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.
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.
Comment