Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Pressured Deer Are EASY To Pattern

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    The Corner Effect

    Many years ago, there was a big clearcut in the DCNF that had been freshly logged. It was about 200 acres and out in the middle was a wet spot full of hardwood that they left standing. It was all open except tree tops and this 2 or 3 acre spot of hardwoods. In October, that spot would just fill up with deer every evening as acorns fell all day long. The problem was, it was just impossible to hunt! There was a big bad thicket all the way around the opening and regardless of wind direction, the deer would come in down wind and bust me before getting in bow range. I tried setting up on the wood line with the same result as deer circled downwind before coming out. I mean if the wind was west, the deer would all come from east, if the wind was North, they would all come from south!

    They would be out there every morning at day break and i would try to catch them leaving but where they went seemed totally random. One morning, I had just watched a huge 8pt leave and was trying to guess exactly where he might come in that evening. The wind was South east but i knew there was a Norther blowing in mid morning that should change the wind to North west.

    THATS WHEN IT HIT ME! The buck was on the west side of the opening. If he was going to come back from the East side, he was going to have to round the corner! I backed out and planned my approach from a totally different spot. As soon as the wind changed, I sneaked in directly down wind from the corner with a climbing stand. I picked a smooth pine with a good redoak beside it and got up about 30ft high. I was 40yds south west of the corner and as i climbed, i could see at least three worn trails converging at the corner!

    The events that followed blew my mind. Throughout the day, deer calmly strolled through from West to east. All were watching the opening and never glanced my way. I must have see 30 plus head of deer ranging from yearlings to nice bucks...untill the hoss of an 8pt walked in at 20yds about 2pm!

    Since that day, I have applied the CORNER EFFECT to a dozen different spots from open pastures to food plots with massive sucess. I just couldnt wait for the weather man to talk about a wind change! One of the key things i learned that day was how much time mature bucks spend watching and scent checking openings from just inside the woodline during the day yet would only enter at last or no light.
    Attached Files

    Comment


      I need to print this entire thread and use it as a reference guide! So much valuable info here especially for us East Texas hunters.

      Comment


        Originally posted by GarGuy View Post
        The Corner Effect

        Many years ago, there was a big clearcut in the DCNF that had been freshly logged. It was about 200 acres and out in the middle was a wet spot full of hardwood that they left standing. It was all open except tree tops and this 2 or 3 acre spot of hardwoods. In October, that spot would just fill up with deer every evening as acorns fell all day long. The problem was, it was just impossible to hunt! There was a big bad thicket all the way around the opening and regardless of wind direction, the deer would come in down wind and bust me before getting in bow range. I tried setting up on the wood line with the same result as deer circled downwind before coming out. I mean if the wind was west, the deer would all come from east, if the wind was North, they would all come from south!

        They would be out there every morning at day break and i would try to catch them leaving but where they went seemed totally random. One morning, I had just watched a huge 8pt leave and was trying to guess exactly where he might come in that evening. The wind was South east but i knew there was a Norther blowing in mid morning that should change the wind to North west.

        THATS WHEN IT HIT ME! The buck was on the west side of the opening. If he was going to come back from the East side, he was going to have to round the corner! I backed out and planned my approach from a totally different spot. As soon as the wind changed, I sneaked in directly down wind from the corner with a climbing stand. I picked a smooth pine with a good redoak beside it and got up about 30ft high. I was 40yds south west of the corner and as i climbed, i could see at least three worn trails converging at the corner!

        The events that followed blew my mind. Throughout the day, deer calmly strolled through from West to east. All were watching the opening and never glanced my way. I must have see 30 plus head of deer ranging from yearlings to nice bucks...untill the hoss of an 8pt walked in at 20yds about 2pm!

        Since that day, I have applied the CORNER EFFECT to a dozen different spots from open pastures to food plots with massive sucess. I just couldnt wait for the weather man to talk about a wind change! One of the key things i learned that day was how much time mature bucks spend watching and scent checking openings from just inside the woodline during the day yet would only enter at last or no light.

        Reading the "Corner Effect" brought back plenty of mistakes in my learning curve. I have never thought about it that deep before. I hunt the Sam and could have definitely changed my plans a few times when the weather hit.

        Great info and please keep the info coming.

        Sincerely,

        Comment


          The corner effect is one of my favorite tools! I wish I knew how many times this was working to my favor and I didn't even realize it, I just chalked it up to deer moving because of a weather change.

          Keeping some sort of journal helps. I reference my own live hunts on here from previous years. I get criticized by a few for being "wordy" or "talking to hear my own voice" when in reality I'm locking a journal into the server for me to be able to reference. I always detail what the temps are and what the wind is doing what I'm seeing etc. It's easy to pull that old thread up, look at the date stamped on it and read about the conditions when I was successful. I say all the time that there's no unsuccessful hunts if you're paying attention. Try to learn something about what the deer are doing (or AREN'T doing) every time you go out.

          Comment


            That one struck a chord with me. I like hunting corners like you described, know 'how' to hunt it brings it to another level. Completely makes sense as well. Thanks as always GarGuy.


            X2 all the way around Jooger. I'd just chalked it up to deer moving in the weather. And for keeping a journal, something I do it write everything in my iPhone 'Notes' and periodically transfer it over to a word doc saved on my computer. Location, temp, wind, moon phase, deer seen with an estimated age on bucks, quick summary.
            Last edited by Patton; 07-27-2015, 11:37 AM.

            Comment


              I want to hear the stories about these.

              AKA...Garguy's Table of East Texas Monster's.



              Comment


                An old buck will set up in his core area so he can sneak around and scent check scrapes and feeding areas as well as detect aproaching danger. the second that wind changes, he is suddenly vulnerable. He will get up and reposition every time. A little feature like a field corner or bend in a deep creek can be just the ticket to killing him. The spot i mentioned above turned out several nice bow kills. Because of that experience, I set up another spot taht has been murder for 15 years on a wind change!

                Comment


                  How about these 2? STUDS.


                  Click image for larger version

Name:	garguybucks.jpg
Views:	2
Size:	135.2 KB
ID:	24392961

                  Comment


                    The one on the right is Ol Traveler in this thread and 152 4/8. the 8pt on the left has 14 inch G2s and beams that actually cross. He is in the 40s with only a 15 inch spread.

                    Comment


                      Originally posted by GarGuy View Post
                      An old buck will set up in his core area so he can sneak around and scent check scrapes and feeding areas as well as detect aproaching danger. the second that wind changes, he is suddenly vulnerable. He will get up and reposition every time. A little feature like a field corner or bend in a deep creek can be just the ticket to killing him. The spot i mentioned above turned out several nice bow kills. Because of that experience, I set up another spot taht has been murder for 15 years on a wind change!

                      That's a lesson I learned well in Kansas on both bucks I killed. There it isn't unlike here. They'll bed on the sides of ridges (not much thick cover there) with the wind at their back. They can watch their front and cover their 6 with their nose and ears. When the wind changes directions, they HAVE to move positions. Where to and how far is dictated by variables conducive to that particular bed.

                      That's where pressured deer become predictable and killable. When he's been pressured into a particular spot, you know he's there, but can't hunt him for one reason or another in that spot. Do your homework and find plan B spot. He's going there when the wind starts changing. A lot of times this is where the "big bucks move in the middle of the day" theory comes into play. Big bucks move when they're horny, feel safe, or vulnerable. That may be early morning, mid day, or 2am. When you find a place where he's safe and lives there, wind change is almost the only way he becomes vulnerable naturally.

                      Comment


                        True stuff Jooger. The trick is finding that vulnerable spot and getting there without him knowing. The corner story is about a spot where he is between safe spots. Every deer that came through was watching toward that field too.

                        Not worth a post of its own but a quick story about that spot. I climbed there another time and pulled my bow up only to discover that I had lost my finger tab. No big deal...RIGHT? I was shooting 84lbs out of a York Mohave. I had six arrows with me. When i shot my last arrow, it was only 415pm. I climbed down and found some of my arrows before sulking out. Never drew a drop of blood. Apparently that string was cutting in and rolling like crazy because I shot everywhere except in a deer.

                        Comment


                          10pt GarGuys Style

                          Two years ago, I had my heart set on Ol Cripple horn but had several other mature studs on camera. Youth season rolled around and Sam had a friend he wanted to put on a good deer. I was planning to sit with my ten year old nephew and we decided his friend could sit with his daughter on the other side of one of my santuaries.

                          The night before season, I sat down with them and showed them pics of a couple of mature bucks on the hit list. I knew this old ten was at least 7.5 and a stud of a mature deer.

                          Just before legal shooting light, I saw a mature buck cross my shooting lane and head toward her. About 20 minutes later, I heard her shoot! Man, I couldnt stand it. i txt sam and he said her Dad text that she shot at a whopper. I cut the hunt short and we went to look. The buck didnt make it but a few steps and Paige had her trophy!
                          Attached Files

                          Comment


                            Awesome stuff gar guy

                            Comment


                              Nice bucks and info. I was taught if you aint hunting a oak bottom, you aint hunting. Now I hunt South Texas, but the last buck I killed in East Texas was a very high pressure area. Between the hog hunters, people sighting in rifles on the lease, logging trucks, trespassers, and 4 wheelers, no one was seeing anything. My stand was carried deep into the thicket a peace at a time and assembled 50 yards from a big oak thicket. You had to fight through underbrush every time out. No vehicles had access to the area. Sure enough caught a buck heading into the thicket for the day and shot him right as he went into the bottom. He ran in about 50 yards, making it a heck of an extraction, but worth it.

                              Comment


                                Thank you for all of your wisdom and stories!! Very enjoyable to read the stories of your success while learning all at the same time!! This has made me think outside the box and plan new methods of hunting this season. Thank you again for all your time spent shedding this information to us, this thread has probably been the most enjoyable and informative to have read. I have two questions. What is your all time favorite buck/hunt, and what is your favorite hunting scenario?

                                Comment

                                Working...
                                X