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bamaranger · December 30, 2012, 02:13 AM

Here are my thoughts. First, if you got a shot from your setup, you did OK. Next, an acre to hunt beats no land to hunt, so hang in there. Some really big deer have been killed on these urban parcels.

What are you doing about the wind? It must figure into your approach and stand site selection. Yeah you have city deer used to human smell, but urban deer still play the wind. If you are approaching the same way every AM and the wind is at your back, blowing your scent ahead, you are 4/5's beat to start.
You must try very hard to approach your stand with the wind in your face, and your "shot" area upwind of you. There may be some wind conditions that will not allow you to effectively hunt your set up as is.

I would look very hard at the fringes of the site and multiple stand locations, allowing you to approach with the wind in your favor and just barely enter the woodlot. On a north wind, you hunt stand A, south wind stand B, etc. Again on some wind conditions, you may not be able to hunt. Since the tract is tiny, pre prepared ground blinds my be an answer. But hunting from the ground will require you to be very wind aware,and movement conscious. I'm a fan of climbers due to the flexibility they offer in picking stand sites, and they can't be stolen, you walk out with it, nobody else can slip in and hunt it in your absence, etc. but a climbing stand may be to noisy for your bitty spot.
Since the tract is so small, you may be able to circle and approach from upwind easily. Try to pick stand sites that will only require a very limited travel distance from the woods edge to your stand. I'm talking just 10-20 yards or so....into to cover and on stand very simply.

An acre is not very big. If the deer are bedding there, they do not stay on the ground all day. They will rise and mill about a bit, and you may get a shot resultantly.

Good luck in Philly. I was detailed there 13 months, and on site about 9. Had my pickup stolen 1 week in. Met my wife there (another displaced southerner) and got the truck back to boot! ( Twenty-Second and Race Sts) Rough, but I kept the truck another 10 yrs! Still got the wife too!

I would escape the city to state land in Adams Co, and COE and SGL in Huntington CO, about 2 and 4 hrs drives.

December 30, 2012, 02:13 AM	#4
bamaranger Senior Member Join Date: October 9, 2009 Location: North Alabama Posts: 8,312	"about an acre" Here are my thoughts. First, if you got a shot from your setup, you did OK. Next, an acre to hunt beats no land to hunt, so hang in there. Some really big deer have been killed on these urban parcels. What are you doing about the wind? It must figure into your approach and stand site selection. Yeah you have city deer used to human smell, but urban deer still play the wind. If you are approaching the same way every AM and the wind is at your back, blowing your scent ahead, you are 4/5's beat to start. You must try very hard to approach your stand with the wind in your face, and your "shot" area upwind of you. There may be some wind conditions that will not allow you to effectively hunt your set up as is. I would look very hard at the fringes of the site and multiple stand locations, allowing you to approach with the wind in your favor and just barely enter the woodlot. On a north wind, you hunt stand A, south wind stand B, etc. Again on some wind conditions, you may not be able to hunt. Since the tract is tiny, pre prepared ground blinds my be an answer. But hunting from the ground will require you to be very wind aware,and movement conscious. I'm a fan of climbers due to the flexibility they offer in picking stand sites, and they can't be stolen, you walk out with it, nobody else can slip in and hunt it in your absence, etc. but a climbing stand may be to noisy for your bitty spot. Since the tract is so small, you may be able to circle and approach from upwind easily. Try to pick stand sites that will only require a very limited travel distance from the woods edge to your stand. I'm talking just 10-20 yards or so....into to cover and on stand very simply. An acre is not very big. If the deer are bedding there, they do not stay on the ground all day. They will rise and mill about a bit, and you may get a shot resultantly. Good luck in Philly. I was detailed there 13 months, and on site about 9. Had my pickup stolen 1 week in. Met my wife there (another displaced southerner) and got the truck back to boot! ( Twenty-Second and Race Sts) Rough, but I kept the truck another 10 yrs! Still got the wife too! I would escape the city to state land in Adams Co, and COE and SGL in Huntington CO, about 2 and 4 hrs drives.