Ideas for hunting Carolina bays

[bbhntr48]

I have a small Carolina bay in middle of 3’year old cutover. Bay is less than 30 yards across. Who hunts this type setup regularly and and lessons learned you would share?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Sasha and Abby]

Cameras are your friend. Don't hunt something that small until you know it is right. You might only get two or three sits in there a year.

[bbhntr48]

Cameras are your friend. Don't hunt something that small until you know it is right. You might only get two or three sits in there a year.

That is great info, thanks


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Catdaddy]

They love to bed in that thick perimeter growth. I have a bunch that are 50 yds by 100 yds. They have clean paths through the middle where water stands in the rainy seasons. Early in the year they are normally dry unless we have a tropical system come through. Big deer use them like secret highways.

Unless bow hunting, I would watch from a distance.

Sent from my motorola edge 2024 using Tapatalk

[Rubberhead*]

A relatively new cutover is a blank slate. If you create trails and lanes now the deer will use them and they'll be easy to maintain in future years. Cameras, Round-up and pole saws are your friends...I wouldn't necessarily feel the need to set-up right over the "pan". I'd have a couple of tunnels leading to it from food sources or big woods, with a plan for prevailing winds. I don't know for sure, but we seem to get predominantly NE winds during the hunting season with SW winds being second most common.

[Pass shot]

A relatively new cutover is a blank slate. If you create trails and lanes now the deer will use them and they'll be easy to maintain in future years. Cameras, Round-up and pole saws are your friends...I wouldn't necessarily feel the need to set-up right over the "pan". I'd have a couple of tunnels leading to it from food sources or big woods, with a plan for prevailing winds. I don't know for sure, but we seem to get predominantly NE winds during the hunting season with SW winds being second most common.

You have created trails that deer? Please elaborate....my experience deer use the same trail cut over or not...once its got one springs worth of growth

[smitch320]

You have created trails that deer? Please elaborate....my experience deer use the same trail cut over or not...once its got one springs worth of growth

I think he means shooting lanes/4wheeler trails.

[cajunwannabe]

If you cut and maintain new trails, deer will use them, guaranteed.

[bbhntr48]

Should I cut these trails to intersect a shooting lane if I set a stand on a wood line?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[2thDoc]

deer are lazy and will use any trail you cut but often times the buck you really want will use an alternate trail...

i'd hang two stands and never go back in there except to hunt.
and please dont use corn. please?

and i guess you intend to bow hunt?

[bbhntr48]

deer are lazy and will use any trail you cut but often times the buck you really want will use an alternate trail...

i'd hang two stands and never go back in there except to hunt.
and please dont use corn. please?

and i guess you intend to bow hunt?

Yes, bowhunt only


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cajunwannabe]

Should I cut these trails to intersect a shooting lane if I set a stand on a wood line?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Cut trails that wander, turn and bend. Set up an ambush point. Don't hunt it if the wind is wrong. I'm with RH, NE winds seem to be prevalent in the Fall, plan accordingly.

[Rubberhead*]

Should I cut these trails to intersect a shooting lane if I set a stand on a wood line?

That's what I do. There is a huge "tunnel" that I keep open that connects these three shooting lanes. The deer use it all the time - especially now in the "thicket" stage where brambles make it nearly impossible for humans and very tough on deer to walk through certain areas.

[bbhntr48]

RH, My cutover growth stage is in between your two examples. I have the chance to setup a few stands that should produce regularly in the coming years.

Thanks for all the input.

[cajunwannabe]

This guy has interesting ideas to keep deer on your property and maximize use. My brother did some of this on his property and it was cool to see the results.

[bbhntr48]

This guy has interesting ideas to keep deer on your property and maximize use. My brother did some of this on his property and it was cool to see the results.

Thanks, I will dive into some of his concepts.