What would you do?

[DanielB89]

Our deer season opens in a week.  I have been scouting some, found very few acorns.  Literally one or two trees barely producing acorns.  It has also been a very dry past month with the exception of two rains in the past week.  I found a place where the deer have been drinking out of two ponds(1 is far more used than the other).  I have two concerns about the better of the two ponds.  
1. the most used pond is right by the main highway(maybe 80 yards off), which makes me believe they are using it primarily at night.  
2. there aren't really any trees that i could put my climber in so I wouldn't know exactly how i could hunt this place.  I have never had any success off the ground and highly prefer the trees.  

Any advice or comments?  

Thanks in advance.  

there is a possibility of me being able to rig up a mesh type blind(bought from walmart).  I have read where some people put it in front of them, but some also put it behind them.

[daveycrockett]

Here in TX I'd hunt that pond. Unless the deer have been bothered from people stopping and shooting from the road or something they will use it. Traffic doesn't seem to bother them much.

[Cherokee Scout]

The deer are going to eat something. Find what they are eating and you will find the deer.

[VictoryHunter]

I wouldn't discount the pond because it's near a highway, the deer won't mind the cars one bit. If there isn't a suitable tree give a homemade ground blind a shot and make sure it's well covered.

[Bowwild]

I spent a lot of fruitless hours when I was around 20 years old hunting a forest pond in Southern Indiana.  I never saw a deer during daylight. There were tons of tracks. I figured out the deer were using at night.

[deertag]

daniel,
are you hunting state/federal land up there or private?
david

[-snypershot317-]

to me, a lot of it depends on if its private or public. if its private brush in a blind or do a hang on stand instead of a climber and take the first to steps outta it (i recommend the ladder sections for this cause its a quick and quiet set up in and out) and dont worry about traffic...where i used to hunt in indiana the traffic was heavy with a bridge over a creek bottom, and they didnt mind it at all...if its public, i would either find their food source, a good pinch point or crossing near the pond but a little ways out, or hunt the other pond if its farther out mainly because most hunters on public wont go too deep into the woods and if youre willing to travel you can see deer...hope this helps~~Jesse

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Hunt the pond and see what happens.  A guillie suit may be a good alternative to ground blinds.

[goobersan]

Originally posted by VictoryHunter:
I wouldn't discount the pond because it's near a highway, the deer won't mind the cars one bit. If there isn't a suitable tree give a homemade ground blind a shot and make sure it's well covered.

X2   make sure you play the wind. bad wind, don't hunt

[gringol]

You'll never know until you hunt the pond.  Worst case you strike out.  Could be a honey hole that everyone else has overlooked.

[DanielB89]

It is public land, I will most likely give it a try by sitting in a chair or something behind a tree.  My only thought was that they would be coming in late at night.  

The problem with going back up the trail to me is that there are quite a few trails coming together at the water hole. lol..

[LB_hntr]

I would do one of two things personally and based on the couple details you gave.
1. hunt the thickest cover that has the best wind that is as close to the pond but still goode cover. most deer wont just run out into the open during daylight without scoping it out good first from cover....try to be in that cover.
2. if option one is not an option then possible put or build a good ground blind whre you need it and then wait for a week before hunting it so that the deer get used to it. Then hunt it when the wind is right.

  Regardless of what option or any other method you use I would get on stand late morning and sit until dark. Deer will hit it during the hot parts of the day most likely. They also wont be bothered by the traffic.

[Stumpkiller]

Hereabouts I've never had any luck hunting water or ponds, but hunting the heavy cover within 500 yards of a pond is a much different story.  I have had good luck in the travel routes between heavy cover and water, food or ruminating sites.  I don't recall ever seeing a whitetail at water during hunting season.  They seem to go nocturnal; and our legal shooting hours are official sunrise to sunset.

But then this time of year every hoofprint holds water so it is hardly scarce.

[PaPa Ron]

I would move back away from the pond to a thicker covered area to catch them coming in.

[DanielB89]

Thanks for all the input guys.  I am thinking i will try out the pond opening day evening.  It can't hurt, the best thing about it is i'll be in the woods!  

Thanks for all your input guys.  

Daniel