What percentage of your hunting property do you bowhunt?

[hortontoter]

I think the prevailing winds dictate most the way we have to place stands. Your need to enter south to north every time could be a detriment in the first half of archery season. Fall and early winter winds come mostly from the west and south. I'm assuming the road you live on runs east and west, at least I hope it does. If it were me, I'd probably only hunt the east side of your property. If so I would walk the road to the east side of the property and only go into the 100 yard strip of woods as far as needed to be in a prime location on most hunts. This would hopefully elimanate spooking most of the deer in your area. Also come the rut on the days the wind is from the west the bucks scent checking would tend to be on the east side of your property. I'd make me a good path as close to the east property line as possible for entering and exiting and all my stands would be in that 100 yard strip. This strategy would only allow you to hunt on days when the wind is correct, but luckily you live where you hunt so waiting for the right wind is easier. If most of your deer enter your property from the neighbor to the east this strategy would not work so well. Just an idea.

[mrbb]

well in your case, I think I would be hunting the spots be as many or few as I could without disturbing deer getting in and out
I know so many folks say scent is the number one deal maker or breaker
But I for one don't agree 100 %
I have hunted in ohio for 10+ yrs, and spent 99% of my time in one treestand, due to it was in the best spot, and best access in and out, I hunted that tree NO matter what way the wind was blowing, and time after time, winds in every direction, I have very mature bucks come in range
here in PA, I do the same on many stand site, due to its where the deer want to be, and wind be any direction, they show up, and so do I
I take great measures to be scent free as possible, and getting in and out without letting deer know your hunting them to me is the most important deal maker, not scent
I know not many will agree here
but think about it
why do they say the first time you hunt a stand is the best
its cause the deer are not expecting you to be hunting them there?
how many times have you heard of folks having a big buck come out time after time and not getting a shot??
if they don't know your there, they don't know your there

having deer see you more and more on a property, sure adds scent, but it teaches them human are there more and more, and for them to be more alert, and cautious in traveling about these lands
face it folks, we all live in places where human scent is all over where we hunt, deer smell us all yrs round, all summer and spring we invade there woods, just like in hunting season,
sure they get smarter the more you and others pressure them, but to me its that, pressure, of them seeing and smelling you more that makes them get harder to kill
not scent alone

getting into a spot deer go and getting out I feel will up your odds more than waiting for the right wind
NOW if you can do both, then your ahead of the game
if you have many stands , saving some for right winds is a great idea for sure, but I will never NOT hunt a HOT stand due to incorrect winds, if that's the spot I have to hunt! and only spot I can get in and out of!

last yr I hunted one stand about 10 evenings in a row, having deer under and about me in every direction every sit!
so to me that says, being as scent free, But getting in and out not seen, , wind be ?? direction,
a stand still can be hunted well! in most winds!
my 2 cents
Access rules to me for stands
just hunt where you spook less deer, and in places they want to be I say!

[offtheground]

The urban area I hunt is only 25 acres, using climbers only and have had a killing tree on the edge of this area. I have found that when I move further into the woods the deer are more alert jumpy and have got busted a couple times. I can only hunt this spot maybe once a week even in the killing tree. Last year back in the woods had 6 does come out of bedding area which was maybe 100 yards away and under my stand, of course I could not move, wind was right and all. But they knew something was not in order, when the buck came in he could read their faces or something. he stopped dead behind a tree at 40 yards for couple minutes then turned directly left of his and the does travel line and walked off. Could not have drawn the bow on any of them. If I was edge hunting back in killing tree, almost sure their mood would have been different.
After reading this post it also got me thinking of my main hunting ground. It is set up with wood plots and farm fields. Why not treat each wood plot like the small urban area. The problem is getting the other guys that hunt this area to do the same.

[Big_Holla]

This is a great post to get us thinking about our set-ups. In the past I used to ride the 4-wheeler right into the middle of the property to hunt the best sign. Meanwhile my deer sightings would slowly go down the week or so I was there. Little did I realize at the time that I likely was pushing the deer off the property or at least alerting them to my whereabouts.

I think though rather than look at this as what percentage we are hunting we should be looking at what percentage of our stand locations have excellent access that helps limit spooking deer on the way in and out?? When I joined BHO I thought I knew it all in regards to our property down there in Ohio. But as I stated before with the 4-wheeler access I had a lot to learn. Now most, if not all of my stand locations have very good, if not perfect, access and since then our success has increased dramatically. Of course my dad still insists on riding the 4-wheeler into the middle of the property to hunt stands we placed years ago when I knew it all. But hey, he's over 70 and just the fact he gets out still is well worth the down side.

So, with thinking access routes I would say that I went from hunting 50% or more of the land down to maybe 20-30% over the years.

[PlayTheWindMike]

a very very high % but, I do make it a point to be just as sneaky leaving as when I go in. seems to work for me.