Learning to deer hunt - Topo advice needed

[draketungsten]

I've been trying to teach myself to deer hunt over the last 3 years. I didn't get to go out last year because I fell out of the tree stand before the season even started...ooops! To begin scouting the area I'm planning to hunt I look over the topo maps. Once I have narrowed it down from the maps, I'll put boots on the ground and go look for sign. I'm hoping some experienced hunters who know what they're looking for on topo maps, can give me some advice. Either to confirm what I think I know or correct me if I'm wrong so here's what I'm looking at. I've marked the areas in RED I think I should look at in person.

Also, how do you find a bedding or feeding area? I know bedding area is usually where there's thick brush but that's it.

Area 1


Area 2


Area 3

 

[King31]

I by no means consider myself an experienced hunter, but I can read a topo map well. You are keying in on the end of the ridge of each map. Definitely a decent spot to start as that is usually where you can see the furthest distance. Getting on the ground would be the best thing to do. One can learn a lot about the lay of the land and decide on a spot out of instinct. Often times you might spot a deer trail or old sign. The funny thing about deer is that 90% of the time where you think they will go is the exact opposite of where they actually are. Unless you have trail cams and spend the time scouting it is very hard to pattern deer. Thick spots are without a doubt the best spots for deer. If there is a food supply (acorns, berries, plants) they will stay in that area. Very seldom do you see deer out in the open woods. They may run through, but you can bet that they were in a thick spot not long before.

Topo Maps:
1. I like the gulley you are pinpointing. A possible stand spot would be in between the two Xs and go North to where the main hollow splits.
2. The two points near the creek on the SE and the NW would be first choices. If there is much wind at all deer will likely not go directly over the ridge.
3. Somewhere around the middle of all your points looks to me like a decent place to start.

 

[amboy49]

I've been trying to teach myself to deer hunt over the last 3 years. I didn't get to go out last year because I fell out of the tree stand before the season even started...ooops! To begin scouting the area I'm planning to hunt I look over the topo maps. Once I have narrowed it down from the maps, I'll put boots on the ground and go look for sign. I'm hoping some experienced hunters who know what they're looking for on topo maps, can give me some advice. Either to confirm what I think I know or correct me if I'm wrong so here's what I'm looking at. I've marked the areas in RED I think I should look at in person.

Also, how do you find a bedding or feeding area? I know bedding area is usually where there's thick brush but that's it.

Area 1
View attachment 49341

Area 2
View attachment 49342

Area 3
View attachment 49343

Okay, I'll be the one to ask the obvious question since you brought it up. HOW did you fall out of your tree stand ?

 

[Landon]

Okay, I'll be the one to ask the obvious question since you brought it up. HOW did you fall out of your tree stand ?

And have you now purchased a safety harness to use?

 

[draketungsten]

It was in the attempt to put my stand up. I fell off the ladder. Didn't even get my stand up at that point. Broke my leg in 2 places. It was my first time trying a treestand and my last. I've been shooting from a blind up to this point and I'm going to stick to it. Plus I'm hunting on public land so I'm doing a natural blind with some camo netting. If some jerk-off comes along and destroys it, I'm only out $15 vs the price of a stand and ladder.

 

[two70]

The best advice I can give you is to stay up on the ridge tops. I'm sure the valleys will hold more sign but the wind will swirl and you will educate more deer than you see. Your chance of getting a deer will decrease every time you hunt.

1. IMO, the funnel in the far northeast corner of this section of map looks more appealing to me than either location marked with an X.
2. Forget the northwest most and southeast most locations here, they are too far down the into the valley. Instead I would have my first stand location about an inch down from the road near the narrow point in the ridge, my second and third stand locations would be about half an inch northeast and southwest, respectively, of your middle X. For the fourth stand location I would move your west most X up onto the tip of the ridge overlooking the saddle instead of down into it. IMO, this is a classic rut ridge, if it is fairly open bucks will cruise along and across it when searching for does and if the cover is thick it is likely a bedding area they will check regularly for does during the rut.
3. The second X from the west looks like the best of the marked locations. I would also consider hunting a bit northwest of the cemetery and check out the area at the head of the draw off of your map to the southwest.

 

[bobjones223]

On this topic I actually start on GoogleEarth. I will look at the aerial photos first. I look for funnels leading from one section of woods to another of feeding to bedding areas. Deer like cover as all animals do so if I can find a few good funnel areas that is where I start.

As stated above deer will move wherever they want and a lot of times it doesn't make sense to anyone but that deer.

If it is public ground I would vote for most visible real estate and ground you can cover from where you are sitting. This gets VERY tough when hunting from the ground unless you can find the point of a sharp ridge where you can cover two valleys. More than likely you will have to hunt the side of the hill and cover just one valley.

On a side note. Clamp on tree stands are a death trap! I have used them twice and getting them set will get you hurt. I bought a cheap climber when I started and it was just OK..... Then decided "This is my life we are talking about" and broke down and got a Summit Viper SD....should have done that in the beginning!!

A climber is the ONLY way to go...rock solid, steady, and easy in an out. With an elevated stand it opens up a whole new world and section of woods that you just cant get with a ground blind.

On the flip side of that coin there are areas that NEED a ground blind. I have a ceder grove that I hunted and you couldn't attach a stand to them. the cedars had grown up to where there was 5'-6' of clear area under them that the deer moved through. In a tree stand you could not see through them. So this was a spot that a ground blind was the ONLY way to go. I really liked the ground blind because it got you REALLY close and on the same plane as the deer making it more personal and surreal. I truly do enjoy hunting out of a ground more than a tree stand but they are VERY limiting as to where they are the best option. It is truly an experience sitting in a natural ground blind and having a deer 10 yards from you....talk about heart pounding!

So if you are set on a ground blind I would hunt the areas that you CAN'T hunt from a tree! On public grounds this is usually the areas the deer got too hide because no one hunts it because they all want to be in a tree (We truly are monkeys). I would actually focus in on a nice large ceder or pine grove. You cant hunt those from a stand and the deer love to seek shelter in them from the wind, rain, and hunters. Plan on taking a lunch, you should see action during lunch when other hunters are getting out, spooking the deer and they head to their safe place.

Google is great for this for your scouting. Just move back the date stamp until you find a map taken during the winter. The GREEN areas are what you are looking for!


Hope this ramble helped.

 

[Streck-Fu]

I would highly recommend picking up a copy Mapping Trophy Bucks (LINK). It is a great book for hunting in general and has lots of good information for reading maps and identifying areas to find deer.

 

[bobjones223]

On map #1 I would move out to the little point on the 750' contour line down from the #12. On map #1 I would move back from the lake farther that your current marks. I my mind they are only going down there for the view of the water. If they are going to get a drink it will more than likely be a small trough area in one of the valleys not clear down to the lake where EVERYONE can see them...


On map #2 I like the little point where the "k" in creek is located.
On map #3 I like the point where the #9 is located. Out of all three of the maps this would be my starting point the other two spots that I like are too close to roads and too easy to get to.

 

[yetti462]

I would highly recommend picking up a copy Mapping Trophy Bucks (LINK). It is a great book for hunting in general and has lots of good information for reading maps and identifying areas to find deer.

This is a good read and my recommendation as well. Saddles are one of my favorite features to hunt. Pinch points created from a logging job too are great ways to tag out. Skid roads, clear-cuts, etc.....

Ridge tops will be your most consistent wind direction, but if you can find a very steep holler that has a feature that allow deer to cross creating a funnel then that too is a good location. Wind will burn you some in a holler is the only draw back.

 

[yetti462]

Area 1 I'd move the eastern most "x" a little north along the ridge that makes a hog back.
Area 2 I'd concentrate on the "x" placed on the saddles or even on the "hub" in between the saddles.

 

[Restroyer]

On this topic I actually start on GoogleEarth. I will look at the aerial photos first. I look for funnels leading from one section of woods to another of feeding to bedding areas. Deer like cover as all animals do so if I can find a few good funnel areas that is where I start.

As stated above deer will move wherever they want and a lot of times it doesn't make sense to anyone but that deer.

If it is public ground I would vote for most visible real estate and ground you can cover from where you are sitting. This gets VERY tough when hunting from the ground unless you can find the point of a sharp ridge where you can cover two valleys. More than likely you will have to hunt the side of the hill and cover just one valley.

On a side note. Clamp on tree stands are a death trap! I have used them twice and getting them set will get you hurt. I bought a cheap climber when I started and it was just OK..... Then decided "This is my life we are talking about" and broke down and got a Summit Viper SD....should have done that in the beginning!!

A climber is the ONLY way to go...rock solid, steady, and easy in an out. With an elevated stand it opens up a whole new world and section of woods that you just cant get with a ground blind.

On the flip side of that coin there are areas that NEED a ground blind. I have a ceder grove that I hunted and you couldn't attach a stand to them. the cedars had grown up to where there was 5'-6' of clear area under them that the deer moved through. In a tree stand you could not see through them. So this was a spot that a ground blind was the ONLY way to go. I really liked the ground blind because it got you REALLY close and on the same plane as the deer making it more personal and surreal. I truly do enjoy hunting out of a ground more than a tree stand but they are VERY limiting as to where they are the best option. It is truly an experience sitting in a natural ground blind and having a deer 10 yards from you....talk about heart pounding!

So if you are set on a ground blind I would hunt the areas that you CAN'T hunt from a tree! On public grounds this is usually the areas the deer got too hide because no one hunts it because they all want to be in a tree (We truly are monkeys). I would actually focus in on a nice large ceder or pine grove. You cant hunt those from a stand and the deer love to seek shelter in them from the wind, rain, and hunters. Plan on taking a lunch, you should see action during lunch when other hunters are getting out, spooking the deer and they head to their safe place.

Google is great for this for your scouting. Just move back the date stamp until you find a map taken during the winter. The GREEN areas are what you are looking for!


Hope this ramble helped.

This is great advice - I also hunt via ground blind and Mr. Jones summed it up perfectly!

 

[draketungsten]

Google is great for this for your scouting. Just move back the date stamp until you find a map taken during the winter. The GREEN areas are what you are looking for!

That's a good idea. Didn't even think about being able to look at satellite images from other times of year.


Thanks all!