The terrain and habitat was typical for wooded uplands in that area(Clearfield) before the whole 9 yards was clearcut. Mixed oak/pine in most areas, 1 to 2 acre patches of heavy young pine growth throughout, mostly oaks on the slightly higher ground, aspen, paper birch, and mixed conifers in the low spots, also the fact that it was a 1/2 mile from the road to our north border. It was really good when they cleared the first 80 acre section from the road in the north to our north border. The 3' ruts and tangled mess kept many guys from walking all the way back from the road for a while. Once it was cut, the clearing forced deer moving east and west to either cross an 80 acre open clearcut or move right to the north edge of our place to stay hidden and away from the road, thus the reason for my permanent stand 30 yards off the north fence. I think it was mostly due the location of the property in relation to the pressure from the east and north, occasionally from the west, but other than guys walking in on the snowmobile trail which ran from the road south to our north border and then turned east in front of my permanent stand, it was all private directly on our west border. We had permission to hunt the 10 acre section directly to the west of our border on the north side of the river from many of the owners of that property, it changed hands several times over the years we owned it and only 1 owner was a hunter. If you look at the topo I posted, you will see black arrows coming form the residences in the east, that was the main pressure that moved deer our direction.
