Advice

[hawkjosh22]

I am going to be bowhunting the same place that we shotgun hunt every year, but I was wondering if you guys would be so kind to give me some ideas on possible stand sites. Here is what the ground looks like:

The red outline is the property line, public is to the west (left) and private to the right. This property is also private.

The red "spray paint" is CRP grass areas, all tall grass some over 5-6ft tall. The blue is a very wide, very deep revine with a creek that runs through it. The pond is VERY big as well (land used to be an old gravel pit) the poop yellow color are roads that stop about where I stopped the color on the picture. The green "spray paint" area is a wood lot area that is not very thick but the deer definitely like it.

The arrow in the bottom down by the river is where I usually sit during shotgun season, I have shot 3 deer the last two years here and I like this spot a lot, I can see the river bottom and the CRP grass really nice. Let me know what you think guys!

Edit: Top of the pic is North, sorry!

 

[Mattyice]

Obviously you know this land better than any of us but I would maybe try right between the woods and the grass land north of the lake. (assuming top of the pic is north) My guess is that anything in the north section will follow that treeline/grassline to the pond before night activity for in the evenings, and going back to the bedding spot late morning.

 

[vrod]

how low is the river?

 

[hawkjosh22]

I'm not sure about how low it is, haven't been down to check it out lately, will be on the ground this weekend.

 

[Robinhood]

If it were me (and keep in mind, looking at a topo and actually seeing the property are so different), this is what I personally would do:

Stand 1 I'd have between the pond on the green painted area
Stand 2 I'd place somewhere in the north end of the timber in the middle of all that crp because I can picture bucks using that cover when cruising the grass
Stand 3 I would place in the southeast corner near the river where it looks like bucks would use that timber as it appears very secluded and would cross or drink from the river if it's shallow enough (somewhere near your arrow)
Stand 4 I would place right between the green and blue as I have watched bucks use ravines for cover and you already know they like the green area.

 

[Drop_Tine5214]

I would have a stand as close to the river as you can in that narrow strip of timber to the south. Looks like an awesome funnel for cruising bucks to be looking for does. Then when you any kind of wind out of the North it will just blow your scent over the river, another bonus is that if you use calls bucks can't get downwind of you.

 

[muddy]

 

[hawkjosh22]

Thanks Muddy, sorry guys on cell phones!

Sent from my HTC Thunderbolt using IW

 

[hawkjosh22]

anyone else with any ideas?

 

[bigbuckhunter88]

Muddy's red dots are right on the money as far as I'm concerned and as said without seeing the actual ground I would focus on the top right two dots. If they are busts, I would look more in the areas top left and middle left dots as well as the bottom right dot. A few sits and you should have a pretty good idea where to focus.

 

[hawkjosh22]

I didn't even notice the red dots on this, sheesh, sorry muddy! :thrwrck:
Appreciate it though, I know there is a homemade tree stand in the spot on the top right corner. The far left lower part isnt very thick.
Thanks again for the help guys.

 

[letemgrow]

These would be my picks, you would have a stand ofr every type of wind direction you could imagine...and be able to cover the edge funnels that looks like are on the property.

 

[Drop_Tine5214]

Looks good, I especially like the spot just to the East of the pond.

 

[Iowabowtech]

First impressions:

 

[hawkjosh22]

East and South East of the pond are where most of the deer are shot during shotgun season. I'm definitely leaning to both of the spots currently. Planning on hunting Sunday as well so we'll see, wind looks to be from SW so those spots might not work...

 

[iowaqdm]

I agree with letemgo's stand locations and muddy's stand just west of the pond in the finger. I wouldn't hunt/hang muddy's SW stand just because that line you said is public and I wouldn't want another deer or pheasant hunter walking under my stand while I'm hunting. Plus if your hanging stands to leave up someone else may use or steal your stuff along the public line. Good luck.