Stand Placement Options/Opinion

[VA Bowbender]

I have obtained a property it's a winery. I can hunt it now on a Kill Permit: antlerless deer, squirrel, raccoon, fox. The whole cleared area is surrounded by an 8' deer fence. I have scouted the whole perimeter of the property and found only 2 possible and 1 probable funnel spots where deer would most likely jump the fence. There is Sooo much acreage around the property I have no real idea of bedding areas. In the pictures I have annotated what I found on my first and only scouting trip.
What advice might you have on putting up a treestand other than what I've found so far. There is a small easement at the rear of the property where I have annotated the picture. I do not get to hunt the whole wooded area.

The main food source is the grapes and leaves, hence the KP.

Plan B: pop-up blind inside fenced area.

I do plan on putting out cameras to try to pattern travel paths.

Also I am aware of playing the wind. Prevailing wind is mostly N, W/NW

 

[Knawbone]

Without knowing the property, I'd say drop back south east of your stand site about 50 yrds and look for old sign there. I often use what I call an observation stand before committing serious stand time at a spot I'm not familiar with. Look for areas were the Deer are staging, or areas down wind of main trails were Bucks can scent check for Does. Does and young bucks will use trails close to human activity, where as the mature Bucks will generally stay at the back of the theater during day light hours. Depending on what you want to shoot, Doe or Buck, you can adjust your set up accordingly. Wish you well!

[shag08]

That is a tough one without knowing the property or getting to see it in person. I'd say Knawbone is spot on though. I'd drop back a little from the location you have indicated.

Most importantly, I would walk over every inch of the property that you have permission to hunt. Look for trails, old buck sign, anything. Just because there's a gap in the fence doesn't mean deer will funnel to that spot. They may prefer to use the woods and cover around the fields to go someplace else...like to a neighboring property after a night of feeding on grapevines.  It could be that it's a prime place to hunt them coming OUT first thing in the morning to find a place to bed down til lunch time.

Every place is different. Part of the  fun is finding out the habits of the deer on a new place. Have fun and good luck.

[overbo]

If you are hunting to remove deer numbers. Why wouldn't you hunt the low spot in the fence?

Looks like a very easy access w/ very low impact on the deer.

[VA Bowbender]

Originally posted by overbo:
If you are hunting to remove deer numbers. Why wouldn't you hunt the low spot in the fence?

Looks like a very easy access w/ very low impact on the deer.

The low spot instead of 8' is maybe 6.5', better but not a hot spot.

[overbo]

You show a line w/ most of the deer activity and right smack in the middle of that line is the low spot in a '' 8' '' tall fence! But it's not a hot spot. Good luck

[Knawbone]

VABowbender,I feel it's always better to error on the side of caution. Obvious and beaten deer trails such as the one bordering the high fenced area,
usually put Deer on high alert. When entering areas close to human structures, activity,smells, ect, Deer are quick to react. A relatively slow arrow out of a trad bow included.I also believe that even when kills are made in such areas that it somehow has a more dramatic negative effect on the remaining Deer that socialized with the Deer which was harvested.In other words, the remaining deer may be spooked by the death/ shooting of a fellow comrade at such locations.IV' had it happen!
   With that said, I feel that for those and other reasons, it is better to scout out the situation the best you can and to hunt the fringe so to speak. As Shag08 stated, scout out the total area available to you before deciding on the best vantage point. I would look for an area toward the down wind side of the property or the downwind side of a used trail further away from the fenced area of interest.If you want to harvest more than one Doe, you will probably have an easier time of it further, rather than closer to the fenced area. You also may find it most helpful to move your stand around and do a little pre scouting from it. Also, if your total hunt area is relatively small, don't forget the benefits of good scent control!

    Hope this benefits your hunting, Knawbone