Flat big woods travel

[Bionic]

Hello everyone,

I hunt a piece of property that is basically flat, ud roughly estimate at a thousand acres, gentle rising 20' elevation humps here, and there, but generally flat.  There are areas that od roughly estimate to be a hundred acres, or so that are not very dense with deciduous trees,  and some areas of a few acres with dense pine.  I am wondering being this land is all very similar, is there anything I am mossing as for where a good rut area could be?  No ponds,  but a very small creek, maybe 3' wide, I know its water for them to drink, but where the creek is, is in open area with little cover for them.   Also, its marrow enough to simple jump across at roughly 3' across.  I have walked the property, and everything looks so unconcentrated as far as movement.  I am assuming this is just a luck area to hunt, since 100s of acres are so similar, and I need to spend as much time as possible in a tree.  I am not the type to still hunt, we have 21 acres up there, so i am limited in space.  I have looked at satellite maps, to scout the big area surrounding us to get my info, to see if I have funnels nearby that can increase my odds pf seeing deer in certain areas of my land.  

This was sort of a mumbo jumbo think out loud post with how I typed it out, apologize for that.

Any input for rut travel in big land tracts of very  similar features throughout? Even does seem few, and far between.

Thank you 

[Coachdad]

I would say... It is a chain effect.

If you find the food (acorns, agriculture  or what have you in your area) you will find the Does.... If you find the Does and you will find the Bucks during the rut.

The does don't wonder very far,  so the bucks come looking for the does.

Prior to the rut, the bucks tend to be solitary.  They hang in the nastiest stuff they can find (swamps, briers, thick cover). 

So for "rut travel" expect the bucks to be coming from the nasty stuff and be traveling  to where the does hang out.

Good luck..

[The_Real_TCIII]

Any old fence lines?


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[Salmon_Run]

Coachdad said it well.

Deer need food, water and shelter very day and look for those on your plot.

Then enter the rut and bucks begin scrapes and searching for does in heat.

Food - shelter - sex...

[Bionic]

Thanks guys, I appreciate it. 

There are no fence lines, that I have seen, no farm fields either, just pure woods.  However, I know guys say old logging areas are great spots.  I do know that about 500' over from where I currently sit, is an old landing where they loaded the trucks when it was logged in the past, then there is about 3 or 4 skidder roads punched in that go way back in as far as my eye can see.  The landing, and skidder rows are grass, and vegetation about 4 ft high, and relatively thick.  I know the owner, and he has let me use a stand just over our land border, I could probably get permission to put a climber over near the skidder trails.  I am wondering if bucks might travel on the old skidder paths.  

Other than that, we have a wet area, not necessarily swampy in my book, but it has big pines, and some puddles that never obsorb, but it is not thick, it is dark though compared to the surrounding areas, maybe 3-4 acres worth.  This is actually inbetween the old logging landing, and that very small creek mentioned in the inital post.

[The_Real_TCIII]

I like transition cover, pines to hardwoods, thick cover to open woods etc. look for that too. I ,Ike the skidder trail idea too, deer will certainly use them

[BizCT]

Stonewalls? they are everywhere down by me. Deer love to cross through the openings rather than jump over them.

[Bionic]

TCIII- I will definitely start focusing on such areas.  Thanks

Biz- The discussed property does not have stone walls, although at home in 3k, there are some.  I was always under the impression that the deer create the sloppy openings from being lazy. Thanks 

[The_Real_TCIII]

Deer travel old fence lines long after they're gone too, so even if you just find old posts give that a look

[Bionic]

13 minutes ago, The_Real_TCIII said:

Deer travel old fence lines long after they're gone too, so even if you just find old posts give that a look

Thats so weird, but I will definitely keep this in mind if I spot such.

[sailinghudson25]

They will travel through cover as much as they can.  They do in any place you find deer.

Those 4ft tall brushy grassy logging trail not only provide cover for bedding and travel, can be a source of food.

Any beech nuts?   Look up how to ID a beech tree by it's bark and leaves.  IF you see some 12" diameter or so ones, they'll be a good food source to check out.

 

I hunt big woods in PA.   Spots that are only a few feet taller here n there are usually good bedding spots.  Especially a low branched white pine.

 

Check out anything unusual, even a fluke large windfall tree can have an antler sticking out above it.......

 

Deer need browse to live on.   If it's windy, places that conceal the wind will have more deer.  

 

IF anything, wander with your face to the wind atleast.......   That alone will triple your chances easily if your on foot.

 

If you do not see features in the forest, walk slower.   Just like a man who's on deserted island, he will use anything to his advantage.  Little low spots, like a dried up stream bed.   If he's got a foot deep depression or so, he'll prefer to use it.   If you notice a vein of lower browse, follow along it.   Atleast follow the creek to see common deer crossings.

[Bionic]

Wow, GREAT info, I could read your tips all day.

I will be searching for different stand sites for next season.  One for windy days too.  

Feel free to add more lol, seriously great info, I appreciate it.

[Salmon_Run]

Good luck, all of these tips are great.

It's part of the excitement to learn new areas and one day you'll believe that you've master this land and the deer will then do something totally new dependent on wind, food or their sex drive.

Enjoy the experience and wander this parcel in the off season to see what develops.