Hotspotoutdoors

I am going out to finish the year bow hunting. Have a place to hunt that is just under 200 acres and is totally Oaks, with the exception of a few little potholes here and there. There is a really big pond/small lake on the east border of the property. All around the oustides of the property is fields of alfalfa, corn and beans. Fields have all been harvested and some already plowed. I walked the property last week and found some really good trails cutting across the property, along with a few scrapes. On one hillside, I found a bunch of beds. I want to get out and put up a stand either tomorrow or Saturday, let it sit for a day or two and then hunt. From what I have seen, I think the rut is still going on, so would it be wiser for me to setup on the trails within the woods and hope to get bucks cruising for does, or look towards the outsides of the property and maybe catch them going out into the fields. I am leaning towards setting up inside of the woods and catching them trying to cruise, or heading back to the swampy bottoms? Any thoughts?

I'd try and setup close to the thickest cover you can find. In a big open oak woods, that may be tough. You think they bed in that adjacent swamp? I don't put much stock in beds found out in the open so those you found on the hillside could be evening beds but maybe not if there hasn't been much pressure there. Taking the prevailing wind into consideration, I'd hang a stand on the downwind side of the best trail(s) leading into the woods out of the swamp. Get close to the swamp as possible that you can sneak into your stand on the quietest of days without alerting them. If there are any acorns left, they'll start hitting those again with the crops out. You could also just hang back and get high up into a tree and scout the first night. See if you spot any activity from a distance and safely move in tight the next sit.

I agree with sticknstring, but I'd try to hang the stand the day you're going to hunt, so the first time they have a chance to notice it you maybe killing one of them from it. Hang it at noon, then go get ready to hunt, be in the stand by 3:00 or right away.

any hunting pressure so far this year? if theres been a decent amount of pressure than hang close or in the swamps if you can. if you think the rut is still on then get in early and sit late

Thanks for the advice guys. Going to get out early tomorrow morning and put the stand up. Have a very good idea of where to put it, and hopefully I can see some deer action and adjust fire from there. If I have to move the stand a bit, well then I move. Already have meat in the freezer, so I am hopefully looking for that one big boy to put on the wall!

Rodd.....great deer you have taken so far. Don't know if you remember me, but we went to high school together, tho you were a few years ahead of me!

Yes I do remember you. Your wife used to cut my hair, until it got thin enough the barber's just fine. Your sister was in choir with me. Don't know if we were really in anything together, you must be closer to my brother's age aren't you?

My cousin says I got the lucky horseshoe up my, well backside, this year. If that's the case I better not eat any fiber, wouldn't want it to come out.

Good luck, pile one up. My brother lives in Sauk now too.

Id go to food locations and wait for that first real COLD FRONT. At 0 or below they will put on the feed bags.