Help for new hunter

[flatheadnut]

Last year was my first year hunting.  I enjoyed my time in the field, but fear I made every mistake in the book.  I was on public land, saw very few deer and made tag soup out of both my tags.  I don't have many friends that hunt, and keep coming up with questions I need answered.
 
This season I won't be on public land, I got permission to be the only hunter on a friends tree farm. The deer are eating his trees, deer tracks are everywhere.  The farm is 80 acres, and has a small corral that I have been asked to stay away from.  The wife is afraid I will arrow a horse.  Anyway the rest of the property is wild prairie surrounded by hedge rows.  A creek runs the length of the property, and two ponds exist along the creek. 
 
I have set my two stands.  One stand is huntable for a west to southwest wind and the other is set for a north to north east wind.  Both stands are set back in the hedge row overlooking trails and the creek.
 
My Question.  In getting to and from my stands do I cross the middle of the pasture or walk along the edge of the hedge row?
 
Thanks for your help!

[JPH]

This depends on the time of day and where you expect the deer to be at that time.
 
In short, you should approach your stands in such a was as to keep your scent stream from alerting feeding/bedding deer.
 
As a rule of thumb, you can expect deer to be feeding when you head to an early morning stand, and you can expect them to be bedded when going to a mid-day or evening stand.
 
Sounds like you have a good head start. I never like to hunt against the wind. For example, I have 5 stands overlooking about 20 acres of crop filed. A stand for every cardnal wind and one for a light and variable wind.

[mag30079]

Hedge rows are awesome for deer hunting and the fact that you got a creek right next to it. I'm jealous [:)].
I wouldn't cross the field. If you can follow a road or driveway to the hedge row, then slowly up the row.
Don't worry about making mistakes, thats the only way you will truely learn this great sport. Every person on this site has been busted once or twice, or there a liar [8|].
I shot my first 3 deer from a hedge row.
 
Good luck and don't forget to have fun.

[bckklr]

first welcome to the forum & to the hunting world ,myself i would travel in the edge of the hedgerows to help conceal my movements & make sure that the wind is in your face when walking to your stand ( goodluck this season )

[allthingshunting]

Your stand placement seems very good.  Deer love to follow creeks and hedgerows both.  The best site would make use of as many intersections of these features as possible.  Don't forget deer like to stage off the edge of fields.  This means placing your stand a little further back than the edge if possible in order to catch them in the daylight.
 
One possibility for entering your stand is by using the creek itself.  If the banks are fairly high or if the creek runs pretty strong with noise, this is the perfect concealment for your movement / noise when entering the stand.  Put on rubber boots and walk the creek bed right to your stand.

[djohns13]

Allthingshunting is right on.  If you are going to the stand in the afternoon when the deer should be bedded in thick cover, wade the creek.  It blocks your noise and you leave no scent on the ground.  Just make sure when doing this that it doesn't blow your scent where you don't want it to go.
 
Keep us posted on how the hunting goes.  Good luck.
 
Good shooting.

[allthingshunting]

I agree with watching where you scent is being blown while you walk in.  However, the water itself DOES NOT eliminate any scent you may have on you as you walk in.  Myth Busters did a fairly extensive segment on this very thing.  They had bloodhounds trailing humans and when the person would go through water, the hound was right behind them.
 
They explained it by saying the scent actually sits on top the water, thereby leaving a scent trail similar to that on ground.  That being said, the use of rubber boots and any other scent eliminating spray should keep you in good scent free shape.

[flatheadnut]

Thanks for the help.  I will be hunting primarily in the morning so I hope most of my movement will be hidden by darkness.  I just rully worry about crossing trails in the hedge rows and leaving to much scent.
 
Man, I can't wait for the season to open.  I think I will go sit out along the road and see if I see any deer move in the evening.

[Panman1949]

Flathead, sounds like you are going to do well with all the advice given so far.  Relax, sit back, and enjoy the ride!  Hope your soup has plenty of meat in it this year.  Keep posting all questions here.  The group here is full of good advice.  Good luck, Panman

[howhill1]

excellent advice from evryone . the only thing i can add is that if you have time it sounds as though you may have some open terrain. try getting to a good vantage point and doing some glassing to get an idea when where and how the deer are using the terrain.