How do you guys setup?

[Smoked]

Do you all have your stands, blinds, or whatever setup you use to where you can easily slip in and out or do you make them a long way away from an easy in and out. I have both but prefer the ones that are a pain in the arse to get to. I hunt only private land and have had more luck in using my ridge top sets than my "plot setup" I have seen and shot more mature bucks from being in those places most want put the effort in getting to. I personally like the challenge of having to climb the mountain before sunrise, and I also know that the majority of the hunters will not hike for an hour and a half in the dark. The other thing is is that it has made me a more patient and selective hunter knowing that I'm going to have to drag and hour and half back out.

Finally does your setups change from bow to rifle seasons?

 

[BowGuy84]

Some of mine are far, some aren't. I use a boat on some land, hang on with lone wolf sticks, pre set hang ons, private, public.

Longest walk takes 2 hours in dark to get in and set.

Flexibility is key.

I traditionally break my season into 3 sections:

Early (patterns on fields/ag) Usually first couple weeks until end of september if there isn't a draught

Oaks...fairly self explanatory

Rut/terrain hunting (last 10 days of Oct-gun season)

Late season up here is super tough and I traditionally change over to ducks until I can pattern deer over corn or the late mzl season gets here.

 

[BowGuy84]

As for recovery, skin and quarter that deer up and then drop it in your backpack.

Only way to fly.

I check deer in from my phone and take a screen shot of the check in confirmation when legal.

 

[Shed Hunter]

I hunted anehere from about 30 yards off of the highway to a mile out in the woods last year.

 

[Shed Hunter]

As for recovery, skin and quarter that deer up and then drop it in your backpack.

Only way to fly.

I check deer in from my phone and take a screen shot of the check in confirmation when legal.

I always wonder why Southerners and Midwesterners pretend like this is not a option. As if, dragging, carting or ATVing a deer out is the only option for getting a deer out of the woods.

I don't like to cut deer up in my hunting area if Im going to hunt there again. Dragging deer out is also good forya!

 

[PickettSFHunter]

I will often hunt easy to get to areas early in bow season when Im basically just doe hunting. If Im gun hunting, Im going deep, up a mountain, somewhere remote.

 

[bowriter]

The longets walk to one of my stands is maybe 150-yards. Most are wihtin 75-yards of where I park.

I wouldn't suggest that for most hunters concerned with big bucks. However, upon reconsideration, I can't think of why I wouldn't.

 

[Smoked]

I don't like to cut deer up in my hunting area if Im going to hunt there again. Dragging deer out is also good forya! [/quote]

Exactly.

 

[DntBrnDPig]

Do you field dress it in your hunting area?

 

[Smoked]

Do you field dress it in your hunting area?

In my immediate set up no. I will drag the deer a good piece before I gut one. Don't actually know if this helps but it makes me feel as it would.

 

[BowGuy84]

I don't like to cut deer up in my hunting area if Im going to hunt there again. Dragging deer out is also good forya!

Exactly. [/quote]

Recently cataloged all the locations I have prepped for stands. Not counting 8 stands at my land, over 1000 acres in NW Indiana I hunt, and field edges for doe killing on public land around me.

I was at 25.

I doubt I'll hunt any particular stand any more than 3 times this season.

If I "stink it up" I have lots of options to go to. Plus some places I hunt I'd like to see anyone drag a deer out normal like.

 

[bowriter]

Always gut 'em where they fall.

 

[Football Hunter]

Always gut 'em where they fall.

Yep,I killed one in a small food plot a few years ago one morning,my buddy hunted the same stand that afternoon.He was fussing at me over the radio,when deer started showing up He arrowed one with her nose in the gut pile.

 

[backstraps]

I used to set up towards 15-20 stands per year. Last 2 years I havent set maybe 5-6

Most of my hunting is portable hunting now. I feel like once a set has been hunted more than two-three times, the deer are onto the hunter.

As for changing setups from gun to archery, my sites would have some huge differences.
When archery hunting early season, I would hunt close for a couple reasons. I would try and reduce the walk time when it is still in the upper 70's low 80's here. I was also hunting field edges, which early season for me that proved to work pretty well.

As for firearm season, I would try and locate myself on funnels, saddle edges, over looking benches etc Naturally these sites would also be set to give myself a larger range of view.

One thing is for sure Smoked....hunting those steep ridges you hunt, I would be a very selective shooter in there Heck you know me and how lazy I am, and I know you could just imagine how long it would take my lazy butt to get a hoss from them thar hills!