Is it possible to hunt the bottom of this property?

[Nine2Nature]

Currently creating a property plan for this parcel. This property has 100 ft of elevation change with a river bottom ending in the northwest part of the map.

Considering the following:
- Thermal concepts: Warming thermals rise/Cooling thermals fall = access from above in mornings / access from below in evenings
- Can access by boat, will hunt the northwest bottom valley in the evenings.
- Can access from southwest corner
- Can access from southeast corner

Goal:
I want to be able to hunt the bottoms of these valleys in the evening. I cant figure out a low impact way to access without going through thermal hubs or bedding areas and would rather be conservative than aggressive. Is it worth it to hunt the bottoms in the evenings? With stands above ridge benches we have had success in the evening with a consistent wind.

I'm open to any and all ideas, excited to see what yall say

Thank you

White Line: Access route
Black Line: Timber blocker wall
Thin blue line: Ridgetop bench travel corridor
Green areas: Fall food plot pea blend
Brown areas: TSI completed bedding areas
Black Areas: CRP warm season grass
Teal blue Areas: Cereal Grain & P. Clover

 

[Drycreek]

I always found it hard to bowhunt low ground, but rifle hunting, providing you can shoot 200+ yards, not so much. Wind can get squirrelly even excepting the thermals.

 

[weekender21]

On relatively low wind evenings, the thermals will want to follow those creeks in the bottom. If the creeks flow N to S you should be safe hunting that bottom with light W, N, or even E prevailing winds. Obviously you’d be giving up everything to your S where you’d access and where the creeks would drag your thermals. How the deer access and use that terrain will tell you if that’s a realistic place to hunt.


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[George]

That river bottom would be my sanctuary that makes consistently killing mature bucks possible.

G

 

[Nine2Nature]

I always found it hard to bowhunt low ground, but rifle hunting, providing you can shoot 200+ yards, not so much. Wind can get squirrelly even excepting the thermals.

It seems like no matter how conservative we play it, there is a decrease of deer after we hunt it

 

[Nine2Nature]

That river bottom would be my sanctuary that makes consistently killing mature bucks possible.

I totally agree but am curious how aggressive we can be while maintaining the sanctuary.

Where would you start the sanctuary?

How far north would you go from the southern trail?
How far northwest would you go up the west side?

 

[Nine2Nature]

On relatively low wind evenings, the thermals will want to follow those creeks in the bottom. If the creeks flow N to S you should be safe hunting that bottom with light W, N, or even E prevailing winds. Obviously you’d be giving up everything to your S where you’d access and where the creeks would drag your thermals. How the deer access and use that terrain will tell you if that’s a realistic place to hunt.


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The deer prefer to enter the property from the north and south sides of the food plot on the west side. The goal of this property plan is to move the deer from the neighbors sanctuary west of our property to the center of our property. We are currently accessing by boat when hunting the north side of the bottom and that has been successful.

I am debating if it is worth it to access from the south side to hunt the food plot on the west side of the property?

 

[Drycreek]

It seems like no matter how conservative we play it, there is a decrease of deer after we hunt it

I had a creek bottom that I ruined for a couple seasons by hunting it on the wrong winds. At the time, I really didn’t understand the affects of different winds on a winding bottom. It was great soil for plots, the deer loved what I planted and they ate the hell out of it…when I wasn’t there. I finally discovered that I could rifle hunt it on a SE or S wind of 5-10 mph ONLY if I used an Ozonics machine to manage my scent. Lots of folks don’t believe they work, but using it has proven to me that it does as long as you have a moderate and somewhat steady wind and you position the machine to flow the ozone over the scent that’s leaving your blind. I have had deer, hogs, and at least one coyote come within BB gun range from straight down wind while using it. Prior to that, I had deer and hogs spook when the thermals shifted, or not show at all.

 

[Nine2Nature]

I had a creek bottom that I ruined for a couple seasons by hunting it on the wrong winds. At the time, I really didn’t understand the affects of different winds on a winding bottom. It was great soil for plots, the deer loved what I planted and they ate the hell out of it…when I wasn’t there. I finally discovered that I could rifle hunt it on a SE or S wind of 5-10 mph ONLY if I used an Ozonics machine to manage my scent. Lots of folks don’t believe they work, but using it has proven to me that it does as long as you have a moderate and somewhat steady wind and you position the machine to flow the ozone over the scent that’s leaving your blind. I have had deer, hogs, and at least one coyote come within BB gun range from straight down wind while using it. Prior to that, I had deer and hogs spook when the thermals shifted, or not show at all.

I religiously keep my clothes in an air tight container with Ozone but I have never used an ozone machine in the stand. Have you ever tried to only use it before the hunt? If so, how big is the difference?

 

[George]

I totally agree but am curious how aggressive we can be while maintaining the sanctuary.

Where would you start the sanctuary?

How far north would you go from the southern trail?
How far northwest would you go up the west side?

I have 164 acres. I live on 3, hunt on 4, and have around 157 acres of sanctuary.

G

 

[Drycreek]

I religiously keep my clothes in an air tight container with Ozone but I have never used an ozone machine in the stand. Have you ever tried to only use it before the hunt? If so, how big is the difference?

No, I haven’t. I always washed my clothes in Dead Down Wind, sprayed myself and anything I had with me with the same product and used the Ozonics. It has to mount over your head pointed to the window you expect the wind that leaves the blind will go out. I found it much less effective in a tree.