New V shaped plot?

[wisconsinteacher]

I'm thinking about adding a new plot to my 80. I've posted pictures before but added them again to show what I'm working with. The thought is to make a V plot with a stand on the east and south side. From hunting there 3 years, I have learned that the deer bed on mine and then head west to the neighbor's field for the night and then return in the morning. I can access the south stand from the field to the south. In 3 years, I have blown off one deer hunting there in the morning so I'm not too worried about blowing deer off as I enter the stand both in the AM or PM. If I had to hunt the east side stand, I would probably have to do a PM hunt because my scent would be blowing out to the west field where deer are returning from.

The area for the plot is flat and all 3-6" popular trees. I wanted to ask you all what you think of the plan and if you see any flaws. The plot would be 40 yards in the wood line from the field. My hope is deer would feel comfortable there during daylight hours before heading west to the big fields.

Thanks for looking.

 

[TenPoint]

How big is your plot going to be?

what part of WI are you in?

 

[wisconsinteacher]

The plot will be .225-.275 acres. Where I have the stands and the tip of the V, I will have 20 yard shots to a mock scrape.

I'm in NW WI, Sawyer Co.

 

[Telemark]

I think it looks good. Worth a try.

 

[Bill]

Not a deal breaker but my observation of inside corners like that is that cruising bucks will cut the corner during the rut. They can visually check the bottom of the V and head through the timber to the other side. Particularly if it's flat ground. Non rut situations they will probably just meander down it like you want.

 

[TenPoint]

The plot will be .225-.275 acres. Where I have the stands and the tip of the V, I will have 20 yard shots to a mock scrape.

I'm in NW WI, Sawyer Co.

I didn't quite get your wind comment. Why would wind be blowing to the west? Not that it doesn't in the fall, but I'd think some W/NW is more prevalent? A bigger picture of the surrounding area might be helpful.

 

[Brian662]

My first thought is I don't like it, but before saying for certain, I'd like to know where deer are bedding on the property and the movement patterns.

It seems like you're trying to make a kill plot style setup which is great, but to capitalize on it the best way possible, I think I'd try to place it on the way from bedding to destination food. Then place stands accordingly based on wind direction.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

I want the stand on the West side for a SE/E wind because it does happen more than a guy thinks. This year, I had 3 days in early Nov that were SE winds.

Deer typically bed 150-200 yards in off the field edges. My goal is to make the plot and then in future years go in and create bedding areas by cutting trees and making thick areas.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Not a deal breaker but my observation of inside corners like that is that cruising bucks will cut the corner during the rut. They can visually check the bottom of the V and head through the timber to the other side. Particularly if it's flat ground. Non rut situations they will probably just meander down it like you want.

i agree. I have a boomerang-shaped plot and in my observations cruising bucks just cut the corner. They get a visual on both legs of the plot with minimal effort.

 

[wisconsinteacher]

Maybe adding a plot in this area is not a good idea? It is really thick and hard to hunt the way it is currently set up, so I was hoping a kill plot would be the ticket. Any other suggestions on plot shape in a corner like this with fields on both sides?

 

[jsasker007]

Might work fine and you just need to place your stand in a different spot on this plot? Catch them cutting the corner by setting up on the other side to intercept their route, if you know where they will travel. Would this plot work better with a decoy setup to bring them closer or get them to stop?

 

[Ben.MN/WI]

I've had really good luck with a kill plot between the main field and their bedding area. I think your idea is good, but I'm not sure about the shape you have. It could work great, but could you get a shot at deer if they walked through the north edge of your sketch heading west to the field? I think they would be just as likely to head to the field on that side of the plot as the corner by your stands.

On my place the vast majority of the deer including the bucks will walk and browse right through the food plot. My deer generally moved from south to north and I had somewhat of an hourglass shaped kill plot with a Redneck blind on the east side of the bottleneck area so I could sit there with any west wind. I made a ground blind on the west side to sit there on an east wind.

To keep the deer in the plot, I made brush piles along the edges of the plot to funnel them through the bottleneck. I tie down some branches along the edge of the plot to get them to make scrapes that they check as they slowly move through. I also often add a rub and scrape tree combo exactly where i want them to stand for a shot. It doesn't always work perfectly, but it doesn't hurt to add that.

 

[Bill]

No I wouldn't scrap the idea. It's a good idea. Small plot before a big destination plot is a good idea. If the main field was yours I'd say make them connect. Deer would use the small plot to access the big field. Since it's not yours I'm trying to figure out how to keep them on you until dark. Probably never happen. But I would hate to see you build something that they could get by you on and then hit the big field. Still thinking. But your idea is not wrong...

 

[Natty Bumppo]

Maybe adding a plot in this area is not a good idea? It is really thick and hard to hunt the way it is currently set up, so I was hoping a kill plot would be the ticket. Any other suggestions on plot shape in a corner like this with fields on both sides?

I have another hour-glass shaped plot that works MUCH better. It's about 0.25 acres and the 2 small openings on each side of the pinch point are no more than 30 yards wide. I have a stand and a camera at the pinch point. Bucks and does routinely move through this plot and use the pinch point to go from one opening to the next. There is also a scrape that opens up every year like clockwork at the pinch point.

Is this shape something you can make work in that SE corner?

 

[wisconsinteacher]

From reading the posts, it sounds like an hour glass or something similar would be better so I can cover it all at one time. The shape of the plot is my biggest concern for this area. I do think adding a plot in this area would make hunting the corner better.

 

[356]

I just saw something like this on Midwest Whitetails promoting clover on half, radish on half, plus a mock scrape at the field intersection of the V. The midpoint would be bow range and creates a natural pinch-point. The layout was recommended for early to mid-season and specific winds. Access would be critical, as would playing the wind. Sorry I don't recall which episode, but the V looked similar.