Deer Nature

All morning the action had been steady. The deer were coming in like I had them on a string--and I might as well have. Not only was I just a few yards from where they wanted to be, I was practically holding the gate open for them. The particular property I was hunting only had one good access for the deer, and by "good access" I am referring to the easiest access to the field. Whitetails are no different than any other creature and will most often seek out and use the easiest route possible, as long as it offers a modicum of cover and safety.

Funnels
For our purposes here, funnels are simply any terrain feature or man-made structure that influences deer movement. Few critters roaming the woods are more athletic than a whitetail. If you think there is a spot on your land that a whitetail cannot go, that is likely the place the biggest buck on the property is hiding. This being said, whitetails are inherently lazy. They will take the path of least resistance, so long as security is not jeopardized too much. Some obvious funnels include fingers of dry land between ponds, brushy swales running through CRP fields, fencerows and saddles crossing hillsides.

Other funnels will produce every bit as well, but may be much more subtle. One of the most effective--and overlooked--funnels is a corner. The term "corner" is misleading to many, though. If they were looking across the cornfield out my kitchen window, many nonhunters would fail to see a corner by our definition. This is because they would be looking for a perfect 90-degree direction change on the tree line. Some corners do in fact fit the 90-degree model, and most any L-shaped corner of a tree line/farm field will focus deer movement. However, any significant dip in the tree line will also act as a corner.

A simple test to determine the viability of this theory would be to check the number of entry trails to a corner and compare that number to the number of trails leading to a particular point in a flat section of tree line. If the area holds deer, you should find significantly more in the corner.

The main attraction to a corner comes from the multiple escape routes offered. Deer in general and bucks to an even higher degree are reticent to expose themselves in open terrain. This makes areas with multiple escape routes in different directions (corners) desirable. In essence, corners are not a draw because they are easier to get to via a certain route--deer can certainly exit the tree line from any point just as easily. Instead, it funnels them from a mental aspect.

Everything I have written to this point is far from news, and I may even have forced a yawn or two from a few readers. Here is the payoff, though. After locating a corner, follow a few of the trails back into the woods. Within the first 50 yards, likely closer to 10 yards, you will find intersecting trails that parallel the tree line. These trails are pure money. Perimeter trails are buck magnets. The perimeter trails still provide enough cover for bucks to travel them and check out the field before entering. During the rut, the trails provide cover while bucks cruise primary doe routes to scent-check them.

Bowhunters will often place a stand on the field edge on one leg of the corner, usually within 30 yards of the peak. Some savvy archers will also set the stand back five yards or so and pick up some extra cover. Rifle and muzzleloader hunters pick up the advantage of range and will normally back off the corner 50 to 200 yards depending on the terrain and ability. Neither of these are bad stand choices, but in my experience the point you should be targeting is not the open field but rather perimeter trails where they intersect with main entry trails. These intersections are the gate to the fields I referred to in the beginning of this story.

Dig Deeper
The information presented thus far is valuable, but with a bit more effort you will still be able to apply this same concept and potentially do better. Take the same corner scenario we just went through and replace the field with a clear cut or a decent blow-down. You can still find a corner--either 90 degrees or a more subtle bend--and start your search. If you find multiple entry trails, backtrack and look for the perimeter trails. Once you locate these, the next step is to make room on the wall for the mount.

Conclusion
Islands between ponds, sloughs, ravines, draws, coulies, sidehills--call them what you may, they all serve the same function and should bring the same result. The difference is timing and objective. If you are the type of hunter who won't shoot any deer you do not think will go book, scout the field from afar for a couple of days and if you don't see a Booner, find a choke point or funnel deeper in the woods. If your goal is to see a lot of deer and kill the best of what happens along, hunt the field. However, when the pressure mounts and the bucks start going nocturnal, your odds are best on the funnels back in the cover.

Computers have brought us a long way since the days of pouring over squiggly lines on a topo map or expensive aerial maps when available. The 3D mapping features make finding corners easier than ever and can save the legs a lot of walking. Another great idea is Bushnell's Onyx 400. The maps are downloadable and simple to scan or follow when looking for potential stand sites. There is a small charge for the download, but it is so minimal that you can do it for about the price of a cup of fancy coffee.