Factors to consider when placing your stand...

Today I want to outline a few more factors that hunters need to consider when  placing their stands..

Along with hot deer trails hunters need to take into account terrain and pressure, access routes, bedding areas, and feeding areas. 

In terms of terrain and pressure, deer like to travel in thick cover at lower elevations where they do not feel much pressure from hunters, predators, etc.  Most properties that have deer on them have some sort of funnel that the deer use when travelling.  Find these funnels and you find a great place to put a stand.

What I mean by access routes is how easy it is to get in and out of your stand.  Try to take the easiest route possible when getting to and from your stand.  Doing so will enable you to be more quiet when entering and exiting your hunting spot.  The last thing you want to do is spook that monster buck because you couldn't get to your stand.

Two big factors to consider when thinking about stand placement are bedding areas and feeding areas.  Deer like to sleep and like to eat, so there are essentially three strategies one could use to ambush deer.  First, hunters could place their stands next to bedding areas, in hopes of getting a deer who stands up to stretch its legs.  The second strategy would be to set up over a feeding area.  Deer have to eat, so being on a food source would be a great advantage when trying to take that big buck.  The third strategy one could use would be to set up in the transition zones between bedding areas and food sources.  All three of these strategies have been proven to be effective strategies when hunting.

Remember to keep these factors in mind and more than likely you will come home a successful hunter.