Locating pinch points

[rut-ro]

New bow hunter here. Or shall I say un successful bow hunter as of yet. What is a pinch point and how do you locate them? Just trying to come up with new strategy for next year. I have stopped hunting over a feeder and trying to find trails in the woods and along creeks.

[Booner Sooner]

New bow hunter here. Or shall I say un successful bow hunter as of yet. What is a pinch point and how do you locate them? Just trying to come up with new strategy for next year. I have stopped hunting over a feeder and trying to find trails in the woods and along creeks.

Good question. A pinch point is a generic term for any terrain feature or obstruction that will funnel deer through a smaller area. Many times this is bend in creek bed coming together with a steep hill or other obstruction of some kind. If you scout and you run across these you can key on them but looking for game trails that are heavily worn through there.

[rut-ro]

Thanks boom. I got a spot where 2 creeks come together. Looks like heavy traffic. I plan on getting a tree stand up there for next year. Maybe mostly pig route but I bet deer travel it too.

[Sleepy]

Good question. A pinch point is a generic term for any terrain feature or obstruction that will funnel deer through a smaller area. Many times this is bend in creek bed coming together with a steep hill or other obstruction of some kind. If you scout and you run across these you can key on them but looking for game trails that are heavily worn through there.

This pretty much explains it.

-Open fence lines/downed fences
-narrow strip of woods going across a field
-draws/ridges
-any kind of terrain edge like where planted pines meet a thicket, a slough meets hardwoods

Basically look for indications of a travel way if you were a deer. The easiest route while staying under cover, or if you are forced to go one direction or another by an obstruction in your path. Sometimes just walking through the woods in the off season will lead you to these areas and you may not even realize it.

[Pstraw]

Another suggestion before you go to all the trouble of hanging a stand is to monitor the spot with a camera. Put 5-10 lbs. of corn where your camera will catch whatever stops by. Check however many spots you have cameras for so that you will have options.

[Arrowsmith]

Our farm in Iowa has many great pinch points. I highlighted a few for examples. The creek that runs the length of our ground is a deer highway as well as the timber fingers that lead down to the creek.

[SKLOSS]

I like to pinch em right here! [emoji23]




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[RifleBowPistol]

New bow hunter here. Or shall I say un successful bow hunter as of yet. What is a pinch point and how do you locate them? Just trying to come up with new strategy for next year. I have stopped hunting over a feeder and trying to find trails in the woods and along creeks.

What area of the state, what does the place look like? Hills, flat land, pines, oaks, mesquite, sandy, red sand, black clay?

[rut-ro]

What area of the state, what does the place look like? Hills, flat land, pines, oaks, mesquite, sandy, red sand, black clay?

this is the family farm. Its in Leon County. It is mainly oak, yopon, and cedar, we have rolling hills. Parts of the place are really sandy. it has three major creeks on the place. One spot is where two creeks meet and I think this will be an awesome set up. our cover is about 75% thick stuff at the location I will be hunting. We just got a major high line that is running through the place close to 150 acres of hunting area.

[Shake N' Bake]

Good question. A pinch point is a generic term for any terrain feature or obstruction that will funnel deer through a smaller area. Many times this is bend in creek bed coming together with a steep hill or other obstruction of some kind. If you scout and you run across these you can key on them but looking for game trails that are heavily worn through there.

This guy could write a book on killing big deer without using feeders.
No joke.

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[Etxbuckman]

this is the family farm. Its in Leon County. It is mainly oak, yopon, and cedar, we have rolling hills. Parts of the place are really sandy. it has three major creeks on the place. One spot is where two creeks meet and I think this will be an awesome set up. our cover is about 75% thick stuff at the location I will be hunting. We just got a major high line that is running through the place close to 150 acres of hunting area.

I’ve read that for whatever reason they like to cross in the bends in creeks. I guess it tends to be lower, easier to cross in those spots? I dunno (Edit: I actually just saw above that Booner Sooner already mentioned as much and word on the street is that he’s a big buck killer).

I do know that my new favorite spot is where two SMZ’s (stream management zones, i.e. creek bottom) come together into a T. Heavy thickets on both sides and they use that bottom like a highway.

[RifleBowPistol]

this is the family farm. Its in Leon County. It is mainly oak, yopon, and cedar, we have rolling hills. Parts of the place are really sandy. it has three major creeks on the place. One spot is where two creeks meet and I think this will be an awesome set up. our cover is about 75% thick stuff at the location I will be hunting. We just got a major high line that is running through the place close to 150 acres of hunting area.

Without seeing the place, I would say hunt along the creeks would be a good idea. See if you can find a place where you can set up where you can see down in the creek or creeks, but at the same time, not be on the top of the bank. Often bucks will travel just inside the brush line or along creeks. But the will also travel down in the bottom of creeks. I find often bucks like to be hidden to some degree, but be able to see some distance. Hogs and coyotes will use the bottoms of creeks often.

Finding some place to sit and watch often and stay in that spot as much of the day as possible, all day is best. You can get a better idea of how the deer move in that area. Game cam pictures can show some of the activity in a area, but you don't get the big picture by completely depending on game cameras. Get out and watch as often as possible. Pick multiple spots, then sit in each spot as much as possible. You will start to learn their movement very well that way. Using cover up sents also and possibly camo up when doing so, so you don't spook the deer, so they don't change their route, because of picking up your sent or seeing you.