Advice needed
- Thread starter Jeremy Richards
- Start date
Jeremy Richards
New Member
Yeah we have 3 bucks that we can kill a year and all 3 must have 8 points or more. This is a rule I like to have as it helps manage more mature bucks. Most the idiots here in Alabama will shoot all the small bucks and whine cause they never see bigger ones. We also have a 3 doe limit. So far I have 0 tags this year which has been really surprising for me. I could have taken does but passed. I have a rule that when I want a bigger mature buck everything must be passed to get him. then after that I would shoot does unless I was on other property in which case I will shoot whatever I am allowed to fill my freezer.
Jeremy Richards
New Member
wow lol make sure its a big one !
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Most leases have a sign in board. Our lease in KY - you can hunt any stand. If the owner of the stand wants to hunt that spot he gets first dibbs. We don't have much issue until you get a high profile buck and then it might get crowded in that area. That of course favors the deer.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Jeremy
Is the rut in late December / early January in your area? I have always read that in the deep south it is later so the fawns are born later in the year to avoid any spring flooding. Nature's way of protecting the species.
Asking another way - when is the best five day period for the rut on average - year after year?
I have one friend that got hooked up and hunted in 'Bama a few years after our seasons had gotten extremely slow.
Thanks
Wayne
Is the rut in late December / early January in your area? I have always read that in the deep south it is later so the fawns are born later in the year to avoid any spring flooding. Nature's way of protecting the species.
Asking another way - when is the best five day period for the rut on average - year after year?
I have one friend that got hooked up and hunted in 'Bama a few years after our seasons had gotten extremely slow.
Thanks
Wayne
Jeremy Richards
New Member
Our season has been extended to Feb 10th this year. Last year it was Jan 31 and the rut was just heating up or so it seemed. I took off work last year for the last 7 days of Jan to hunt the rut everyday and I didn't have much luck. Bucks were chasing does all over the place it was crazy. I passed a nice 7 point on the 31st about 11 a.m and that was it for me. I noticed many people were complaining that the rut was just getting started and how they wished they had a little more time and I think that is why this year they agreed to extend it to feb 10th. I am probable going to tale those 10 days of feb off and go all out for a good deer. I really cant tell you what 5 days are the best yet because I have never hunted Feb before. But like I said I am going to hunt all 10 days of Feb and see what its got to offer then I will know. In the past I'd have said the last 5 days of Jan.
Jeremy Richards
New Member
Our club says the same, anyone can sign out a stand and it is theirs until they sign out. I think that ridiculous given I done all the work setting it up. I wont have that problem on my new stand that you and I talked about me setting up. No one knows where it is but me and you lol. I got it set up today and it is a beauty! I put it very close to the property line in an oak tree that is surrounded by plenty of coverage. When the deer pop out of them trails in the thicket they will not be able to see me until they step out at least 10 yards or so and by then its gonna be way too late. went a little farther today like we discussed and looked further down the line and i was in awe to find that there were 2 more trails just like the first 1 i had found just 5-10 yards apart. All 3 f them are going to funnel into the white oaks where my stand is. I used a 20 foot ladder stick and a big game Hanger. I took pictures for you that I will post on here so you can see the area. I do need to trim some shooting lanes but was unable to do that today. With a bow I will have 1 or 2 shots at 30 yards or less. I did clean a walkway so that I would not make a ton of noise coming in. It has been very dry here and the drought has taken a toll on us. I am hopeful we will get rain next week and wash the woods out. I will slip into that stand given we have a good wind and should be able to see some deer. I will keep you posted.
Jeremy Richards
New Member
Honestly I have no Idea how they found their spots. I am certainly not impressed with them neither, I never hunt their spots. I am hunting a more mature deer not just deer in general. These guys seem to be the type that just go out there and they don't care as long as they see deer lol
Okay now to determine my spots I like to study the terrain of the land by using maps such as aerial maps, topo maps. I normally look for benches, saddles, toes, corners, edges and depressions for scouting plans. This takes time if done right and it tough at times. I am surprised I didn't check the clearcut edge we were discussing already. I guess I had more faith in seeing deer in other spots I had searched. That has not worked out for me here and thats when I joined this site for advice and to learn. Now that I have found great evidence on the edges you can bet I will circle the entire property now looking for what I found in other areas on the edges of clearcuts. In a manner of speaking I think my hunting season has just begun. Another way i set stands sometimes is if I am scouting or driving around and I see a good deer or deer at all I normally go set up there in my climber to see what is in the area if I am looking to fill my freezer quick. The only thing that bothers me about the method of hunting I am doing by hunting on clearcut edges is that it is right on property lines. Our land has been clear cut all the way around and the only trees big enough to hang a stand in are on the property lines. Is that okay to do? How far can I go when hunting lines likes these ? like 5 or 10 yards off the spray painted tree lines? I don't want to cause any trouble and thats why I am asking.
Jeremy Richards
New Member
I have no idea but I do not like their spots and for a good reason. I have a new strategy now and I am not telling them where I am hanging stands but I can assure you none of them will be where I go. I am gonna try to find about 6 locations. I currently have 4.
I am actually not sure the Alabama extended season will do me much good based on last year. I have hunted the last two weeks of January for quite a few years on my property so have a pretty good feel for what is happening on the place. Last year I hunted the last week of January and the first week of February and was frankly unimpressed. Most of the real visible rut activity occurred the first week of the trip and February was actually pretty slow.I guess this year I will be forced to take off three weeks to properly analyze it.
wbpdeer
Well-Known Member
Jeremy
You can get one foot on your side of the marked property line. It might get to be spotlighted if a hunter on the other property is doing the same thing in the same area (within sight of). Bear in mind I hunt in Tennessee and not Alabama.
You might inquiry with the state wildlife officials to get a clear answer for your state.
Scouting their side of the property line is a No-No and will never turn out good. Stay at home on your lease. You get good at that ground and your freezer and wall will get crowded.
Ohio trip provided a stud of a deer on our ground. Got us all motivated.
You can get one foot on your side of the marked property line. It might get to be spotlighted if a hunter on the other property is doing the same thing in the same area (within sight of). Bear in mind I hunt in Tennessee and not Alabama.
You might inquiry with the state wildlife officials to get a clear answer for your state.
Scouting their side of the property line is a No-No and will never turn out good. Stay at home on your lease. You get good at that ground and your freezer and wall will get crowded.
Ohio trip provided a stud of a deer on our ground. Got us all motivated.
Something to keep in mind with those really heavy trails is that sign like that normally consist of doe and young bucks traveling thru. Mature bucks seem to prefer to travel a parallel line on one side or the other 20-40 yards out. Watch for that type movement and don't be afraid to make an adjustment. At least that has been my experience.
Jeremy Richards
New Member
Thats a nice deer ! I will talk to the Game warden about that line issue. idiots who painted the line in the woods did a terrible job, If i had to say so I would argue that I am on our land but that could be a painting error. In any case I will ask the GW.
Jeremy Richards
New Member
Jeremy Richards
New Member
I didnt know that. I will most likely h ave to move ...I hunted here over the weekend and say several deer. All of the came out of htese trails too. 1 was a decent buck he was hightailing it like he had been spooked but I know it was not me I was downwind and it had to be someone on the other side. Either way my theory about the trail through the thicket was correct. I will keep an eye out though thanks !
DespinaOwens23
New Member
Thanks for sharing.
