Eric from MN asks,
Bill, I just watched your recent interview with Jared and "Bill Winke: Life After Midwest Whitetail | HUNTR Podcast #12". Although I am saddened to hear of your departure from MWWT and will sincerely miss your content, it makes sense why you are leaving, and I am happy for you. I've arguably been one of your biggest fans over the years. . . devouring your content. . . and relishing every second of your "Chasing November" series. I've appreciated your humility, honesty, knowledge of whitetails, and commitment to your faith and family. (Kudos to you for reading the Christmas story from a stand each year!) I have become a much better bowhunter because of your rich content. Thank YOU! Brief Background: I'm a 53 year old bowhunter. .. mostly public land. .. 3 year saddle hunter. For the past 16 years, I've been hunting public land bluff country in SE MN. I always try to look at possible access points and get back further than other hunters. .. .and the greatest challenge for me has always been hunting pressure. There are so many variables. I know that the 500 acres you hunted last fall didn't have the pressure of public land, but my question for you is. . . . Have you noted any trends hunting in bluff country? For example: bucks traveling on top thirds of bluffs scent checking for does, hunting bottoms or tops better at certain times of day. . . etc. Thank you for considering my question. I will miss seeing your content, but am eager to hear of what your future in the industry looks like. God Bless you and your family, Eric Naess
Bill responds,
Topic: How to Hunt Ridges:
In bluff country, the deer tend to bed on the ridges and will feed in the ag fields either in the bottoms or on the larger ridges above that area timbered. the best stand sites when hunting public land are likely on the ridges themselves, but in spots where the deer won’t detect you coming and going.
Eric,
Thanks for the comments and the support all these years. I really appreciate it. To answer your question, I have been scouting tons of public land lately. I just love walking land and since I don’t own anything, I have taken to walking big areas of public land. From what I have seen, the deer movement pattern is pretty much the same on public and private land in the bluff country. The biggest problem with the hunting pressure is that it pushes many of the deer to move mostly at night. So the trends should be the same, but exactly how much daylight activity you see when hunting will depend on the degree of pressure.
I have seen that the bucks generally travel on a trail that is slightly to the downwind side of the ridge top. I think they do this not only to scent check for does, but because it is just safer. They can see danger below and they can smell danger above. This pattern holds up pretty well and is definitely worth hunting. That is what the buck was doing that I shot last fall. He was on that trail about 30 yards down from the ridge top on the downwind side.
All deer in that country tend to bend on the ridges and points (where the ridges end). For that reason, the ridges are great morning stand sites as the deer come back to bed. The deer will then feed either on the ridge fields (where the wooded part fades into the larger ag fields on top) or they will drop down into the bottoms and feed in ag fields in the bottoms. They will do both.
The best afternoon stands will always be closer to the feeding areas, but not always right in them. In public settings, the deer won’t get to the food until later than in private settings, so it makes sense to hunt farther back in to cover (maybe even right out on the bedding ridge itself if you can get there without being detected.
Also, it can be really tough to hunt bottoms when the wind is blowing because the wind will swirl all over the place. If it was me, I would find a couple of great spots on the ridges and spend all day in those places even though the deer will tend to move away from you (toward food) in the evenings. I think that is where your best overall hunting will occur. Maybe even a few funnel spots on ditches where the bucks go from one ridge to another looking for does. Good luck. (4/29/21)
