Tree stand placement

Scottb226

I recently came across an area that had lots of positive sign. There's an open field maybe 75 yards wide with a cypress head on one side and pine flat woods on the other. The cypress head has a lot of tracks and is pretty dry at the moment. The question is, should I put my stand on the edge of the cypress head or inside? If inside how far in? I know that it should really be based on where the deer are moving but is there a general spot that's usually better then the other? In one area it seems like the deer would enter the cypress head and hug the inside of it within the first 10-20 feet and walk the edge.

DropTine797

Edge
Have a shot 30 yards into the head.
Water is down, fresh growth comes up, deer are probably hitting it hard now.

james 14

Hard to say without seeing exactly what you're describing but deer move along edges more than anything else. You only said what was on 2 sides of the opening. What's on the other 2 sides? What's on the edge of the cypress when you walk out of the opening? My guess would be to have a stand within shooting distance of a deer walking down the edge of the cypress going in and out of the opening.

There would have to be something inside the cypress head (food or cover) to make them go inside of it and make me want to put a stand further in. Otherwise it probably acts like a funnel that the deer walk around to get to where they really want to be.

AllenR

How you enter/exit the area and prevailing winds are more important than anything. If you are walking across the trail to get to your stand, then that's bad. Assuming this is for bow season, you can anticipate an E or NE flow for N/Central Florida in early season

DoradoDreamin

Good info above from others. Only thing I would add is take hunting pressure into account. Without seeing it, its hard to say but the does make walk the "easy" edge of the cypress stand/open area but if the bucks are hunted hard, they may take a trail 40 or 50 yards back from the edge. Like James said it all depends on what else is around this area. I would check for any trails just inside the cypress head and try to setup on those if possible where you could get a shot on a deer that is walking either the edge or a trail inside the head.

Scottb226

Great advice thanks for the responses. I still have a lot of scouting to do but being that the cypress trees show a waterline about knee/thigh deep, I'm probably better off putting most of my efforts on the edge. Unless I find some higher ground that can be used as an island of some sort in the cypress head. Then it comes down to whether I'm willing to walk in thigh deep swamp in a pitch black cypress head or not lol

tbsportsman

If you find a dry spot in the middle of the head, that could be a bedding spot. If the deer are bedding there, you don't want your stand there. It would be best to have a stand just out of sight/hearing range, although if it's a buck and you spend any time around his bed, he probably would quit using it at least temporarily.

Shine

AllenR wrote: »

How you enter/exit the area and prevailing winds are more important than anything. If you are walking across the trail to get to your stand, then that's bad. Assuming this is for bow season, you can anticipate an E or NE flow for N/Central Florida in early season

That is pretty much the answer. If you walk in areas deer walk - you will push them nocturnal. If the wind is blowing over beading areas or trails they use to access the area -- you are doomed. I no longer "hang" stands -- use climbers exclusively and set up according to wind conditions. The shortest rout to your stand is usually the wrong one -- if you have to walk in a long way, its the right thing to do if wind conditions warrant.