Rut Stands

[grampy]

As we get closer to November and the rut draws near, does anyone have stands or set up's, that they have saved and not hunted yet. A set up that you wait until the "right" time to use? Do you transition from feeding to the breeding area's? Or is there just that one "lucky" or "special" spot that is your go to when the bucks start to chase the does? What type of terrain is it in?

 

I have a couple. First one is on a steep ridge, with a knob or flat spot that juts out. Open fields to the top and a lake on the bottom. This is the classic funnel for when the bucks are cruising between doe bedding area's. Not a lot of buck sign, but the bucks use this regularly each fall.

 

The other is a hemlock grove that borders a large swamp. With thick buckthorn and brush behind the hemlock grove. There is a spot in the hemlocks where it narrows between the swamp and the bedding thicket, that the bucks feel secure traveling. this area is always torn up with rubs and scrapes. And is thick. Shots are 50 yards or less. but this spot has given up many bucks over the years.

 

 

Both of these spots will be avoided by deer, to some extent, certainly by mature bucks if hunted too early and too often.

 

 

Good luck to all, in their "special" spots this November or whenever.

 

 

[moog5050]

Yep Grampy.  We have a few stands and 2 specific properties that we are holding off for another week or so.  Good luck to you too!

[growalot]

Yes ridge stands...wont go near a couple until I hear the night time ruckus in the woods start. The benifits of living in the woods.

[LET EM GROW]

Yep, ive got 3 stands  on ridges and or funnels that i keep out from until the rut starts to show itself.. 

[genesee_mohican]

Sound like you have some great spots saved up there grampy.   I always save a few select stands for the rut, when the mature deer are more likely to be moving. 2 stands are at the base of an oak ridges where it meets a transition area and bedder area, far off the road.  A second stand is located in an open area which is in the middle of a brushlot/bedding area and I know the bucks will be cruizin that. And another that is between two bedding areas on a ridge. 

 

 I believe in the theory that...the first time to a stand is your best chance at get a crack at a mature buck.  I pick the days to use them carefully.

 

[Buckstopshere]

It's tough, but I somehow have avoided stinking up a few stands on a few properties that I have got good trail cam evidence of good bucks there, but the rut is ready to pop and we know what happens when we overhunt our stands.

 

However,  it may seem counter-intuitive, but  I think that there is some benefit to getting into the stands a bit to feel them out, make sure that the shooting lanes are open, and just a feel for them.  And I wonder too that is it better to leave a bit of old, degraded scent (that we leave) to put the deer at ease if they get a little used to it. Rather than have spanking fresh scent hit them. Hunting bucks in deep woods is tough (Pa.,) but most of my hunting is near civilization and whitetails are used to ambient human scent.

 

My best stand that I am holding off getting into is between two bedding areas...one an overgrown field...three years in the making, and the other a steep sidehill bedding area that is impossible to see through, let alone walk. The two interface in an area where I have my stand and a camera.  It's textbook and the only way between the two. I am having a tough time staying out of it. I put a Mobile licking branch there and this is what I got last night...not the biggest buck, but one I would be proud to take.

 

 

[DirtTime]

I have three. Ground blinds I made. One to a bedding area, one on the edge of a small swamp near that bedding area, and one that over looks a small pond, but still near the bedding area. I walked through there once in late August to make sure the blinds were still OK after the winter. Lots tracks. The fall turkey hunting I did on that land was limited to the eastern portions. I stayed a good 200 yards away from those three blinds. Not even sure I will hunt them tomorrow morning. Still only doe and fawns seen on a regular basis. Two good bucks ( seen twice ), but not around in shooting hours.

Depending on wind I will most likely either sit behind a big log over looking a two ridge funnel with a creek at the bottom or another funnel that leads to a well used trail going into some nasty brush.

 

[skully]

oh yea,  I have 2 that i will not go near until around the 10th of nov and i have 2 that i will not go near until around the 5th of nov.