Aldeer.com Forums Alabama Deer Talk Serious Deer Talk Forum How to hunt big Hardwoods with heavy topography.

I've recently been hunting a section of a WMA (area is ~650 acres) that is very deep and not accessed often. It is a huge stretch of hardwoods with small patches of pines along the ridges. It is very hilly, nearly mountainous, and is constant mix of saddles, ridges, bottoms, and bowls.

I've hunted twice now with all day sits. Found more scrapes than I can count, maybe 25, and tons of rubs to go along with them. Did not see a deer the first hunt, then saw some does throughout the day on the second hunt. Have not found a single hint of human sign, I just don't think anyone in this area of AL can/will go back this far. It is remote.

The problem I'm encountering, is I cannot decide where to hunt. Like I said, there are saddles everywhere, buck sign everywhere, excellent open hardwoods mixed with enough cover for bedding, and I can go deeper & deeper avoiding pressure (just getting further from the truck). I'm surprised I did not see a buck. I'm essentially asking for some sort of direction here, I just can't decide. If i were so to speak "hunt the edges" where I am sitting near mixing of areas (such as near a very thick briared field, pine thicket, and hardwoods in a corner), I could not go deeper as everything past 0.5 mile from the road is constant big woods.

Thanks for your time

Just keep going . Sounds like a good place to sneak around in on a wet day .

I hunt much terrain like you are describing and have had good success. Killed one Monday in an area just like you are describing.

You don’t need a stand just sit on the ground or a millennium tree seat Sit up top and watch the first bench or saddles in the mornings. Especially if they are near thick briars/bedding.

You will Need to be lower in the evenings because the thermals will be pulling your scent down.

Make sure you have the prevailing wind to your face and always be aware of the thermals pulling your scent up in the morning and pulling scent down In The evening. The thermals will swap and overpower any prevailing winds.

Good advice here.

Mornings, I like to be on the down wind side of south and south East especially hill sides. Like sit on the north side of a ridge to watch the south side of the other ridge. Preferably with a. Transition line or ceder thickit near by.

Afternoons, I like to be in the bottoms of the hollers watching a funnel or pinch point.

Them thermals will mess u up on that kind of terrain. Just part of it.

And don’t get to caught up on them “pretty” woods. Them good deer like to stay hidden while moving I feel like.

Okay, I will try this out. Thank you for your help.

Ive been hunting from the ground but really will feel more comfortable from a tree. Unfortunately saddle hunting setups cost an arm & leg, and thus not in my price range. I might attempt a budget mobile tree setup.

Pack a folding chair and some camo netting if you can find a small area of flat terrain. That tree seat sounds like a great idea too.

This is what I have been doing. If you find a Grove of trees like two or tree decent ones close the camo netting will stick the bark when pulled taught. Has a buck run right up on me Monday in a similar situation as yours. All I need is enough netting to cover me from about the elbows down.

I sit on the ground most of the time. Tree seats or turkey loungers. You can hide really well, disappear if you have any cedars.

Check out the low down hunting seat. I have something similar and it is awesome. This one looks even better

That mellinuim tree seat is the best thing I ever had for sittin on the ground. I got me and my dad one, I sure like mine.

Ok your camo netting go to tractor supply and get some electric fence post. You can take 3 of them and some sip ties and make a jam up little ground blind. Make it as wide or narrow as you need it with the 3 poles. It’s a lot lighter and handier than a climber. I still use both, but I’m using that tree seat more and more.

If you are seeing good doe activity, you are in a good spot. Just need to be there when the bucks really start chasing. South facing ridges are absolutely the best spot to be when the temps drop below freezing. When the sun hits that ridge side the deer will move through. Does move through, and the rut starts kicking, the bucks will move through too. The advice on thermals is spot on and bucks will use thermals to scent check areas.

First, have a plan on how you’re going to get one back to the truck from way back in there. As I get older, that is now my #1 deciding factor and n where I hunt. Getting older is tough on a hunter that has worn out many boots over the years hunting areas similar to what you are describing.
You just need to keep going to the area, seems you have found a good place and a hot doe will bring the boys out, hopefully you’re there when one gets ready.

This is the best advice you have been given! Getting one up a mountain is something you will never forget. Never again for me....

SPOT ON - those thermals and odd wind currents will get you busted often.

Quarter it up and pack it out. Way easier.

And the first time you do it will change everything. Good luck. I actually rolled a buck off a bluff once, just so i could go downhill. Steep grades dragging a buck is an experience you wont forget.

This is true!
But you have to kill them where they live and I’ve killed some pretty good ones in some rough spots.

They don’t come often so I just cross that bridge when I get there.

I just look at it as part of killing a good one rodeo experience.


I will say a deer sleigher does work well in these situations, but you better have good cardiovascular health cause your gonna have an old fashioned stress test by the time you get him out.

A heart attack is entirely possible and i climb things for a living

This.

Also consider boning it out first. In a place like that I'm taking the back straps, hams and shoulders. That's about all I can carry. Have an adequate pack both for meat space and a good waist belt to handle the weight. A set of trekking poles will help on the hike out too.

This. I cape him, then cut each leg off individually with the hide still on it. Hang it up, get the hide off and debone. Then get the backstraps and tenderloins. No use carrying the hide and bones through the mountains or over long distances.