Top 5 Questions About Stand Access

Proper Stand Access is Key for Seeing Deer

Clover is a work horse in food plots for deer
If he knows you are hunting he goes nocturnal

If you are bumping deer traveling to and from your stand sites, its just a matter of time before the deer go nocturnal.  They may not leave your parcel, but if they only move at night they may as well be on the neighbors.  You can’t kill deer that move in the dark.

So how do you know if poor stand access is ruining your hunts?  If you answer yes to any of these questions, you are educating the deer to your presence and burning out your stands in just 2 or 3 hunts.

If you answered yes 1 or more of the 5 questions, the deer on your parcel are being educated to your hunting presence.  You are leaving clues that will eventually find the local herd moving largely after dark.  Its time to tweak your stand placement and access plan.

  • Do you cross areas deer feed in such as ag fields, food plots or oak flats when it is dark?
  • Are you seeing deer flag their tails, run off, or blow at you when you are sitting on stand or are traveling to and from your stand sites?
  • Are you walking through any vegetation that rubs against your legs, arms or head traveling to and from your stands?
  • Do you cross any deer trails when traveling to and from your stands?
  • Do you have problems with deer seeing you climb into or out of your stands?

If you answered yes 1 or more of the 5 questions, the deer on your parcel are being educated to your hunting presence.  You are leaving clues that will eventually find the local herd moving largely after dark.  Its time to tweak your stand placement and access plan.