Raking entry trail to stand

[WhitetailAddict11]

One of my favorite bow stands is on a bench transition line where the hardwoods meet a 5 year old clear cut. It's thick with briars and natural brows and is a favorite destination for bucks to grab one last bite to eat as they return from the Ag fields headed back to bed. The walk in, in the morning is louder than all get out though from leaf litter and I often bust deer out as I make my way to my stand. I know the ideal time to rake the path would be after the majority of the leaves have fallen but that's to much disturbance during the season. When do you guys that do this often take on the task? Can I do it now to get the bulk of the leaf litter from the previous season out of the way?

[Doc]

I try not to make that much of a disturbance around my stands. Perhaps that is being a bit overly cautious, but I simply try to minimize whatever noises that I may make. Yes, it takes a bit more patience and care on the approach, but I generally use my best still-hunting techniques and hope that is good enough. One of the reasons that I struggle my way into the stands in the dark is to get all hunkered in and let the area "settle down" a bit before shooting light.

 

[growalot]

Lol here we go...one major  "do's and don't's" I completely go against...I mow and rake all during season to all 32 stand/blind sites until the trees are bare...never had a problem...mowing is the best they pay no mind to the engine /mower sounds ...I have told this before but here it is again..

While DRing a main trail through the middle of the woods to get rid of leaf litter I had a dandy 12 pt buck(bow season) step out in front of me and casually walk the trail while I continued following him mowing until  he stepped off and walked the woods....While on the JD mowing I had a buck and doe run in front of me and stop 30 yards out as he "tended" her..

 

There is quiet and then there is sneaking...a deer will pick up on my trying to sneak around and leave town...being quiet they tend to be curious as to (in the dark) what the slight sound is they hear...during the day where I'm going so they will stop to watch.

[G-Man]

do it.. do its quickly.. a deer lets a farmer do his/her buisness but if the said farmer trys to sneak up on deer it will bolt... being sneaky while raking/mowing is unwise...do your job and get out...deer themselves will start using that trail. you can even filter more deer past your stand if you cut a trail into that clear cut from your stand.. it will be used by all game.

[ants]

I usually do it a week or so before the season but I have done it the day before the opener (gun and bow) And it didn't seem to bother any thing. Like anything else, don't be grabbing branches and things with your bare hands and wear rubber boots. You will be fine

[WhitetailAddict11]

Good stuff everyone, thanks for the help

[phade]

In my opinion there is no single answer to this - it all depends on the stand site, the path, the hunting area/deer, etc.

 

I have laid rocks and even cinder blocks down to help quiet entry/exit. Even with leaf litter the hard/firm underfooting allows you to be much quieter than you would expect.

 

There are alos spots where doing this imo is more dangerous than simply trying to get into the stand. Face it, sometimes the right choice is NOT hunting a stand because the conditions don't allow for a proper entry. Dead still with a light frost and potato chips crunching underneath you...might want to consider saving the spot for a slightly wet understory and a touch of wind.

[WhitetailAddict11]

Although I see where your coming from Phade and I know you're a play it safe and hunt smart guy like myself, I'll only not hunt a stand based on bad wind, I'm not going to not hunt a stand based on something like a silent frosty morning, if anything this is a stand I definitely want to be in on a morning like that. I'm going to give the rake method a try and see how it turns out. Sometimes I play it too safe and I think it costs me opportunities.

[philoshop]

If you can sound like something other than a human moving through the woods while getting to your stand, the deer will be alerted but  probably not alarmed. They know when you're trying to be sneaky.

I've had good luck taking two short steps with each foot: sort of crunch-crunch, pause, crunch-crunch, etc. It takes discipline and patience, but it's effective. Make sure your clothing and gear are quiet. No nylon jackets or pants in the briers!

I've 'walked' to within bow range of deer in the middle of the day through crispy leaves using this tactic. Basically sounds like a squirrel rummaging through the leaves, I guess. As long as they don't see or smell you, the natural noises don't bother them much.

 

[ATbuckhunter]

I would rake it out now so the deer get used to it and continue to rake it as the leaves fall. Rake a small path so its really not as obvious. 

[NFA-ADK]

Great ideas!!! 

[G-Man]

see if you can find a whittail visions video entitled tricking whitetail bucks. covers all this and more. its from about 1990 when videos actually instructed verses entertained. as for being to cautious, you cant get them if you dont try..its like waiting for the perfect shot..everone tells you they do, but you do a lot better if you take the best shot when given, than wait for the perfect shot.

[WhitetailAddict11]

Thanks papist!

[VT Outfitter]

If you can sound like something other than a human moving through the woods while getting to your stand, the deer will be alerted but  probably not alarmed. They know when you're trying to be sneaky.

I've had good luck taking two short steps with each foot: sort of crunch-crunch, pause, crunch-crunch, etc. It takes discipline and patience, but it's effective. Make sure your clothing and gear are quiet. No nylon jackets or pants in the briers!

I've 'walked' to within bow range of deer in the middle of the day through crispy leaves using this tactic. Basically sounds like a squirrel rummaging through the leaves, I guess. As long as they don't see or smell you, the natural noises don't bother them much.

I agree totally. On approach to stand, try to sound like another critter you have heard in the woods, like a raccoon. They make a lot of rustling in the leaves, but notice that they don't snap twigs. So when setting stands or moving stands, I try to remove as many branches off my walking trail as I can. Also, when I plan out setting  stand site, I take in account the prevailing wind and deer trails and food destinations and bedding areas to find the best way to get in the area undetected. I use aerial photos to help do this. Then I go in to the area to find the tree to use for stand.   Going in early way before sunrise I found helps let the woods calm back down. Deer will always hear you if they are 100 yards away and bedded down on a very quiet morning. But lots of noises happen in the dark, so it is possible to fool them. I wish you luck this season!

[VT Outfitter]

Everyone has their confident ways to accomplish the tasks in the woods. For me sneaking through the woods has resulted in spooking more game than getting in undetected, unless I could see the game and choose when to make the small tiny moves to go forward. I cant tell you how many times I have walked up on deer and turkeys in pre season, while I was scouting,  just strolling along. My guess has always been that predators sneak, like a bobcat sleeking though the woods after a partridge, while an undisturbed un spooked deer just walks along the trail in a steady pace. I have also practiced a "toe to heel" walk through the woods to sound like a deer moving in the leaves. It works for me, but if you don't have confidence in a technique regardless of what it is, you should find your own way that works for you.

[Doc]

I suppose everyone has to do whatever they have confidence in. As for myself, I have dealt with ground stands where I have removed every leaf, stick and twig that I might step on while at that stand. Guess what..... when ever I go to the stands, I have to do it all over again because leaves that were in the trees when I cleaned out the stands are now all over the ground that I cleaned. The other thing that I discovered with exposed earth is that on those 20 degree days, the frost lifts the dirt into nice crunchy chunks of dirt/ice that makes way more noise than any leaves ever made.

 

Creating trails? ..... you can count on the deer using those trails, so it had better be cleverly guided past your stand, or you are going to be confronted with a whole lot of face shots.

 

Another thing is that I do not place my stands where I expect the deer to be when I come in. My entrance direction is not where I expect deer to be. My stands are generally placed on travel routes where I am hoping the deer will pass by after I am in my stand. If a deer is close enough to hear me coming in, I consider that I have screwed up and placed my stand in the wrong place. That is kind of like trying to put a stand inside a bedding area. That doesn't very often work well.

[Pav2704]

This topic was actually mentioned on "Growing Deer TV" this week. They suggest doing it now to cut down on sound and scent. They also weed wacked the paths. Pretty interesting episode.

[GreeneHunter]

I raked and weed wacked my path to my ladder stand 3 years ago for the first time and have done so ever since .... what a difference !

[turkeyfeathers]

Buddy rakes paths to his ground blinds or stands on his property (11 acres) to sneak in to hunt with his primitive bow . Gets to hunt a few hours here or there so sneaking in stealthy is a plus. He sticks deer so I'd say rake .

[turkeyfeathers]

It's funny. When  I started doing this a season or two ago I figured folk would think I was mad and had gone too far in my obsession. I had no idea others had tried it before me.I mean, who rakes their woods right? lol

It's the leaf blower that'll draw attention : )

[growalot]

Doc if I worried about the things you mentioned...I'd have no stands  that weren't a screw up nor ways to get to them..deer bed under my stands and blinds routinely...and I can't even make it down the drive to head to a stand that I don't bump deer...never stops me from having good action no matter what stand I go to...One just needs to learn how to react to such encounters to put deer at ease. yes. that goes for mature buck as well.

[VT Outfitter]

I suppose everyone has to do whatever they have confidence in. As for myself, I have dealt with ground stands where I have removed every leaf, stick and twig that I might step on while at that stand. Guess what..... when ever I go to the stands, I have to do it all over again because leaves that were in the trees when I cleaned out the stands are now all over the ground that I cleaned. The other thing that I discovered with exposed earth is that on those 20 degree days, the frost lifts the dirt into nice crunchy chunks of dirt/ice that makes way more noise than any leaves ever made.

 

Creating trails? ..... you can count on the deer using those trails, so it had better be cleverly guided past your stand, or you are going to be confronted with a whole lot of face shots.

 

Another thing is that I do not place my stands where I expect the deer to be when I come in. My entrance direction is not where I expect deer to be. My stands are generally placed on travel routes where I am hoping the deer will pass by after I am in my stand. If a deer is close enough to hear me coming in, I consider that I have screwed up and placed my stand in the wrong place. That is kind of like trying to put a stand inside a bedding area. That doesn't very often work well.

Well said Doc, great information.

[Doc]

Doc if I worried about the things you mentioned...I'd have no stands  that weren't a screw up nor ways to get to them..deer bed under my stands and blinds routinely...and I can't even make it down the drive to head to a stand that I don't bump deer...never stops me from having good action no matter what stand I go to...One just needs to learn how to react to such encounters to put deer at ease. yes. that goes for mature buck as well.

Being aware of the timing and travel patterns of deer has never been a problem for me. I place my stands, arrival times, and access approaches accordingly.

[Four Season Whitetail's]

This topic was actually mentioned on "Growing Deer TV" this week. They suggest doing it now to cut down on sound and scent. They also weed wacked the paths. Pretty interesting episode.

What does the name of this show tell you and the direction it is pointed? 'Growing Deer TV'

[growalot]

OK FSW...it tells me the DR WOODS is a deer biologist...by profession  unlike some famous "deer guys" that were tax specialists that got big through his hobby and find a tax right off that got bigger than even he thought.

 

It tells me that he has hundreds of his own land that is not fenced and also manages properties belonging to other FARMERS that aren't fenced to achieve an ALL around better habitat for ALL the animals on said grounds not just for deer, as a livley hood for his family. They turkey hunt and trap as well...that what that name tells me and the direction he has been going in since he left college many...many years ago