do it during the day and bring a buddy with you and make lots of noise while wearing street clothes, watch were he goes don't get down and try to be sneaky, And guess what that deer thinks you are a another stupid human that means him no harm, sit that stand that night and get ready for some action, I guarantee you will get a shot if he doesn't smell you, as far as trying to pick a stand i just do enie-meenie minie-mo any other time, But really wear street clothes jump a buck watch were he goes and hang a stand, Ive done it for 3 years in a row and each year have got the buck i wanted to shoot,

[arrow nocker]

what if camo is my street clothes.Do you think he will still take me for a dumb human?Oh wait......i think i answered my own question right?

[tughillhunter]

Really its not that hard fellas do your pre-season scouting hang your stands early, But when the rut hits you just have to do some in season scouting and bring a stand when you do, If you jump a buck and there is a doe with him, set up a stand near where he stops to check his back trail, do it during the day and bring a buddy with you and make lots of noise while wearing street clothes, watch were he goes don't get down and try to be sneaky, And guess what that deer thinks you are a another stupid human that means him no harm, sit that stand that night and get ready for some action, I guarantee you will get a shot if he doesn't smell you, as far as trying to pick a stand i just do enie-meenie minie-mo any other time, But really wear street clothes jump a buck watch were he goes and hang a stand, Ive done it for 3 years in a row and each year have got the buck i wanted to shoot,

what? Pre season scouting dont mean nothing. you can pre-season all you want, dont mean deer are still going to be there. Street clothes? Dude, we dont hang stands in the hood.

[arrow nocker]

ya the pre season scouting is just runs and old rubs.If its new land to me i just look for corridors,food,bedding,funnels,and good trees to climb with cover and note the best winds for them.

[wheelieman]

Dude i said street clothes so that makes me a thug or a ghetto rat, I don't live in a hood, But if you choose to hunt in your jeans and a t-shirts thats your choice but i have hunting clothes and street clothes, just like i have hunting boots and work boots, the work boots aren't in the corner collecting dust while i smoke blunts on the curb either, I live breathe and sleep whitetails, Every Day i go to work for one reason and that's to be able to hunt, Now i'm sorry that for some reason your better than i am, and that i don't believe, but its apparent that you do, I was just trying to give another person a piece of advice that works for me and the area i hunt, All 120 acres of leased farm land in the heart of the Finger Lakes, And by the way i didn't pay the lease with food stamps either, But you can believe that deer cant tell the difference between a person just walking through or a person who is hunting them, I choose not to be that ignorant in my beliefs, GO for a walk and just watch deer, then go for a walk and try to get as close as you can without them noticing, I guarantee you the reaction is different between the 2 encounters, And the deer will act differently when approaching that area again, As far as wearing camo daily if that's your thing then whatever, Me i don't wear camo in public, I change in the field no matter what the weather is, Bur i gots to go there aRE 40'S to be drank and blunts to be rolled i might even get real crazy and sell some crack in a little while, but hey life is rough on the street, but ill be good as long as i don't get my tim's dirty right, shizzle my nizzle nizzle

Edited November 11, 2012 by wheelieman