Trad Gang

Well, I did some scouting today. They've logged off one of my favorite hunting spots (dirt bags) but, left this copse of woods. This place was covered with deer sign everywhere! Trails crisscrossing in all directions. Think I'm going to hang me a stand here this upcoming season.    :D    

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Something demolished this tree!

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Looks good, thanks for posting.

I seen some elk sign in there and can't help but wonder if a bull did that to that tree?

You should be able to tell deer vs elk by the height of the tine marks. A big buck can raise a lot of heck with a tree, he just can't reach as high as the elk can.

Nice woods TW. Just being in the woods w/your bow is good for the soul. Get us an elk hunt spot over in Tilamuk. No kidding.

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Good news/bad news.  If it is like hereabouts the deer will now be concentrated a bit more as the woods are gone.  In two years the browse will bring them in.

I like to be 20 yards or so inside the edge so I don't stick out (our deer look up) and anything you can find that is a natural funnel of some sort would give you added advantage.

That area will be an animal magnet as the greens return there in the spring and as the new growth comes in in the next few years it will be on heck of a bedding areaand escape zone with as thick as it will be

x2 Stump,

Get back at least into the shadows a bit..maybe 20 yards is a bit much but that will depend on runways, etc

...and X2 for the Bowman.
I have seen some of my favorite spots decimated.  It changes things drastically...seems like forever.

I used to hate seeing all those trees cut BUT I have since learned it becomes a Hot spot when the new growth comes up...Also makes a good bedding area where I live cause the loggers don't clean up all the stumps etc.and the deer seem to love those new hideaway spots...The good thing is when that area starts to grow you will see all kinds of sign..The bucks really like to tear up those little trees as they grow....The bad problem where I live they put mostly pine back and not enougth Oak or trees with nuts...I guess this is because the pines grow quicker for logging and a higher demand for lumber yards...  :dunno:

Thought I could see the best tree, but looks like they cut it down... now I'm stumped!!
  :laughing:

The chainsaw can be the deer hunters best friend.  The hard part is having the patience and vision to wait for the new growth to create the edge effect the deer will love.

Aesthetically unpleasant but it will be a great improvement in your area in the long run.  Instant bio-diversity, good bedding and food source, great escape cover.

I've lost beautiful woods like that in the same way.  It's hard to think that it will never be the same in our lifetime, but it's still good...just different.

(http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss166/BrianfromTulsa/trees.jpg)

I like this tree for a stand

I would set stands about 5-10 yards inside the timber and 10 yards off the main trail on both sides of the trail close to the clear cut. That will allow you to have shots/monitor the trail and the field as they enter/exit. Having stands on both sides of the trail will allow you to play the wind better.

I agree with the above statements about the clearcut drawing animals. You have blackbears, mule deer, blacktail and elk? They will all visit the tall grass that should be there by fall I believe.

Best of luck,

With that amount of ground veg. I would do a ghillie and maybe make a few ground blinds (on the edge of the woods near the cut downs)and a few inside and try and keep it mobile and adjust from what you see when your out hunting.Some pre-season sitting with binos from one of those brush piles could give you a good idea of the travel habits.

Sort of like a big ole cornfield around here. At first glance it looks as if the deer will come from the adjacent forest into the corn field from any random location.

Upon closesr inspection, terrain and obstacles steer deer towards and away from some of the edge.  Cover, food, and terrain a few to several hundred yards into the forest can influence the line these deer will travel. Then actual trails help to pinpoint exactly where. Of course you will have ample opportunity to actually watch deer coming and going from this area to pin-point where you should be. Your first stand location could be one that is easy and quiet to get in and out of without spooking deer but far from where you expect a shot to occur. This will be your "scouting" location.

Once I find entry and exit points to and from the field I look for a tree stand location that is within my effective range of the field edge. Many times deer will roam the edges of the cover, especially if they aren't yet ready to commit to full exposure. I don't want to be out of range of a deer cruising the edge. So, I'm 10-15 yards inside the forest. Also, I hate to have my view constrained to just bow range. For my personal enjoyment and edification I like to see some country!

Then I pick a stand location that is on the downwind side of the trail.  I like to be about 10-15 yards from the trail -- closer to 15 than 10 - -too close and deer hear my nose hairs rattling in the wind.

This appears to be an evening-only hunting spot though as deer may still be in the field when you arrive before dawn.  Also, you'll need to figure an exit that doesn't blow deer out of the open areas they've drifted into. The deer are patterning threats as you pattern them. Usually a walk just inside the woods, but under cover until you get out of their line of sight, does the trick.  Of course you aren't going to be invisible -- they will cut your trail and be more or less alerted, depending upon the amount of human activity in this area.

In 2-4 years this area will be so overgrown you may not be able to even cross the new growth acres. Again, you'll have to come along the mature forest edge to negotiate the brush.

There are some plus sides that I forgot to mention. The wind was blowing in my face when I took the first pic so, I would be down wind of any animals coming out to the clear cut to feed. Also, the gates to this area are locked and it is walk in only. It is quite a walk so, I'm hoping others will be discouraged to go that far. We have lazy hunters that just like to ride the roads.

Those that mentioned putting the stand just inside the edge of the copse of woods, I tend to agree. If I put my stand facing in, I'll have the tree as a back stop so I won't be skylined and field of vision is actually quite good once up a few feet off the floor. That copse of woods actually goes quite a ways back in. I never did make it to the other side, if there is one.

TW, I don't know what the other guys were thinking but seems we were all considering that deer like to skirt open areas when working their way back to bedding, etc.  If the prevailing winds will come from the woodlot as the pic was taken, hunting the edge could be difficult if deer movement is perpendicular to wind.

However, when the browse begins to grow, there will probably be a great change in the traffic frequency and direction.  I suspect you will see many new runways coming through the woods towards and into the feed.  Of course all of this is conjecture because I don't know the area.

Perhaps some day we can hunt it together..

QuotePerhaps some day we can hunt it together..  

No problem there. I can take care of lodging and transportation to and from the hunting areas. I'd also take care of transportation to and from the airport in Portland. Just got to get a job lined up that will allow that kind of time off.   :D

QuoteOriginally posted by Wannabe1:
 

QuotePerhaps some day we can hunt it together..  

No problem there. I can take care of lodging and transportation to and from the hunting areas. I'd also take care of transportation to and from the airport in Portland. Just got to get a job lined up that will allow that kind of time off.    :D  [/b]

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Yeah...I heard that!   Don't you just hate jobs?  HA!    

PS:  Craig says the bow will be ready in two to three weeks...headed your way, correct?

Yep, just let me know so that I can make sure the boss or myself is here to receive it.   :thumbsup:

Can you trail cam it?

And as it grows over the next few years, if you need to cross over it you should try to keep the trails for you cut back when you can. Around here cutovers grow back so fast and briars take over if you don't stay on it you'll not be able to cross through it in about two years.

In the early 1980's I had a stand on an island of trees in a very shallow marsh. The walk was only 300 yards from a farm lane. The marsh was very brushy. To get to this stand I walked across a fallen log which crossed a 10-15' wide ditch which was always full of shoulder-deep wter. Then I brushed a very narrow trail to the island. I didn't start my trail brushing for about 10 yards into the brush. This way someone traveling the farm lane couldn't see my path.

As far as I know only one person attempted to cross that log besides me. I found out from the trapper. He had a snare on top of the log. A wayward person found the snare and then the shoulder-deep water.

Imagine later with the regrow!!!...Lots of food for the deer.