Hunting Land Lease.

[Kjohnson]

Just got back from looking over 40 acres that a guy wants  to lease. Land is 5 miles south of Boyd, which is east of Eau Claire.  A small creek running through the property. Neighbors are good and have small acres for hunting. By the creek we saw a lot of scraps and rubs. The owner and I spent 5 hours driving around with his ATVs and getting to know the land.  Seems like a nice guy and we are both looking at a long term working relationship. In fact on the third year he will give me a lower price.

The question I have for wiwrestler and hunters. Is it a good idea to place a tree stand next to a bedding area? Or should I post back away from the area. It looks like the deer come from different directions so I need some advice. I placed a trail camera near the bedding area and I will know more in 2 weeks.   I plan to put my son by the creek,scraps, rubs.  I could place myself near him, but not too close. My goal is for him to get a deer and if I get something, that is extra.

Just a side note. Spent 7 hours on the road, 5 hours in the woods. I come home and I have 3 police cars parked in the front of my house. My first thought were

[Houndhead]

Just got back from looking over 40 acres that a guy wants  to lease. Land is 5 miles south of Boyd, which is east of Eau Claire.  A small creek running through the property. Neighbors are good and have small acres for hunting. By the creek we saw a lot of scraps and rubs. The owner and I spent 5 hours driving around with his ATVs and getting to know the land.  Seems like a nice guy and we are both looking at a long term working relationship. In fact on the third year he will give me a lower price.

The question I have for wiwrestler and hunters. Is it a good idea to place a tree stand next to a bedding area? Or should I post back away from the area. It looks like the deer come from different directions so I need some advice. I placed a trail camera near the bedding area and I will know more in 2 weeks.   I plan to put my son by the creek,scraps, rubs.  I could place myself near him, but not too close. My goal is for him to get a deer and if I get something, that is extra.

Just a side note. Spent 7 hours on the road, 5 hours in the woods. I come home and I have 3 police cars parked in the front of my house. My first thought were

[maggie]

 KJ, neither am I an expert but one doesn't have to be to up your %age of killing bigger bucks, personally, I was always taught to that it all starts in the spring, finding the" right scrape"  in the spring is the key to bigger bucks late during the rut and this goes hand in hand with stand placement. ..during the spring look in the woods or around very isolated areas and find yourself a large well rounded scrape, AS LOG AS THERES SOME TYPE OF FOOD in that area... if you simply go out in the fall and place your sons stand near a scrape, you rally have no idea as to how much the buck has been hitting it, but if you find one in the spring and keep an eye on it, you can gage as to how much he has been hitting it and judge the activate level. You have to learn and understand just when a buck is hitting that scrape! you want to make sure it is being hit during the DAYLIGHT HRS!  because most scrapes are hit after dark..if nothing else, make darn sure you get in the thickest part of the area you can, because when a doe is constantly getting chased all day, they head to the thickest part around and will lay low for days at a time. routes between does bedding areas ARE PERFECT SPOTS to place stands...... good luck getting that kid a deer!

[Kjohnson]

Before the Army, my son has gotten a few does. Now it is time to wait and go after the buck.
Thanks for all the info. I didn't realize bucks make scraps year round. It will take us awhile to learn the land, but the owner wants someone long term and has offered a discount after 3 years. This year I know we are guessing and we just have to spend more time on the land in the future. Thanks for all the great advice.

ps: I do know one thing, it is very hard to get a deer while sleeping in bed or on a stool.

[maggie]

well...not as true as you might believe...a guy can leanr a lot more on a stool that one might think, ya have to decipher who BS'ing and who's not...      DEEP COVER this time of year is a muct for a BIG BUCK...AND WAIT!...

[Roo]

I would not recommend hunting on or near the bedding area, if you spook a bedded deer getting to your stand or leaving it , it will not return for the rest of the season.
Houndhead has it correct, hunt the travel corridors as they travel to or from the bedding area.

Once the rut starts, I won't hunt in the early morning for the same reason, if you spook them early they are gone.  Typically as the rut nears, (like in a week or two), bucks will go bed early, take a nap, and they get up and travel around looking for does. Go to your stand around 9:30 - 10:00 and sit all day.

If you have scrapes that are being used, any number of bucks will be using it, and new deer will be moving into and out of the area as rutting activity increases. Sound like you have a nice area to hunt.  Good luck.

[Handles II]

I concur with most advice here. If you know where the bedding area is, try to set up on the way to/from it for food and/or water (water is often overlooked during the rut. The bucks don't eat much but with all that running they need water and will hit it during the day). And with the scrapes, Try to set up at least 20 yards from them (wth bow) or more (with gun). A good tip to keep deer coming to a particular scrape. Each time you go in/out of that area, pee in the scrape. I make mock scrapes quite often and by the videos I'm getting from my camera (and have for years) it works, also because i'm there during daylight, I get more daylight videos/photos. They seem to know how fresh the pee is.
Good luck, hunt safe. Let us know the results. 

[maggie]

your buddies right, but if your going to try and hunt in a bedding area, ya better be in there at least a hr and a half before light... ...and cover your sent to the max, that's why people say, hunting near a bedding area is tough, but van be very good, just as i pointed out to KJ..

[bigG]

Just got back from looking over 40 acres that a guy wants  to lease. Land is 5 miles south of Boyd, which is east of Eau Claire.  A small creek running through the property. Neighbors are good and have small acres for hunting. By the creek we saw a lot of scraps and rubs. The owner and I spent 5 hours driving around with his ATVs and getting to know the land.  Seems like a nice guy and we are both looking at a long term working relationship. In fact on the third year he will give me a lower price.

The question I have for wiwrestler and hunters. Is it a good idea to place a tree stand next to a bedding area? Or should I post back away from the area. It looks like the deer come from different directions so I need some advice. I placed a trail camera near the bedding area and I will know more in 2 weeks.   I plan to put my son by the creek,scraps, rubs.  I could place myself near him, but not too close. My goal is for him to get a deer and if I get something, that is extra.

Just a side note. Spent 7 hours on the road, 5 hours in the woods. I come home and I have 3 police cars parked in the front of my house. My first thought were

[Kjohnson]

Just got a text from the land owner. He saw a doe,small buck & 8 pointer crossing the road unto his land - 8 am (twice)

It looks like the deer are moving to a bedding area. The nice part is, not too far from where we park. easy walk and an eay distance when we go up next week to set up tree stand

[Houndhead]

Just got back from looking over 40 acres that a guy wants  to lease. Land is 5 miles south of Boyd, which is east of Eau Claire.  A small creek running through the property. Neighbors are good and have small acres for hunting. By the creek we saw a lot of scraps and rubs. The owner and I spent 5 hours driving around with his ATVs and getting to know the land.  Seems like a nice guy and we are both looking at a long term working relationship. In fact on the third year he will give me a lower price.

The question I have for wiwrestler and hunters. Is it a good idea to place a tree stand next to a bedding area? Or should I post back away from the area. It looks like the deer come from different directions so I need some advice. I placed a trail camera near the bedding area and I will know more in 2 weeks.   I plan to put my son by the creek,scraps, rubs.  I could place myself near him, but not too close. My goal is for him to get a deer and if I get something, that is extra.

Just a side note. Spent 7 hours on the road, 5 hours in the woods. I come home and I have 3 police cars parked in the front of my house. My first thought were

[Handles II]

Just got a text from the land owner. He saw a doe,small buck & 8 pointer crossing the road unto his land - 8 am (twice)

It looks like the deer are moving to a bedding area. The nice part is, not too far from where we park. easy walk and an eay distance when we go up next week to set up tree stand

Good luck! It should be interesting regardless. New territory means you never know what might show up.