Land Scouting Help - All you smart hunters (pic)

[stick_string]

I need help from you smart guys out there who have been hunting longer than I been alive...which is most of you.        

I have attached a picture of an area I intend to hunt and need some help on where you guys with experience think that I ought to start looking.  I intend to walk a majority of the property but would like some education from you bowhunters who have been there...done that.

To the north is a small river and a highway up in the northwest corner (where I will park).  The rectangle at the bottom lines the lower part of the property.  Everything below the river, south following the rectangle is open to hunt. The open areas in the picture are just that...open, no crops just Texas brush.

Any help would be great...this is public land with no access by ATV or vehicles and bow only.  I aint scared to walk...thanks ahead of time and if you need any additional info about the place please let me know.  Also, please let me know why you suggest certain areas...thanks.        

   

[John Scifres]

I'd be very tempted to mark all the parking and access points and then draw a 3/4 mile circle around them.  Anything inside the circle is not a hunting spot.  Then I'd find where the thickest stuff is farthest away from all the access points and look there for escape cover.  On picture evidence only, I like that spot where the river takes a curve from going east/west to heading north/south up in the northeast corner.  If you can wade the river there I'd really like it.  Got a canoe?

[DRR324]

My first look tells me that anything along the east side of the river will be within walking distance from the houses on the east.  The pic does show some ravine type features that actually come togther to form an X.  This feature is just about dead center of the pic- a touch north.  They may be cut trails- the land doesn't look like much elevation change is possible.  I'd check the inside corners of both fields near the top, and the pinch point the river has right at the top with fields on either side.
My 2 cents

[stick_string]

Great info...

John,
I would have to agree with you abou the parking areas.  The only "legal" parking is along the highway.  I have a canoe an will try the area you mentioned...(my canoe is the blow up kind!!    

DRR324,
To the east of the river is not available to hunt.  The "x" you refer to I believe is trails that are cut by the ranger with an ATV, but I will have to look into it.  I am not sure where the last pinch point is that you refer too...can you help narrow down?   :confused:   I like pinch points and I was thinking about the area just south of the "x" you mentioned. THoughts?  

[vermonster13]

I'd put some serious time into investigating the river edge myself.

[ncboman]

the only way to decipher flatland without crops is to walk it. Find a deer trail and see where it leads.

Bowhunting only, I don't think crowds would be a problem past opening day.

Mature deer on public land often lay where they can observe human encroachment/behavior. I'd look over any and all distant cover from where the parking areas can be observed and be prepared to jump those deer as I look.

Without foodcrops deer range farther than average and more at random.

[DRR324]

Stick,
12 o'clock- on the big bend of the river, a small clearing on the south side of the river, and a narrow strip of woods on the north side of the river.  Should be a decent crossing area in the vicinity.

[stick_string]

vermonster13, I will!

DRR324,
Got it...thanks for the help.

[ishiwannabe]

The pic is fuzzy to me....I would check out the "v" formed by those two fields. The point of the v is where I would start to look for trailsand such.

[John Nail]

that narrow place along the river where it's a short distance to the open area--top right quarter of the picture--should be good early and late, and if it's a bunch of trees, the tiny spot in the rectangle area to the left of the picture might hold the biggest buck in there during the day.

[ZaneD]

Can you post a topo map of the area?

[stick_string]

I would like to but the image is off of Google earth and does not have a TOPO feature.

[ishiwannabe]

If ya know the address, google terraserver. Should be able to access topo maps and aerial photos.

[bentpole]

All good info here. Like Vermonster said the easiest way to scout that piece is walk the river edge. Look for heavy deer crossing areas. Follow one or look for a trail or run that goes into the heavily wooded, thick area next to the river; bedding areas. You can use those other hunters to your advantage too.Figure on when they leave the woods and when they come back in for the evening hunt. Try to be already setup and waiting for them to push something your way.

[draco]

A lot depends on what part of Texas it`s in. What river is it?

[stick_string]

It is just north of Dallas/Fort Worth...not really a "river" is is off Grapevine Lake (man made).

[Morning Star]

Scout all the terrain features first.  The whole river, the edges along the open areas, any ravines or drainages.  Might help to see a topo map of the area.  I'm guessing the land is pretty flat, but even slight terrain features can be good spots.  Deer are lazy and take the easy route anywhere.  I'm betting the river will give you some of your best spots.

When you get the terrain features figured out, then start following deer trails and see what they are really doing as far a food sources, etc.

That's how I check out new places and it's always worked well for me.

[Terry Green]

Not sure I'm a smart hunter, but here's my take based on the pic alone.

 

The circled X would be my 1st choice to hunt sight un-seen.  Other Xs would be other ambush site considerations.
 
The oval area needs to be checked out due to some terrain and vegetation changes.

[stick_string]

Morning Star ,
That seems to be the general consent of a few people.  Definately where I will start.

Terry,
Thank you for the detail!!  I was thinking the same about the oval and circle x with all the diferent features around both.

[Terry Green]

Somebody went scouting yesterday  :D  .....dying to hear all about it.