Ever Have One Of Those Spots?

[Cabin Fever]

I have a stand that I put up 5 years ago in an area that you would think would be an awesome spot! Funnel around a pond, thick, crabapples throughout the hillside, bench unlike the steep hillside above, but I can probably count on one (OK, maybe 2) hand(s) the amount of deer I've seen from that stand in the past 5 years! I've hunted it various times in bow, gun, and MZ seasons. Although I've had very little success hunting from this stand location, I can't get myself to take it down!!    I keep thinking that it "should" be in such a great location! It's plastered with tracks when there's snow on the ground!

I read an article in the last Deer and Deer Hunting magazine where it addressed this same thing. So, at least I know I'm not the ONLY one! 

Have you ever had one of those spots that you just can't give up on??

[Fantail]

Oh sure, great view, lanes, and the tracks, pellets don't lie. Heck toss in a rub not to far away.

One night I spotted two sets of eyes with a flashlight near there, but I'd like to think at some point I could be there at the right time. Damn it. Well, it's sticks & a hang on so it wouldn't be that much trouble to take down, could use the climber there. But why would I want to do that when I could just use the climber elsewhere? Because on your own place it's nice to have a few perm stands to climb into for one. They have to be moving through there, just when I wonder. Might have to invest into a pair of cams.

[nyslowhand]

It's all about the travel routes to/from seasonal food sources & bedding areas.

Late season deer hunting & into winter opens up a different scenario of food/bedding than fall or spring/summer.

Then you throw in the rut in the fall and most rules disappear.

[Stretchhunts]

I have two bow stands set up in a bunch of apple trees with a huge open hay field on one side and a treed funnel going to the apple trees. All kinds of sign. One stand in the apple trees and one where the woods comes into the funnel. I've hunted them both a lot in the last 3 years and have only seen one doe and a spike. My uncle keeps telling me to take them down but for some reason I can't.

[biggamefish]

  I have seen those spots and tried them too.  I think we find them and they are a super travel way when we aren't there but I think the setup must just be wrong.  Something like the wind just blows sents right to the deer or the can see you in there somehow.  I have had spots like this then the exact opposite someplace you would think a deer would never travel hardly any sign.  You get a stand there and it is just a producer.  Don't really know why but those spots are out there.

[Doc]

In have also had just the opposite. Spots that have absolutely no obvious drawing features, including trails that just simply always seem to have deer generally passing through. The problem with these spots is that the deer passing through are never shunted down to any consistant specific location where a bowhunter can set up on them. It's just an "area".

Doc

[epanzella]

Great funnel? Lots of sign? Don't see squat? We get that more often than not. Sounds like a nocturnal spot 2 me. Put up a camera and you'll know. I got my two best bucks from spots with just about zero sign, because the many doe in the area weren't using those trails but the buck would come by about once a week. It's tuff keeping your confidence in a spot when not even seeing any doe for days but sometimes you gotta hang in (up) there. 

[wellsley]

The camera idea is great. Check it to see if the deer are moving through there when your not there. If they are there when your not, then you need to move the stand.

[Geno C]

i think there are quite a few who can relate to that... myself included