scouting

[BowmanMike]

I checked out an area I walk by often on some state land close to my house today.  It has been select cut ,pretty heavily,a while back. There are lots of brambles and browse growing up,and I have walked around the area often. 

Well,today I dove in and man was the going tough. At some point I thought I couldn't go further. it is thick. Even the old logging roads are impassable. It was steep slope and when I came to the eastern face I climbed close to the top of the hill. There was an area of maybe around 10 year old trees underneath a few bigger maples and that created enough shade to keep the blackberries at bay. It made an easier travel corridor and wow was that full of historic rubs. It seemed pretty secluded,but access will be easier once everything dies back and we have some snow. Until then I think this might be a honey hole if I can find a good way in and out of there.

It checked all the boxes,it was on the leeward side of the hill,in the top third but closer to the top,and had lots of edges and food. I kicked up at least one deer walking through.

I can't wait to throw a few sits at that spot.

[SportsmanNH]

I hope you have good luck in there Mike . Another couple of weeks and you should be able to find some new rubs to confirm its a hot spot. 

[coonhunter]

I was out this last weekend to check my bowhunting ridge not far from New Berlin, close to the Unadilla River. Let me tell you, if you hunt anywhere near a swamp, you better get in and take a look around. I hunt a pretty big saddle between a normally, pretty bad swamp, and an old apple orchard. The saddle has a lot of oaks on it.

The swamp is absolutely full of water. It looks like I could stock it with fish. It is traditionally a great bedding area, and the deer are still in it judging by the tracks and muddy paths leading to and from it. Lucky for me, I hunt the saddle for the most part in the mornings, and the apples in the afternoon while they last. 

Apple trees are loaded, but the oaks are on an off year with way less acorns. Plenty of agriculture fields, so I don't have to worry about food sources, but it is easier when the oaks produce.

I can say that a late season spot i hunt is on a beech ridge, and they are loaded better than they have been in years. Depending on the deer movement, I may have to change up where and when I am hunting this year.