Friends needed

Jeremy Richards

New Member
I just joined a Lease in Abbeville, Al just off hwy 431 North headed to Eufaula. It is about 800 acres and we subleased 300 more that will be added to our club next year. I am not familiar with the area that well and am hopeful some of you guys can share good advice with me. In the hot summer months of July and August I did my scouting after studying maps to learn the best places to put my cameras and stands and sadly I still haven't shot a deer. I have seen around 5 doe and a spike but no nice bucks yet. I was wondering if I provided a picture of my map on here can someone help me pinpoint areas that would be good to look into? I want to learn and understand they "why's" I just have a funny feeling I am going about it all wrong down here. It seems that when I hunted in North Alabama near the Tennessee line I saw deer everyday and passed on several 8 points that I deemed to small. Since I moved South I have not enjoyed much success and thats just sad given the South has such larger bucks ( thats my opinion ). Somebody help me out please!
 
I circled areas that need I would scout and hunt. Tight areas with edge. I put numbers in the order of importance if it was me. I'm not an expert but I feel certain you will see and kill a deer(s) at these places.
 

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With my number one choice, you will notice what looks like a canal with taller hardwoods surrounded by younger pines (I assume). I think that spot will be worth your attention.

Number two may also have a creek or simply a narrow finger of older timber with a recent cutover on one side and younger timber on the opposite.
 
Number three is the upper edge of older timber feeding into perhaps a carolina bay or young pines or a cutover? Gracious, you could murder some deer there.
 
5 and 6 have older timber feeding into younger timber or clearcuts regrowing and are close to the road for easy access. Get into a narrow travel funnel between those two.
 
Well I cannot tell anything about the property at that scale really but you are definitely in a great area with what looks like a real variety of terrain and timber. Mainly just wanted to give a shout out to another SE Bama hunter. My place is about 20 miles nw of Dothan near Ozark.
 
I circled areas that need I would scout and hunt. Tight areas with edge. I put numbers in the order of importance if it was me. I'm not an expert but I feel certain you will see and kill a deer(s) at these places.
Thank you ! Have you guys been having a slow year ? I mean this drought has been rough.
 
Well I cannot tell anything about the property at that scale really but you are definitely in a great area with what looks like a real variety of terrain and timber. Mainly just wanted to give a shout out to another SE Bama hunter. My place is about 20 miles nw of Dothan near Ozark.
Nice to meet ya ! I am looking forward to chatting with you guys on her and getting to know more about SE Bama. Good Luck to you !
 
I circled areas that need I would scout and hunt. Tight areas with edge. I put numbers in the order of importance if it was me. I'm not an expert but I feel certain you will see and kill a deer(s) at these places.
Thank you for your help bro! I will check these areas out and see what I can find. I will holler at you if I have any luck.
 
I circled areas that need I would scout and hunt. Tight areas with edge. I put numbers in the order of importance if it was me. I'm not an expert but I feel certain you will see and kill a deer(s) at these places.
I think its cool that you circled 1, 2, and 3 where you did cause I just put a hanger and ladder stick where you have number 2 ( which is a bench that drops 3 steps off the side of the hill and the property line just behind me, I placed my Hanger on the second bench 20 feet up and in good cover of a big oak tree). Jus a week ago a friend of mine said he saw 3 big bucks on the main road that will funnel right through that area. I just verified where he saw them last night so now it all makes sense. I doubt I will be easy to spot for approaching deer. The hardest thing I have tried to figure out in this spot is where to put my camera. Like I said the bench has 3 steps and I belieb the 2nd step is the one thats hot. Next time I am there I will take a picture from the ground and post it, let ya see the area from the ground.
 
What is a Carolina Bay?

Don't think a huge body of water, like the Chesepeake.

A Carolina Bay is a depression in the earth, usually oval shaped. You may not have them where you are but the Carolinas and I think Florida are full of them. Attached is an image of some public hunting land in my region. You will notice many of the roads and trails outline the bays I am referring to. They are named a bay not because of frequent standing water in their low-lying area but because of the bay trees that grow in them so thick in many of them you couldn't fall down in them and hit the ground. LOL.

When they are clear cut and regrowing, they make for some dandy hunting. Once fully grown in, not so much. Tough to see anything, tough to pattern how the wind works. I got so used to deer blowing at me on that public land in my attachment. Same spot, different wind directions, deer blowing. LOL.
 

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Jeremy, so far hunting at my place has been fairly good. A youth hunter got a 146 lb doe and a buddy got another large doe Saturday.I have not been able to get up and hunt yet. Hopefully in a week and a half. Praying for the rain predicted the next couple of days.
 
Don't think a huge body of water, like the Chesepeake.

A Carolina Bay is a depression in the earth, usually oval shaped. You may not have them where you are but the Carolinas and I think Florida are full of them. Attached is an image of some public hunting land in my region. You will notice many of the roads and trails outline the bays I am referring to. They are named a bay not because of frequent standing water in their low-lying area but because of the bay trees that grow in them so thick in many of them you couldn't fall down in them and hit the ground. LOL.

When they are clear cut and regrowing, they make for some dandy hunting. Once fully grown in, not so much. Tough to see anything, tough to pattern how the wind works. I got so used to deer blowing at me on that public land in my attachment. Same spot, different wind directions, deer blowing. LOL.
Thank you for clarifying that! I have never heard of a Carolina Bay till you said something about it. I got it now though.
 
Jeremy, so far hunting at my place has been fairly good. A youth hunter got a 146 lb doe and a buddy got another large doe Saturday.I have not been able to get up and hunt yet. Hopefully in a week and a half. Praying for the rain predicted the next couple of days.
Our club has not had much success at all, 1 guy killed a 9 point but its so small I'd have passed it. The other 2 killed doe 1 was a youth hunt and the other a doe on the run and a bad shot but luckily a dead deer. I saw today that we are expecting some rain and THANK GOD! I have been cranky around the house lol. This dry weather has made me that way. Only an avid hunter would understand :) Please keep me posted on your success there. I will post you a pic of that 9 point
 
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