How do you guys hunt big woods deer

[dxthunter57]

i have huge woods behind my house and i know there are deer in there
there are alot of oaks and i was wondering how i could set up a good stand for archery season
its scuh big woods tho

[WayneL]

Bowhunting big woods can be tough. I always start out with a few hunting sessions on the ground. No matter how big the woods are, deer follow distinct trails and it is just a matter of finding them. Snow helps alot! I just came back from a 4000 acre plot. I spent 2 days stalking the land and found plenty of deer gathering areas. Next year I am pretty well set with a few spots. Sometimes the best thing to do is to just get out there and see whats going on instead of guessing.
 
Good luck DXTHunter

[stormshooter4]

 Another suggestion.............when you go walking/scouting for trails after snow, take along a GPS unit. Some of them you can mark the waypoint and then change the icon to deer trails. That way you're not working out of memory.
  My GPS I have walked the borders and then colored in the scouted area. Then as I go back during the year and see deer or deer sign/trails, I can waypoint them anytime to refer back too.

[dxthunter57]

hmmm
alright i will defiantly try and do that for sure
its easy to get over whelmed in the big woods
im 17 and dont have alot of experience about hunting big woods deer

[stormshooter4]

1st thing you do is mark your starting waypoint. Then no matter where you are, you can hit the "go to" function and it will guide you back tot he starting point or "backtrack which will take you over the same path you walked. Option A is better unless there is some major obstacles to go over like a cliff or lake.

[djohns13]

One thing I highly recommend is to review topo maps or aerial photos to find a few funnels, saddles or "pinch points" in the big woods.  Once I have identified those, then strap the boots on and go check them out.  Any physical terrain item that forces deer to travel through any small area is always a good choice, provided there are deer in that area to begin with.  Some examples include a fence row, cliff, bluff, steep hill, creek, etc.  A ridgeline with a dip in it (saddle) is a great place as well.
 
Good shooting.

[mag30079]

Like djohns13 said aerials and topos are the first things to look at. Here are some good sites, googlearth, maps live, and terraserver. If the land has a stream or rivers/ lakes use these as land marks to find your way in and out and don't forget your compass. Trail markers will also help you from getting turned around.

[DeanoZ]

Definately start with Topos and look for the funnels, no sense tramping all over the woods spreading your scent, especially in season.  I'd also look for the food and water sources..they gotta eat and they gotta drink.  If the woods offer all the same mast I would hone in on the water source...find that and see where the tracks lead you..stream crossings and small watering holes are great places to ambush deer.

[JOEL]

all excellent tips.learn how to use a compass too.its not hard ,they come with instructions.gps's dont always work in the deep woods due to cloud cover and tree canopy.the cold zaps batteries fast so keep it in an inside pocket warm.the season is close to over now and once it is you dont have to worry bout bumping deer and spooking them.follow all trails to see where they wind up.soon you may also start finding shed antlers.get a map and blow it up and put it over your computer,this way you can look at it often and you will start to see more spots to check out.dont worry bout putting up stands till the summer.nows the time to scout[;)]

[danesdad]

If you get some snow after the deer season, you can learn a lot about deer travel routes by going out and walking around.  Once the season is over, you dont have to worry about bumping them.