Treestand or ground setup in a coulee?

[BigRackLover]

I'm not really all that familiar with hunting coulees and steep slopes which is the reason for the post.

I have a new spot this year in which I found an intersection of 4 game (deer WT & M) that cross a creek bed. The creek bed reaches out from a water drainage and splits two alpha fields. The coulee that this creek bed lies in allows the deer to access both alpha fields. The creek bed has spruce on one side and a steep slope. The other side has smaller browse trees and a steep slope. The creek bed is wedged in between 2 steep slopes that have parallel game trails all along it. The intersection I want to setup on has many good trees for tree stands but I am I really getting an advantage using a tree stand?

Usually a treestand is for getting up out of sight and smell, but in this case, going up 20ft only puts me level with the trails along the steep slopes and the ones that lead into the crossing (intersection) at the creek bed. There is some water in the creek so the deer may take a drink after feeding in the alpha above.

I am thinking a groud setup would work much better - I can blend right into the creek bed and the shot opportunities are great. Plus I'm thinking my stentch would linger in the creek bed, which is 10-15ft below the games trails entering the crossing.

However what's the wind going to do? Morning? Afternoon? This coulee does not get much sun at all, and probably next to none in the later season (aka - it runs east - west). Should I setup below the crossing? Above the crossing?

I should have taken pictures - trying to describe this is tough.

I think a treestand on the uphill side of the crossing would be best. If not, then a ground blind would be second.
The wind will blow down the hill in the mornings, and then in the afternoon, the thermals will go uphill.

[pottymouth]

both sound good, if the deer are using the bottom mostly and are only climbing the hills to go feed, and back to bed, use your tree stand, and make sure you keep your back silohette broken up and covered, but if there side skirting the coulee all the time set up the ground blind, with the right cover scent for both and pay attention to the wind.

I would actually set up both, and i would choose one and stick with it, but if winds change or you see better chance from the other, it's already set up and the deer are still used to seeing it there .....nothing lost by using both.

[russ]

dunno, but I've never had a lot of luck with setting things in the bottom's of coulees. Always been better off on the edge, a little impractical though sometimes.

[Johnny]

If the shooting opportunities are better, I would go with the ground blind. If you are worried about scent....there is a product called deer sense or elk sense. It is like inscents except for hunting. I have not tried it yet although one of the pros at the pro shop I go to highly recommended it and he said the mulies go crazy over the elk sense. I think you put it in a tin can, tight her up and let it smoke away. It works as a attractant as well as a good cover scent. Worth a try, I am going to give it a try this fall.

Good luck and it sounds like you have a good spot.

[BigRackLover]

Originally Posted by Johnny

If the shooting opportunities are better, I would go with the ground blind. If you are worried about scent....there is a product called deer sense or elk sense. It is like inscents except for hunting. I have not tried it yet although one of the pros at the pro shop I go to highly recommended it and he said the mulies go crazy over the elk sense. I think you put it in a tin can, tight her up and let it smoke away. It works as a attractant as well as a good cover scent. Worth a try, I am going to give it a try this fall.

Good luck and it sounds like you have a good spot.

I've tried that stuff. It for sure stinks up the area. Not too sure about using while your hunting (because of the lingering smoke and smoke like smell) but the smell hangs around for a while after I'm pretty sure.