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Old 11-15-2017, 06:23 PM
Bushleague Bushleague is offline
 
Join Date: May 2014
Posts: 3,556
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I can go a little further into the topo thing I guess. IMO deer are drawn to topographical features because they allow the deer to better use thermal drift for better scent coverage. When I scout a good ridge there is usually a bunch of sign on top, and again at the bottom. The more pronounced (steep) the ridge the more concentrated I find the sign to be. So when the thermal draw is up, under stable weather conditions usually from about mid morning until early evening hunting the high trail is a better bet, when the draw is down, the low trail is better. A prevailing wind obviously changes everything. Speaking of thermals, I've often seen a spike in activity when the thermal drift switches, or that switchy morning wind settles down. I think the deer adjust their bedding positions a bit to take advantage of whatever the wind is doing once its settled in for the day.

The other advantage of rugged country is it can show you where a deer wont travel, and it can show you where a deer will travel. In places where the face of the ridge is steep deer will usually be moving along the ridge, top and bottom like I said. In places where it is less steep, often on finger like points extending out in a gradual grade, the deer will use these to go up or down the ridge and trails moving along the ridge will be less concentrated.

Another feature that can concentrate deer movement is drainage ravines, the amount that they factor in depends on the size and number of them. A drainage ravine will be shallow near the top of the ridge, get deeper as it decends, and gradually even back out again. If you're on a ridge with lots of deep nasty drainage ravines deer are not going to be climbing in and out of these rugged windfall choked hell holes all day, so there is usually a good trail just above them, and once again at the swampy bottom.
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