Inside Corners! Easy to Find,
Easy to Hunt, and Highly Successful!
By:
Shane McDermott, President and StickemArchery.com Contributor/Pro Staff
Mapping The Outdoors, Inc.
www.mappingtheoutdoors.com
Inside
Corners are a great place to start if you are just beginning to use
aerial photos and topographic maps to identify hot spots for hunting
whitetail deer. The reason for this is that you can look at an
aerial photo and identify an inside corner as one of the simplest features to locate on the map. There are usually only a few on a piece of
property, and it only takes a glance at the map to find them.
So
what is an "inside corner". I would describe an inside corner as the
corner of a square, or relatively square field that is bound on both
sides by woods. The woods are actually the inside corner and the focus
of this hot spot. Since the field edge is relatively square and turns
90 degrees at the corner, the woods will "wrap around" the 90 degree
corner, and this is the feature that we call an "inside corner." Check
out map below and you can see how easy it is to identify an inside
corner:
So,
what is all the hype about hunting on inside corners? During the rut,
bucks run looking for hot does. They will often run the woods checking
fields, but they don't often run through the fields. The buck wants to
remain unseen, so instead of cutting across a field, they will cut the
inside corner, remaining unseen and undetected. And that is exactly why
an inside corner can be a perfect stand location. The idea is to place
the stand in a spot to catch a buck cutting that corner, or coming into
the corner to check out the field for does. What I try to do is find a
tree that I can be as close to the corner as possible, and about 20-30
yards inside of the woods. The bucks will have a tendency to cut that
corner pretty close, but sometimes they will stay back far enough that
if you are right on the field edge you will never get a shot.
The
tricky part is the wind. The ideal situation is to have the wind
blowing out of the woods and into the field, so the buck won't wind
you. However the problem with that is that there may well be deer out
in that very same field, which you are now using for bai. Now you
run the risk of getting busted by them. So, when hunting this setup you
have to take every precaution when it comes to scent control. I try not
to hunt this setup when it is warm, so I save it for days when the wind
is right and the temperature is a little cooler than normal. I also use
scent control clothing and scent elimination spray, and shower with
scent free shampoo and soap right before the hunt. When it comes to
scent control, especially in a situation like this one, you can't be
too careful.
A few years ago I had an absolutely amazing
experience on an inside corner. In mid-summer I planted about a half
acre food plot of turnips tucked in tight right in the corner of the
field. I wanted the turnips to be as close to the corner
as I could get them, and I didn't want the food plot too large, because
I wanted to keep the deer that fed on that food plot as close to my
inside corner as possible. This stand was set up particularly for the
early rut, when I could catch the does feeding in the afternoon hours,
and the bucks running around looking for that hot doe.
Well,
it wasn't long before the action on this inside corner picked up. The
first afternoon that the conditions were prime for this spot I had a
ton of deer activity in the field. About an hour before sunset I had
two does and a fawn enter the field from a trail that ran from just
behind my stand into the turnip patch. They wandered around munching on
turnips for about 30 minutes before a young buck, probably in the 120"
class, came out for a look. I was seriously concerned that this young
buck would run the does right out of my food plot, and then I lose my
bait. As the young buck approaches one of the does I see the other doe
looking over towards the other side of the food plot and stomp her
front leg. It is pretty thick over on that side, and I can't see what
she is looking at, but I have a feeling its another deer approaching
the field. Sure enough I see a nice mature buck slowly walk up to the
field edge and check out the situation. He isn't interested in the
doe that busted him, he is watching the younger buck push the other doe
around. This buck is about 35-40 yards out and I have no shot at this
spot, so I just sit patiently and watch, hoping for an opportunity.
This buck is easily a 4-1/2 year old buck, possibly scoring in the 150"
range, and I am pumped. Although, I have a big problem now. I have my does
right where I want them, but this young buck is surely going to cause
me problems. The mature buck has finally had enough watching and is
ready to join the action. He is just a little bit pissed and ready to fight. He bolts
out into the field, charging directly at the younger buck. The younger
buck sees him coming and hightails it across the field, running
directly away from me out of sight. The mature buck chases him out
of range, and then turns to look for the does. They have decided they
have had enough and have exited the field at a dead run. The last I see
of this nice looking buck is his tail end running into the woods after
the does, out of my inside corner and never to be seen again.
So
my setup worked, at least as far as bringing in the does and holding
them in the corner to bait the buck in. However, as deer hunting goes,
not everything goes as planned. I wasn't able to tag that buck, but it
was one heck of an exciting afternoon. Evidence to show that
hunting inside corners can be rewarding, even when the hunt doesn't end
successfully.
Now go get an aerial photo of your hunting
property and check it out to see if you have any inside corners you can
hunt. They are a great rut hunting location because they are relatively easy to get
into undetected because you don't have to walk through the woods. You do need to becareful getting out because you don't want to run off your bait as
you exit your stand that evening. Good luck and happy hunting.