# How do you Hunt Planted Pines?



## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

I love to hunt the edge of young planted pines where they meet older timber. But I have yet to learn how to find deer in areas that are mostly planted pines and all the same age. 

Somebody help a brother out, How do you find deer in Planted Pines?


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## capt wade (Oct 5, 2009)

I used to take care of 1000 acres on the Chattahoochee river for one of my dads clients. It was almost all planted pines ranging in age from 2-7 yrs. old except for three small creek bottoms and around twenty acres of swamp. Our best and most productive way to hunt the bigger deer was hunting interior roads. We had miles of roads in that place and they were all 30-90 ft. wide. We had around fifteen ac. of food plots but hardly ever killed the better bucks in them. The deer like the roadsbecause they are so close to cover; one step they are in the woods, one step they are in the open. The best scenario is to have a N-S and E-W roads intersectingat 90 degree angles and a shooting house with well oiled office chair sitting right in the middle of that junction(and dont lean your gun in the corner cause the deer will be gone quick, and I say this from experience). During the rut the bucks would cross those roads like mad chasing and searching. Its quick shooting and when you first see his head pop outta the pines you fotta make your decision; none of that glassing and checking for break offs and crap.

Thats about as good as I can tell ya for young thick planted pine.

Wade


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## ScullsMcNasty (Oct 4, 2007)

what was said above is probably the best answer youre gonna get. its easy and productive. ive killed plenty of deer crossing roads in planted pines. i shot 2 bucks in one afternoon doing this a few years back

ive always looked for the depressions that run through them. lower terrain changes normally are planted a little bit different therefore make for a easier walkway for deer. they love to use them. 

also, and im sure you already know this curtis, wait till the end of the season and go back in there and cut a well defined trail through the planted pines in the general direction the deer move. come back next bow season and they'll be using it. i shot a big 8pt opening weekend of bowseason last year doing this.


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## Bullshark (Mar 19, 2009)

> *Garbo (12/18/2009)*I love to hunt the edge of young planted pines where they meet older timber. But I have yet to learn how to find deer in areas that are mostly planted pines and all the same age.
> 
> Somebody help a brother out, How do you find deer in Planted Pines?


all my stands are set up where little pines meet bigger trees or a field. That is the only place I hunt. If you can find the edge of where 10' pines meet some kind of food sorce it is the place to be


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## imkilroy (Oct 27, 2007)

If all you have is small pines with no edge bordering bigger timber then find a straight row(most of them are planted that way) and clear it for 150 to 200 yard's. Set up a hut on one end and a feeder on the other(where legal) and be ready. If you get enough light you can plant the strip. Not the most exciting way to hunt, but if it's all you have it beat's nothing. Most place's you can trim limb'sas long as you don'ttop the pine's.


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## Brad King (Sep 30, 2007)

One row at a time!!!


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## byrddog (Aug 3, 2009)

Get a topo map of the area and find the pinch points or use google earth sometimes the pictures are 3 to 4 years old you can see the funnels easier. Alot of times you can find some places where the pines didnt grow or a wet spot they didnt plant that might give you a small or sometimes a large opening. Good luck!


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## daddytime (Oct 1, 2007)

I like this thread. I've never killed a mature buck doing this, but have killed several doe and seen small bucks by...slipping ever so slowly through planted pines on a wet day...kinda like this coming wed. is supposed to be. 2 or 3 steps, freeze and take a minute or 2 and slowly pan around. Seen deers ears, antlers, hair, and movement hundreds of times doing this. Face into the wind...and take your time. 

Always say I'm gonna set up a ground blind and hunt some open rows in the short pines and never ever do it. This thread has motivated me to do it some this week. No doubt about it, those of us hunting timber company land are leaving alot of area out of the equation if you don't spend time in the short pines. :usaflag


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## draper11 (May 8, 2009)

The key is hunting transitions. Age differences in pine, edges of thickets or openings, terrain changes, geography around the pines (chokepoint between fields), etc. I've hunted planted pines my whole life... Not many have confidence to hunt pines too often but I guess I just got used to it...


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## SUNDAY-FUNDAY (Apr 17, 2008)

they cut about 2000 acres on a lease we used to hunt. when they wind row it up and replant, those rows can sometimes be 2' high..... we would spread out about 30 rows apart and walk with the wind at our backs. killed a ton of bucks that year and the next year (until the pines grew too tall). generally, i prefer to hunt the low harwood bottoms seperating the pine fields. if those do not exist, i'd hunt the roads as stated above. i got a stud 9pt this am "in hot pursuit" after i decided to make a little detour down some woods roads cutting thru 300 acres of head high pines. will post some pics when i get back.


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## Garbo (Oct 2, 2007)

Good Info. I try To find funnels and bottlenecks that create a concentrated travel route(s) and have taken deer around planted pines. But, I have hunted with guys that hunt planted pines not around planted pines but in planted pines and I have never even attempted it. The reason for my question is there is so much land taken up by planted pines that knowing how to hunt them opens up alot of hunting property.......


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